Brandreth is about the best on the circuit currently. I've heard that Bill Bailey, Rory Bremner, Al Murray and Dara O'Briain are all pretty good value.
I didn't go to that one but everyone said it was a car crash. Stilted telling of stories, jokes that fell flat, and felt more like a business presentation apparently.
Another shout for Rory Bremner. Went to an industry awards presentation a few years ago which he hosted. He was hilarious. It also clashed with a major England World Cup game so everyone in the room voted to watch the game on the big screens so the awards got put back to 1030 pm. Bremner willingly went along with it despite the inconvenience and was outstanding. Also by 1030 everyone was arseholed which made us a more challenging audience but he was brilliant.
Have also seen Dame Kelly Holmes who was lovely but forgettable and Sir Clive Woodward who was crap. From a few years ago, Max Boyce was very good if a slightly acquired taste. Also saw Ricky Gervais at about the time the Office was big. He wasn’t funny.
Its also important what they are like in the "green room" and how they behave.
From what I hear:- Nice / engaging / accommodating; Richard E Grant; James Corden (though now a bit more than £20k); Rob Brydon Rude / unengaging /Diva; Michael McIntyre, David Walliams.
Depends on the audience. I work in a very Corporate job, which sadly suffers from a massive lack of diversity (although fortunately not with my actual employer)... Jo Brand not surprisingly bombed whereas Jack Whitehall went down very well. Rob Brydon was surprisingly meh.
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John Bishop
Oh, I remember him being a lot smaller that I imagined him being.
Stilted telling of stories, jokes that fell flat, and felt more like a business presentation apparently.
Rob Andrew
James Nesbitt
But as others have said - Gyles Brandreth is the pick of the crop.
From what I hear:-
Nice / engaging / accommodating; Richard E Grant; James Corden (though now a bit more than £20k); Rob Brydon
Rude / unengaging /Diva; Michael McIntyre, David Walliams.