Former First Minister named as one of Glasgow comedy fest headliners

Scotland’s biggest dedicated comedy festival gets set to celebrate Glasgow as the ‘funniest city in the world’ from Wednesday, 12 - Sunday, 30 March 2025. Headline shows include popular podcast Here Comes the Guillotine, Susie McCabe, Connor Burns, Val McDermid & Nicola Sturgeon’s Books and Banter, Jimeoin, Russell Kane, Jamali Maddix and many more.

The former First Minister and the renowned Scottish crime writer, will bring a night filled with lively chat and lots of laughs. Books and Banter will see the pair join forces with comedy’s biggest book lovers, all for the love of reading. 

They said: “...Our love of books is what first drew us together and it remains the mainstay of that friendship. And now we want to share the love... (at) the Glasgow International Comedy Festival where we’ll be joined by two top names from the comedy world. We’ll be interrogating our guests about the books that shaped them and why they love reading. Revelations galore await as we explore the love and laughter between the covers."

Three of Scotland’s top comedians will bring their hugely popular podcast to GICF as Frankie Boyle, Susie McCabe and Christopher MacArthur-Boyd host Here Comes The Guillotine;. 

The weekly podcast sees the trio take on everything from politics, the state of the world and celebrities. They’ll perform the podcast’s first hometown live show at the SEC Armadillo during the festival.

Susie McCabe, of Here Comes The Guillotine, said, “The three of us are really looking forward to sharing a stage together in our home town, and doing something a bit different from our established stand up!”

2024’s winner of the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award, McCabe also returns to GICF with brand new show Best Behaviour following last year’s rave reviewed and sold out show Merchant of Menace. The Glaswegian comic returns to the King’s Theatre for a three-show run that will showcase.

GICF will also host some of comedy’s most exciting rising stars including Connor Burns, an Edinburgh comic following sell-out crowds at Edinburgh Fringe, as he entertains fans with his homegrown Scottish cynicism and razor sharp wit. Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards this year, Yorkshire native Joe Kent-Walter revives Frankie Monroe, whilst Glasgow’s own Kathleen Hughes presents her dark debut hour with Cryptid! 

Some of the UK’s biggest comedians will also head to Glasgow next spring including award winning comedian and actor Russell Kane, acclaimed Irish stand-up Jimeoin’s and Jamali Maddix.

Festival Director Krista MacDonald said: “Following 2024’s record-breaking year, Glasgow International Comedy Festival is set to once again host comedy’s biggest and best, alongside the industry’s rising stars, for a jam-packed 19 days of wall to wall comedy featuring stand-up, live podcasts, family shows, improv and more. 

“We’re looking forward to celebrating Glasgow as the funniest city in the world, as hundreds of comedians and performers set out to entertain audiences in venues all across the city. If you’ve always wanted to perform at GICF then now is the time - don’t miss out!” 

Venues currently registered to host GICF events include The King’s Theatre, Oran Mor, The Stand Comedy Club, SEC Armadillo, Blackfriars, Platform, The Old Hairdressers and more. 

Acts and venues can register to be included in GICF’s printed festival guide by 22nd November via www.glasgowcomedyfestival.com

2025 festival tickets are on sale via www.glasgowcomedyfestival.com with the full festival launch in early January.