- The first Rik Mayall Comedy Festival, supported by headline sponsor Isuzu UK, is a finalist for Best Festival & Event in the Visit Worcestershire Tourism Awards 2025.
- Selling out over 75% of headline shows, the Norbury Theatre in Droitwich Spa welcomed showstopping acts from Greg Davies, Peter Richardson, Helen Lederer, and many more.
- Rik Mayall fans across the UK rejoiced in their appreciation for the comedian’s craft, sharing stories, experiences, and anarchic sense of humour.
The Rik Mayall Comedy Festival, supported by headline sponsor, Isuzu UK, has been nominated as a finalist for Best Festival & Event in the Visit Worcestershire Tourism Awards 2025. The festival concluded its inaugural in June 2025, celebrating of the legendary comedian’s life and career.
Voting is now open for the coveted award, the winner to be announced in March 2026, and can be accessed at www.visitworcestershire.org/blog/vote-for-worcestershires-best-event-of-the-year.
Held in Mayall’s hometown of Droitwich Spa on the 31st May until the 7th June 2025, the revered star of Bottom and The Young Ones’ eponymous Comedy Festival welcomed over 10,000 attendees from across the UK and beyond.
The festival hosted over 200 events across more than 30 venues, including stand-up comedy gigs, workshops, film screenings, street performances, a pop-up museum, and fringe shows.
Headline comics Greg Davies, Peter Richardson, and Helen Lederer, among many others, delivered stellar performances across the festival week. Taking place in the Norbury Theatre, where Rik Mayall spent working and performing during his early career, over 75% of headline events sold out at the volunteer-run venue during the festival.
Attendees praised the festival’s warm welcome, organisation, and quality of acts, with many comparing the event to other established comedy events. Despite being in its infancy, the festival fostered a deep sense of connection with regards to Rik Mayall’s life, his work, and its impact on the festival’s many attendees.
A particularly touching aspect of the Rik Mayall Comedy Festival was the ‘Memories of Rik’ postcards, whereby over 500 handwritten tributes were shared on how Rik’s comedy has influenced people. From bringing them joy to supporting others through grief or loneliness, it gave people space to reflect and feel understood.
This sentiment aligns with Isuzu UK’s recent campaigns focusing on men’s mental health. The Pick-Up Professionals share the importance of talking about challenges and stigmas. Through its #SideBySide campaign during mental health month last October, Isuzu reflected on the value of camaraderie, empathy, and understanding – just as the Rik Mayall Comedy Festival showcased across the event.
Rik Mayall Comedy Festival Director, Stuart Panrucker, said: “It has been a privilege to organise the inaugural Rik Mayall Comedy Festival, and we’re absolutely thrilled to be a finalist in the Visit Worcester Tourism which is now down to a public vote. The festival was only possible through the support of our main sponsor Isuzu, supported by our other amazing sponsors and community partners, our 60 plus festival volunteers, and the small band of volunteer festival committee members who worked tirelessly to bring the festival to life.”
Head of Marketing at Isuzu UK, George Wallis, added: “Isuzu UK has been honoured to be the headline sponsor of the first ever Rik Mayall Comedy Festival, also supplying Isuzu D-Max pick-ups to help carry the load. It is to the credit of the organisers, volunteers, performers, and attendees who have made the event a major success. There was no fear of the festival Bottom-ing out with the fantastic acts on display. It was a full-scale Rik ‘n’ Lol celebration of British comedy brilliance.”
For more information about Isuzu UK’s headline sponsorship of the inaugural Rik Mayall Comedy Festival, please visit www.isuzu.co.uk/sponsorship.