Comedians head to Preston to perform in city's newest mobile venue The MET this summer

Located in the Harris Quarter, adjacent to Preston’s Markets, The MET has already hosted several workshops, performances and events for all the family.

The MET (Mobile Event Tent) is anew city centre event space, installed within the Harris Quarter of Preston city centre. It will play host to an array of events helping to bring people back into the city centre and supporting businesses hit hard by the pandemic.

The contemporary structure, designed and developed in Preston, is made from specially adapted shipping containers, a state-of-the-art fabric cover, and other materials to create an inspiring 150 square metre space capable of accommodating up to 100 people.

Over four dates in June, Comedy Nights at The MET will host some of the UK’s funniest and most celebrated comedians, with limited tickets available for exclusive shows.

The comedy nights start on Saturday June 4 at 7pm, featuring Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Glenn Moore, London stand-up comedian, Bella Hull, and international comedian, Jarlath Regan.

The second performance on Saturday June 11 at 7pm, will be from Edinburgh Fringe Festival regular, Jacob Hawley, along with comedian and writer, Rob Auton.

On Saturday 18 June at 7pm, comedian Sara Barron; comedian, host and podcaster will take to the stage.

Darran Griffiths; and comedian, comic book author, musician, and podcast host Josh Weller, will also bring a smile to the audience’s face.

The fourth comedy performance is on Saturday June 25 at 7pm and will feature acclaimed live act, Pierre Novellie, and stand-up comedian and writer, Eleanor Tiernan.

Councillor Peter Kelly, Cabinet member for culture and leisure at Preston City Council, said: “The MET is the key project in our Towns Fund ‘Pop-ups’ plan, acting as a catalyst to bring life back into the city centre, and targeted to improve the cultural offer in Preston.

“The talent on show at the upcoming comedy nights offers something for everyone and in such a unique setting, so I’d encourage the people of Preston – and beyond – to visit for a great night out.”

Performing comedians include:

Glenn Moore is a regular face on TV, having appeared on Mock The Week (BBC), Rob Delaney’s Stand Up Central (Comedy Central) and The Stand Up Sketch Show (ITV2). He can be heard daily as one quarter of The Dave Berry Breakfast Show on Absolute Radio, the UK’s biggest commercial radio breakfast show. Glenn is a staff writer on the sketch comedy show Scrambled (CITV) and has written for BBC’s The Mash Report and Russell Howard’s Good News, Play To The Whistle (ITV).

Bella Hull regularly plays to sell-out crowds across the UK and recently made her television debut on the BBC’s Stand Up for Live Comedy. She recently performed at the Utrecht International Comedy Festival and her writing has been featured on BBC Radio 4’s Newsjack, Flux Magazine and she is the advice columnist for Quadra magazine.

Jarlath Regan first few gigs earned him places in the finals of every new act competition, tour support spots for Ardal O’Hanlon, Marc Maron and Jack Whitehall, invitations to the world’s biggest comedy festivals and television appearances on the BBC, NBC and Comedy Central. Jarlath’s other credits include Tonight at the Palladium (ITV), Stand up Central (Comedy Central) Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC3) Comedy Central’s The World Stands Up (Comedy Central), Last Comic Standing (NBC), Live at The Stand Comedy Club (BBC Radio Scotland), The Blame Game (BBC Radio Ulster) and The Apprentice You’re Fired (TV3).

Rob Auton has performed his unique brand of comedy on The Russell Howard Hour (Sky One) and on Rob Delaney’s Stand Up Central (Comedy Central). Rob can be seen on The Russell Howard Hour (Sky), Ladhood (BBC3) and is the creator and star of Radio 4’s Class Act and Welcome To Britain.

Jacob Hawley is the presenter and creator of BBC Sounds’s Jacob Hawley: On Drugs and Jacob Hawley On Love. Jacob has rapidly generated interest as one of the boldest new voices on the comedy circuit with his astute observations and political passion. His live shows have sold out at both The Edinburgh Fringe and at London’s Soho Theatre.

Sara Barron is one of the fastest-rising comedians of her generation. Since her 2018 debut at the Edinburgh Fringe, she’s starred on shows including Live at the Apollo (BBC), Would I Lie to You? (BBC) and Frankie Boyle’s New World Order (BBC).

Darran Griffiths is a comedian, host and podcaster. In 2021, Darran was British Comedian of the Year semi-finalist. He has performed at some of the top comedy clubs in London as well as sold out shows at the Hackney Empire and the Indigo at the O2.

Josh Weller is a comedian, comic book author, musician, and podcast host. He is already well-known for his successful music career. Having signed with Universal Records as a teenager, he went on to tour the world as both a solo artist and the lead singer of popular punk act The Kenneths. He has performed on the Vans Warped Tour alongside The Offspring, The Descendants and Juliette Lewis, has drummed for Ray Davies at the Royal Variety Performance, released a Christmas single with Paloma Faith and has toured with Mumford & Sons, The Maccabees, and more.

Pierre Novellie is one of the best up-and-coming comedians in the United Kingdom. He has recently been seen and heard on The Mash Report (BBC2), Stand Up Central (Comedy Central), The Now Show (Radio 4) and as co-host of the hit podcast BudPod alongside Phil Wang. As a writer, Pierre was one of the regular writers on the rebooted Spitting Image (ITV/Britbox) and has also written on shows including Mock the Week (BBC2), The News Quiz (Radio 4), The Mash Report (BBC2), Newzoids (ITV) and Adam Buxton’s Shed of Christmas (Sky). An Edinburgh Fringe regular, Pierre has twice placed in the top 20 best reviewed comedy shows across the entire festival.

Eleanor Tiernan is a comedian and writer and has featured on Stand Up For Live Comedy (BBC3), Comedy Central’s The Alternative Comedy Experience and she has supported including Ardal O’Hanlon, Jason Manford and Jason Byrne. She has been a panellist on BBC Radio 4’s News Quiz and Where’s the F In News? and The Blame Game (BBC Northern Ireland). Most recently Eleanor appeared in Holding, a new TV adaptation of Graham Norton’s debut novel