Best Foods Comedy Gala

We’re bringing Wellington our biggest gala yet, as we take over the grand Michael Fowler Centre for the very first time. We’ve got the freshest stand up from a star-studded line-up to keep you laughing all night long - goodness knows we all deserve it!

Gala host Rhys Mathewson leads the lineup, joined by Tofiga Fepulea'i and Justine Smith, plus keep reading to see some newly announced acts! There’s still loads more cracking talent to come, for what is shaping up to be one heck of a show! Check out all the deets below 
 
Rhys Mathewson has won the Fred Award for the Best NZ show at Comedy Fest, taken out the Billy T Award, is a regular on 7 Days, and has just been announced for Dancing with the Stars! He made his first Comedy Fest appearance back in 2006 at age 15, as part of the New Zealand Comedy Trust's Class Comedians high school programme. Three years later he was crowned the youngest ever Billy T Award winner at just 19 years old, and has now racked up over 10 Comedy Fest shows. His high energy and sharp observations make him the perfect comedian to take the audience on an epic live comedy experience leading this incredible lineup.

Plus, newly announced!

Two Hearts’ Laura Daniel (7 Days, Taskmaster NZ, Dancing With The Stars, Have You Been Paying Attention?) and Joseph Moore (7 Days, Have you Been Paying Attention?, Jono and Ben), are comedy pop royalty and the best comedy music duo of all time (according to them). After keeping us laughing through lockdown with their Twitch Karaoke extravaganzas, Two Hearts took to the stage this May to help us celebrate the NZ Comedy Festival that never was. This September they make their glorious return to the Best Foods Comedy Gala stage to bring you more comedy beats to get you dancing in your seats!

Easily one of New Zealand’s most prolific local comics, Guy Williams joins the line-up with his famous deadpan Kiwi humour, as seen on his popular TV show and podcast New Zealand Today. After earning the prestigious Billy T Award in 2012, Guy quickly became known for his antics as co-host on Jono and Ben, his hilarious stand-up shows, presenting on The Edge radio station and recently providing lots of laughs on the first season of Taskmaster NZ.

Joining this already world-class line-up of top tier talent is television and radio host, actor and all-round comedy superstar Hayley Sproull. Best known as host of The Great Kiwi Bake Off and Have You Been Paying Attention?, she's also host of ZM’s Breakfast show, starred in Golden Boy and Funny Girls and regularly appears on 7 Days. Hayley quickly became a Comedy Festival regular after winning Best Newcomer in 2012 and has since brought her comedy high notes and keyboard to the stage at the Best Foods Comedy Gala.

Our 2021 Billy T Award Winner Brynley Stent is well known for her character, sketch and absurdist comedy. She’s a regular on Have you been Paying Attention?, 7 Days and is part of the improv troupe Snort. Brynley has also starred in Celebrity Treasure Island and Taskmaster NZ. This year, she's jet setting to Edinburgh Fringe and making her way back via Wellington for her first appearance at Aotearoa’s most prestigious comedy event, the Best Foods Comedy Gala!

Two Hearts, Brynley Stent, Guy Williams and Hayley Sproull join the wonderful Justine Smith, Tofiga Fepulea'i, Kura Forrester, Eli Matthewson and Pax Assadi!

Chris Parker is unfortunately no longer able to join the lineup due to scheduling conflicts.

We've got even more incredible talent to announce over the coming months, for what is shaping up to be one stellar night of live comedy. But why wait? Book your seats now before they’re all gone!