by Noah Roberts
Leeds’ first BBC-supported disabled-led comedy night ‘You Can Laugh, You Know?’ is saying its farewell this Saturday with a fundraising festival at Archive.
Running from 2pm until 7pm at Archive, Kirkstall Road, there will be an afternoon of disabled comedy music and film.
‘You Can Laugh, You Know?’ Is a regular comedy night that has been running since 2023 curated by award-winning, disabled actor and comedian Sam Judd. Its run has included 19 successful shows.
Providing a night to showcase some of the best of disabled emerging local talent, April 4 will mark their 20th and final show.
Tickets are £16 standard and £20 solidarity with PA/carers free.
Judd has a degree in filmmaking from The Northern Film School. In addition to the comedy, there will be a special screening of the film My Friend Orson Welles, which was directed by Judd.
The headline act for the event is stand-up comedian Lee Ridley, better known as ‘lost voice guy’.
Ridley lives with cerebral palsy and is unable to speak and uses an electronic communication device to communicate.
He won the BBC new comedy awards in 2014 after appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013.
Ridley is familiar to Leeds having trained and worked with comedians in Leeds in the past.
Ridley became a household name after winning Britain’s Got Talent in 2018. Ridley is also comedy writer, and co-wrote and starred in the Radio 4 sitcom ability and appeared in the comedy sitcom on BBC Three’s Jerk.
He’s well recognised in the media for wearing a blue T-shirt that says “I’m only in it for the parking”, a tagline he used as the title of his first book.
On Saturday you can expect a showcase of some of the best of disabled talent from emerging local comedians, to some of the best British talent. Including acts like Aaron simmonds and Alex Mitchell.
The line up includes:
Aaron Simmonds, 34, lives with cerebral palsy and is an award winning stand up comedian known for his sharp, story telling based comedy.
Before comedy Aaron was professional trainer, an international basketball player and world champion powerlifter. Aaron has had many tv appearances through his comedy career and speaks openly online about being bullied by trolls for having upper body strength.
Alex Mitchell, 23 disabled stand up comic was a Britain’s got talent finalist in 2024. Mitchell is a queer, autistic with FND functional neurological disorder. Mitchell has won several comedy awards including disabled comedian of the 2023 and was a nominee for Yorkshire Comedy awards best breakthrough act 2025.
Also featuring on the day are Holly Noble, Jack-Hunter Spivey and Juliette Burton, alongside local Yorkshire-based comic talents and musicians including performers Ding Frisby, Red Lady, Morgan Song, Zee.
The event will also see local upcoming talents raise funds for the Rob Burrow Centre for MND.
- Details and bookings can be found here.
Sponsored content
