AN EXCLUSIVE UK comedy festival is coming to Southampton.

Some of the country's best-loved comedians will be heading to a city park for a “brand new” three day event from one of the world’s biggest comedy companies.

Comedy Central will bring acts including Katherine Ryan, Jimmy Carr, Rob Beckett, Suzi Ruffell and Britain's Got Talent winner Lost Voice Guy to Hoglands Park this October.

The comedy giant – who count Friends, Inside Amy Schumer and Your Face Or Mine among their successes – will also bring cult game show Takeshi’s Castle to the park, with their “ultimate inflatable course.”

And fans will be able to enjoy live versions of some of their favourite shows, including Roast Battle and Drunk History.

There will also be an “experiential area” with attractions including South Park and Joel and Nish V The World while comedians will belt out classic musical hits in a live stage show, and drag group Denim will host an “alternative all day” party at the site.

Managing director Jill Offman said: “We are always looking for new ways to connect with our loyal audiences, so it only made sense for Comedy Central to launch one of the biggest Comedy festivals the UK has ever seen. We will be offering all our favourite stand up acts as well as live versions of our best shows including Your Face or Mine and Drunk History along with a chance to bounce on Takeshi’s Castle, the world’s largest inflatable TV pop-up.”

A COMEDY Central spokesperson added: “It’s the first event that we have run in the UK.”

A spokesperson for Southampton's Business Improvement District added: "It is the direct result of work by the team at GO! Southampton Business Improvement District (BID) and seeks both to raise the profile of the city as an events destination, and to bring new business to city centre shops, bars, restaurants and other attractions. The event will benefit from massive coverage on the Comedy Central TV channel as well as Channel 5 and MTV."

Tim Keeping, Chair of GO! Southampton said: “We are delighted to be supporting Comedy Central to bring their inaugural Comedy Central Live event to Southampton. 

"This is just the kind of high-profile event that the city deserves to attract, and we expect our work in getting it here to translate into direct economic impact for city centre businesses. We look forward to assessing this impact after the event with a view to attracting and holding more similar events in the future.”

All day tickets cost from £90 and "standard entry plus show" tickets allow fans to "top up" their ticket according to which shows they'd like to see.

Fans will be able to buy “entry only” £22 tickets to include shows from emerging stand-up talent.

The Friday night will see a headline set from Katherine Ryan, Reginald D Hunter, Russell Kane, Stephen Bailey.

Russell Howard, Jamali Maddix, Jack Barry and a "special guest" will top Saturday night's line-up and Jimmy Carr will finish the event on the Sunday night.

A VIP ticket for £150 will let you skip the queues and reserve a seat. Full weekend tickets are not available but organisers say their ticketing system allows fans to visit on different days for individual shows.

It takes place on October 5,6 and 7.