Ricky Gervais's 'Spirit of Comedy' is coming to Manchester - here's the details

Dutch Barn Vodka’s Spirit of Comedy competition lands at Lions Den, Deansgate, Manchester on Wednesday 18 June 2025. Expect a night of sharp stand-up hosted by Andrew Mensah & Tom Ward.

This is all part of a nationwide hunt to find Britain’s next great comic, the Dutch Barn Spirit of Comedy is a brand-new stand-up competition launched by Dutch Barn Vodka, co-owned by Ricky Gervais. The ultimate winner will bag an amazing £5,000 cash prize and the chance to open for Gervais at Wembley Arena this November.

Now, the spotlight is on Manchester with local talent battling it out for a place in the next round. You have a change to enjoy rising stars of UK comedy in an iconic venue —and with a complimentary Dutch Barn cocktail on arrival, you can laugh and watch the show with this refreshing drink.

Ricky Gervais, said: “As well as trying to make Dutch Barn a billion-dollar global brand, we thought we might as well try to find Britain’s second greatest comic.”

Tickets are selling fast and can be bought now at: www.DutchBarn.com/SpiritOfComedyTickets