Every arena comedy show in Scotland in 2026
Fancy laughter on a massive scale? Peter Kay, Kevin Bridges, Matt Rife and Bill Bailey are just a few of the names playing arenas this year
Away from the comedy churches of The Stand, Monkey Barrel and The Glee Club, Scotland plays host to a hulking gladiatorial joust known as the comedy arena show, where wildly successful comics are given the chance to conjure laughter in their very own cathedral. This is a stellar year for the arena show in Scotland, with old faces, young upstarts and revived sitcoms making the bill. Below, we’ve compiled a list of every arena comedy show announced at time of writing.
An Evening With The Fast Show
Less a performance and more a wander down memory lane, this remarkably popular tour welcomes Simon Day, Charlie Higson, John Thomson, Paul Whitehouse, Mark Williams and Arabella Weir onstage to reminisce about the pioneering Fast Show 30 years after its first broadcast. There are also recreations of some of the show’s most beloved sketches.
SEC Armadillo, Glasgow, Tuesday 27 January.
Stuart Mitchell: Tips Not Included
The rise of Stuart Mitchell has been meteoric, in no small part thanks to his canny way with a story and everyman likeability. He’ll be hitting audiences with relatable patter about exorbitant restaurant bills, missing fingers and his family life. We gave Tips Not Included four stars during its Fringe run, calling it ‘a study in eliciting humour from the bleakest subject matter.’
SEC Armadillo, Glasgow, Saturday 28 February & Sunday 1 March.
Peter Kay Live
Garlic bread! Still peddling nostalgia and accessible observational fare, the onetime Phoenix Nights and Car Share star will visit arenas with signature bits on family gatherings, TV classics and life’s minor irritations.
P&J Live, Aberdeen, Saturday 7 March; OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Friday 3 & Saturday 4 April.
Jeff Dunham: Artificial Intelligence
The American ventriloquist has been a mainstay in the US for decades, and gained a sizeable audience overseas thanks to viral YouTube clips. He’ll be joined by his questionable troupe of characters including Sweet Daddy Dee, Melvin The Superhero Guy, Diane and, erm, Achmed The Dead Terrorist.
OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Wednesday 25 March.
Daniel Sloss: Bitter
Once a wunderkind of the stand-up scene, Sloss has come of age with a finely honed sense of humour and fearlessly shocking sensibility. He’ll be supported by safe-pair-of-hands Kai Humphries.
SEC Armadillo, Glasgow, Saturday 28 March.
Ray Bradshaw: Coda
More likeable fare with a creative edge from Ray Bradshaw, whose affable sensibility and interesting upbringing (he was raised by deaf parents) have made him a hot ticket. Coda is perhaps his most personal show, discussing the unique joys of growing up in a sign language household.
SEC Armadillo, Glasgow, Saturday 11 April.
Matt Rife: Stay Golden
With the strongest cheekbones in the biz and a handful of Netflix specials to his name, Rife has become Gen Z’s go-to arena comic of choice. Pushing light political commentary with on-the-edge anecdotes, he’s also one of the few comics who can make legitimate claim to heartthrob status.
OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Saturday 25 April.
Mark Black: Horrible Family
Darkly witty fare from this viral sensation, who mixes music and comedy with crowd-winning results. Anticipations are high for this regular arena sell-out.
SEC Armadillo, Glasgow, Saturday 16 May.
Kevin Bridges: Here If You Need Me
Mixing political bite with funny-bleak observations, Bridges still deserves his top billing as Scotland’s favourite A-list stand-up. While he won’t be attempting any record-breaking runs this time around, expect more of his trademark unassuming flair.
OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Friday 11 September–Thursday 26 November; P&J Live, Aberdeen, Thursday 10, Friday 11 & Saturday 12 December.
Two Doors Down
Following the likes of Still Game, the BBC sitcom is coming to arenas and welcoming an all-star cast including Doon Mackichan, Jonathan Watson, Elaine C Smith, Arabella Weir, Alex Norton, Elaine C Smith, Kieran Hodgson, Grado and more. Expect a unique story which captures the warm-hearted tone of the show.
OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Friday 25 September – Sunday 11 October.
Billy Bailey: Vaudevillean
Has Bill Bailey attained national treasure status yet? If not, his combination of Izzard-adjacent nonsense and bona fide music craft has at least made him one of the biggest comedians in the country.
SEC Armadillo, Glasgow, Tuesday 24 & Thursday 26 November; P&J Live, Aberdeen, Sunday 6 December.
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