MEET 2025 STAGE AWARD FINALIST: KAY NICHOLSON
Kay Nicholson tells us what she loves about stand up – “It’s all you. It’s the highest risk & the highest reward. You can’t hide behind anything, so when they laugh it’s all for you, but that means if they don’t laugh, again, it’s all on you. It’s a constant knife edge & I love it! Also, providing people with a laugh when the world is the way it is something I am very passionate about. Everyone needs the word to be a bit brighter right now.”
MEET 2025 STAGE AWARD FINALIST: RACHEL GALVO
By complete chance! I grew up watching Comedy Central with my dad but only ever saw male comedians so never considered it as a career opportunity. When I got to acting school in London I was presented with the opportunity to write my own show- with the option to make it stand-up. That same year I had started to build a small online following on Tik Tok. When I posted a clip of her stand-up set followers asked for a live show and I have been a full time comedian ever since!
MEET 2025 STAGE AWARD FINALIST: NICOLA MANTALIOS
I was a regular old punter at a local comedy club called The Grinning Idiot ran by John Smith, back in 2008. I had (and still have) got a really loud laugh so he used to give me free tickets to up the laughter-meter in the room. I just loved it! And one day John let me get on stage to tell a joke (he literally held my hand) I haven’t looked back.
MEET 2025 STAGE AWARD FINALIST: MAPLE ZUO
Maple Zuo is a Chinese-Mongolian stand-up comedian. As seen on BBC cultural frontline, She’s been performing since 2017 across Asia and the UK, known for her witty takes on cross-cultural life, identity, and relationships. Maple has won King Gong at The Comedy Store, Blackout at Up the Creek, and was a finalist in the Leicester Square Theatre New Act of the Year 2023. In 2024, she placed 2nd in the LGBT New Comedian of the Year.
MEET 2025 STAGE AWARD FINALIST: SHALAKA KURUP
Shalaka Kurup is an Indian stand up comedian and writer. Her observational humour has been described as deadpan joy. A doctor by education and a comedian by choice Shalaka has shot onto the UK circuit receiving numerous awards, winning West End New Act of the Year, runner up Brighton Komedia New Act of the year and a finalist Channel 4 Sean Lock Award. Performances include opening for Eshaan Akbar, Grace Campbell, Ria Lina, and was selected for Leicester Comedy Festival Circuit Breakers and Pleasance Reserve in 2023. She has starred on Comedy Central Live Season 3, Jokes Only A…Can Tell (Channel 4 Digital) Asian Network Comedy (BBC) Arts Hour Comedy Special (BBC) and Sunday Morning Live (BBC1).
MEET 2025 STAGE AWARD FINALIST: SOPHIE GARRAD
Sophie Garrad is a stand-up comedian, writer, and content creator celebrated for her high-status humour with her delusional silliness. She first made her mark online with viral sketches that have amassed over 100 million views across Instagram and TikTok, before quickly establishing herself as one of the most exciting new voices in British comedy. Sophie is also a So You Think You’re Funny finalist and her debut hour Poor Little Rich Girl sold out at the Edinburgh Fringe and earned rave reviews, cementing her reputation as a rising star to watch.
