Show Me the Funny
Ten comedians compete in a UK-wide reality show.
Show Me the Funny is a British reality show on ITV in which ten comedians of varying experience visited ten cities around the UK, performing tasks to gain local knowledge for new live routines. The show aired on ITV and featured a judging panel of Alan Davies, Kate Copstick, and a different guest judge in each city, with a live final at the Hammersmith Apollo on 25 August 2011.
- field
- Reality television / Stand-up comedy competition
- network
- ITV
- final_date
- 25 August 2011
- winner
- Patrick Monahan
- runner_up
- Dan Mitchell
- third_place
- Tiffany Stevenson
- judges
- Alan Davies, Kate Copstick, rotating guest judges
Lore & Background
The show began with ten contestants in Liverpool, where they were sent to get to know the city and perform for an all-female audience. The panel eliminated Ignacio Lopez in week one. Subsequent episodes took the remaining comedians to Catterick Garrison, a Birmingham secondary school, Watford hospital radio, a pub in Pontypridd, and Blackpool, with eliminations each week. The final three performed live at the Hammersmith Apollo, where Patrick Monahan won, Dan Mitchell came second, and Tiffany Stevenson third.
Reader's Guide
Show Me the Funny is notable as a short-lived British reality competition that attempted to blend travel, local culture, and stand-up comedy. Its format required contestants to create new material based on local experiences, a unique twist on typical talent shows. The show featured a mix of established and emerging comedians, including future notable figures like Ellie Taylor and Stuart Goldsmith. Although it did not achieve lasting fame, it provided a platform for several comedians who later found success in other projects. The unrelated US version on Fox Family adds a layer of confusion to its legacy.
Did You Know?
- The winner Patrick Monahan won a nationwide tour and a DVD released before Christmas.
- Ignacio Lopez, eliminated in week one, later appeared on Live at the Apollo in 2023.
- Stuart Goldsmith, eliminated in week six, now hosts the podcast 'The Comedian's Comedian'.
- An unrelated show with the same title aired in the United States on Fox Family.
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