THERE are big laughs in store for comedy fans as Portsmouth gets a new two-day comedy festival.

The Big Mouth Comedy Festival will take over Portsmouth Guildhall on March 10 and 11 next year.

Headliners guaranteed to have you rolling in the aisles include Russell Kane, Andy Parsons, Seann Walsh and Paul Zerdin.

As well as top-class headliners, the weekend promises to feature cabaret-style events, open-mic sessions, ‘best of the Fringe’ preview acts and the crème de la crème of rising, local talent.

Headlining the Saturday night is multi-award-winning comedian, presenter, actor, author and scriptwriter, Russell Kane. He’s best known as the host of BBC3’s Live at the Electric and his appearances on BBC1’s Live at the Apollo, BBC3’s Unzipped, ITV2’s Celebrity Juice and I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here. Supporting Russell will be Zoe Lyons with her trademark high-energy, brilliantly observed routines. Zoe has won both the Comedian’s Comedy Award and Chortle Best Club Comic. Sunday night sees a mixed bill of Mock The Week stalwart Andy Parsons, ‘the Lie-In King’ Seann Walsh and America’s Got Talent winner, ventriloquist, Paul Zerdin. With doors open from midday, Dead Ringers star Jan Ravens, and comedy legends Barry Cryer and Colin Sell are the first daytime acts to be announced.

The Big Mouth Comedy Festival is being produced by Portsmouth Guildhall with the support of local comedian, writer and actor, James Alderson and Capital FM who are the Guildhall’s radio partner for 2017/18.

Tickets are now on sale. Go to portsmouthguildhall.org.uk