Real Variety Show

The brilliant duo of Tom Allen & Suzi Ruffell hosted a line-up of fantastic new talent, including the Soul Brothers’ feel-good medley & impressive dance moves, and comedy new-comers Aurie Styla, Aaron Simmonds, Kelly Convey, Sikisa, Ben Hanlin, Jake Lambert, and Josh Jones. Ben Hanlin’s interactive magic wowed the audience, whilst Musical Bingo got everyone up on their feet, doing the YMCA, Macarena, and more!

Joel Dommett hosts a remarkable and wonderfully diverse line-up celebrating the return to Cadogan Hall. Daliso Chaponda, who broke through on BGT, warms up the audience for the legendary Dara O Briain – who’s clearly delighted to back onstage (albeit nursing a knee operation). Nigel Ng, creator of online cult Uncle Roger, explains his difficulty with the British diet; Sindhu Vee explains her difficulty with her children; and Alun Cochrane admits he has a problem with thrill seekers. Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, one of a whole family of ‘virtuosi,’ raises the tone with Lizst’s Hungarian Rhapsody – only for Beardyman’s beatboxing video looping to raise the roof. The biggest applause of the night goes to Nina Conti, the brilliantly entertaining ventriloquist, and newcomer Jayde Adams. Her retaliatory Nessun Dorma will go down in RVS history!

Our first virtual Real Variety Show. Fresh from helping Peter Crouch to Save our Summer, Alex Horne plays host accompanied by his wonderful Horne Section. Russell Kane gives corporate events a Kaneing (more like a love letter), Mark Watson drops in to say hello, and Jimmy Carr previews his Christmas Quiz – “the perfect way to party in a pandemic.” The mood softens with a beautiful piece from Ukrainian sand artist Kseniya Simonova (known to BGT fans), before descending into anarchy when Alex attempts to join George Egg in a pancake cook-along with upturned irons! Abandoman (aka Rob Broderick) tops the bill, proving beyond doubt that ‘virtual’ was invented for improvised hip hop with an Irish twist.

Radio 1’s Scott Mills delivered a cornucopia of new to talent to the stage including laughs from Christopher Macarthur-Boyd, Foxdog Studios, Laura Lexx, Alasdair Beckett-King, Suzi Ruffell, Huge Davies and Adam Rowe, impressions courtesy of Josh Berry and thumping tunes provided by The Brass Funkeys.

Vernon Kay hosted a superb night showcasing the exceptional up and coming talents of Ember Trio, Luke Kempner, Sindhu Vee, Flo & Joan, Maisie Adam, Darren Harriott, Mr Swallow, Geoff Norcott and Zoe Lyons.

Alexander Armstrong presented a vintage year of breakthrough and up and coming talent, featuring a showstopping performance by DUKE. And there was a plethora of comedic talent – Paul McCaffrey, Kerry Godliman, Phil Wang, Tom Allen and Tom Ward all raised the RVS bar yet again.

Claudia Winkleman hosted an incredible night of cabaret where Jo Caulfield, Ivo Graham, Marcel Lucont, Jess Robinson, Richard Herring, Sons of Pitches, Felicity Ward and special guest Jimmy Carr all stole the show!

Holly Walsh shows how to get laughs with PowerPoint, Rich Hall appeals to the events industry – but Chris Turner is the stand-out discovery from this year’s show.

Host Al Murray introduced this year’s bill including the spectacular acrobatic feats of Circulus, laughter packed sets from Lucy Porter and Rob Deering , and the glorious harmonies of Band of Voices.

Presented by Russell Kane, this year’s bill included stand out sets from Canadian stand up Sean Collins, comedy musicians Four Screws Loose and Jonny and The Baptists, and a fantastic performance from Mitch Winehouse and his band.

Jason Manford introduces a bill of brilliant new cabaret talent, including the soulful CK Gospel Choir’s feel-good medley, comedy new-comer Rob Beckett and the silently hilarious The Boy With Tape On His Face. Piff The Magic Dragon had help on stage from his chihuahua Mr Piffles, whilst The Noise Next Door composed personalised songs for members of the audience.

The nation’s favourite satirist Rory Bremner hosted another bill of superb comic and cabaret talent which featured Tasmanian newcomer Hannah Gadsby’s unique deadpan take on the world, and Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer introducing hip-hop and rave tracks to the Queen’s English. The excellent Seann Walsh proved why he’s likely to be a star of the future whilst The Horne Section demonstrated that jazz and comedy can work together especially with the addition of a man in a balloon in the shape of Bruce Airhead. Up-and-coming star Imran Yusuf and the wry Simon Evans supplied more comedy of the highest quality and Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee combined flute playing and beatboxing to create something truly original.

With Alistair McGowan playing host, this year’s bill includes Ian Moore,Canadian one-liner merchant Stewart Francis and Geordie favourite Sarah Millican – alongside masterful sets from Micky Flanagan and Terry Alderton. There’s also hilarious hip-hop improv from Abandoman, breathtaking hip-hop dance from Boy Blue, ‘oom-pop’ from Oompah Brass and unbelievable a capella from The Magnets. Many of the 860 organisers and producers in the crowd at Cadogan Hall said this was the strongest ever Real Variety Show – who are we to disagree?

Mock the Week’s Hugh Dennis introduces a bevy of talent. The new wave of stand-up is represented by Jon Richardson, Jack Whitehall, Kevin Bridges and Alun Cochrane. Meanwhile Strictly dancers Fortuna and Rihanoff defy gravity, whilst James Rhodes and The Red Hot Chilli Pipers add flawless musicianship.

Rob Brydon, star of Gavin & Stacey, hosts the 17th Real Variety Show and pays tribute to fellow Welshman Tom Jones – with the help of Far From Kansas. The line-up includes Manchester’s Jason Manford and the Samuel L Jackson of the comedy circuit, Reginald D Hunter. This year’s top of the bill is the legendary Italian performer Ennio Marchetto, who thrills the Cadogan Hall audience with ‘living cartoons’ of everyone from Mona Lisa to Amy Winehouse.

Michael McIntyre and Frankie Boyle, two rapidly rising comics, demonstrate consummate skill in front of 850 event producers and organisers. Bruce Airhead takes the balloon act to new heights. Celloman shows supreme cool, and Lenny Henry struts his stuff with Poor White Trash; but the evening belongs to the Australian shadow puppeteer Raymond Crowe, who reprises the Wonderful World routine that made him a worldwide sensation on YouTube.