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: 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: SAMANTHA DAY

Samantha’s comedy career kicked off about six years ago, after three decades as an accountant and single mum. Now she’s been freed from the city, she’s really hit her stride, as a truly original act who’s winning awards and progressing fast on the circuit.