SYTYF 2024: We Can Be Heroes

Joshua Bethania
Coming Home, 31 Jul-26 Aug

I’m a big fan of Romesh Ranganathan purely because of how funny he is. The first time I saw him it was in a small room and he was so effortlessly funny and off-the-cuff. SYTYF has given me a big head start in comedy. If you had told me what my life would be like now before SYTYF, I wouldn’t have believed you. I’ve shared stages with comedians who I’m a fan of and Gilded Balloon have helped to accelerate my first hour.

Joshua Bethania, photo by Steve Ullathorne

Sophie Garrad
Sophie Garrad and Leigh Douglas: Daddy’s Girls, 31 Jul-22 Aug (not 19)

Tom Allen's style speaks to my own experiences and background. He doesn't fit the mould of poshness despite appearances. As a posh girly with a cockney dad, Tom's stories about being different from his family and having cockney parents resonate with me. If a future SYTYF finalist ever talks about me, I hope they say "You can't think of Sophie Garrad without thinking of Prada".

Samira Banks
Best of SYTYF Best of So You Think You’re Funny, 31 Jul-26 Aug

It's difficult to pick a SYTYF hero, but if you put a gun to my head (in the form of a completely non-violent request) it's Heidi Regan. She has a way of being herself: silly, intelligent, absurd and hilarious. I hope she never reads this because it is an embarrassing level of praise and I sound like a real beg. As for my own experience winning SYTYF, it has been a whirlwind and changed my life, opening so many doors for me early in my comedy journey.

Christopher Donovan
Best of SYTYF Best of So You Think You’re Funny, 31 Jul-26 Aug

It's remarkable how many acts that got their start in SYTYF. Huge names I admire like Kevin Bridges, Romesh Ranganathan, Fern Brady, Glenn Moore and of course Peter Kay. This year, I’m looking forward to shows of recent winners and finalists, like Joshua Bethania and Chelsea Birkby. The final last year was the most nervous I’ve felt for anything. Everyone behind the scenes like Katy and Karen Koren want to help you even after the contest is over. Good luck to everyone involved in SYTYF 2024!

Lizzie Norm
Best of SYTYF Best of So You Think You’re Funny, 31 Jul-26 Aug

Lucy Beaumont comes across as honest and joyful. I love her soft and daft working class persona; it resonates with me. When I discovered she was a runner-up in SYTYF it made me proud, like I could be as good as her maybe. Anyone involved in SYTYF is inspiring; the whole thing is a whirlwind of comedy talent. When it came to last year's final I was nervous, I can’t believe I got placed but I’m so glad I did, what a buzz!

Lizzie Norm, photo by Steve Ullathorne

Chris Weir
Well Flung, 31 Jul-26 Aug (not 14)

Ruth Hunter has a singular voice, who always approaches a subject from a unique angle. I’m fortunate enough to be on the Scottish comedy scene with Ruth. A club set from her is warped and strange and deeply, deeply funny. Long may she reign! SYTYF meant a lot to me. To be recognised in that first year doing comedy, when you’re wondering if you’re any good or shouting into a void. Competitions like SYTYF kept me pursuing this difficult, odd career path – and for that I will never forgive them!

Kathleen Hughes
Cryptid! 31 Jul-26 Aug (not 12)

When I started I was eager to be liked and understood. I'd edit my material to suit what I thought people wanted to hear, toning down my accent and avoiding Scots words. Fern Brady’s Power & Chaos changed my view – every word is personal and true, no matter how ‘weird’ it might sound (and a lot of it is very weird). 2021's SYTYF was incredible. I applied after one open mic, managed three more, and then didn’t perform outside of my living room until the final. I never could have anticipated the opportunities that opened up afterwards.

Nate Kitch
Tomorrow Might Not Happen, Now, 31 Jul-26 Aug 

Phil Kay's experimentation and absurdity deliver something satisfying. He goes with what could happen, not what should happen. I try and capture those moments too, throwing caution to the wind, then piss in it. In 2021's SYTYF final I was adamant to make the work I wanted to make. It paid off. I gave them Nate Kitch, the comic. Karen Koren said afterwards, 'You're like my boy Phil Kay’. I didn’t win, but I didn’t lose either. I was me.