Awards Hosts

Sikisa

The Barbadian stand-up won the public vote at the BBC New Comedy Awards. She’s now delighting audiences from the Comedy Store to The Guilty Feminist Live, and hosting the onstage chat show Girl Code. Her TV and podcast credits include Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club, Off Menu and Perfect Sounds. According to The Guardian, ‘Sikisa’s ebullient personality makes the room sing.’

Abandoman

Rob Broderick invites audience suggestions on almost any subject and instantly turn them into a funky hip-hop track. Dick & Dom’s house band has been hailed as ‘Flight of the Conchords meets 8 Mile.‘ For bigger audiences, he can work as a duo.

Ayo Akinwolere

Ayo became one of four people of colour with a swimming world record, when he swam in one of the deepest stretches of water on earth. The former Blue Peter presenter has written for the Daily Telegraph, BBC Sport and the Independent, and appeared on Celebrity MasterChef, the Great British Bake Off and Celebrity Pointless. After moving into sports and current affairs, Ayo co-created the production company Milk First Productions, which aims to tell diverse stories and amplify diverse voices.

Tom Allen

Tom is a household name. An award-winning comic with a well-spoken but often scathing line in put-downs, stories and observations.  His TV credits include The Apprentice: You’re Fired, The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice, Complaints Welcome, The Island and The Royal Variety Performance. As a presenter, Tom teases home bakers and budding entrepreneurs and rummages around our towns. To The Guardian, he is simply ‘The master of the nonstop rant.’

Vanessa Baffoe

Vanessa is a Journalist and Presenter at Sky News. She has previously worked at BBC News and ITV News. She also hosts and moderates International Women’s Day for all of Sky’s platforms.

Clare Balding

Clare is the First Lady of TV sport. The ex-champion jockey fronts Royal Ascot, the Olympics, and the BBC's Wimbledon coverage. After dinner Clare shares highs and lows, and takes guests behind the latest back page headlines. She is also adept at live Q&A with sporting heroes.

Martin Bayfield

Martin has progressed from copper to Crimewatch presenter. In between he enjoyed a successful career as a rugby forward, earning 31 international caps. With natural comic timing, the 6’10” colossus compares his own sport to football, and reveals how he became a part of the Harry Potter phenomenon.

Beardyman

Beardyman is a beatboxer, live looper, technologist and TED star–
 and the BBC’s official ‘King of Sound, Ruler of Beats.’ He’s also a festival (and Real Variety Show) favourite. Darren has won VMA’s Best Dance Music Video, appeared with Oprah and Ellen Degeneres, and collaborated with Groove Armada, Jack Black and Fatboy Slim.

Cally Beaton

After joining the board of ITV, setting up her own company and serving as SVP in charge of International Sales at media giant Viacom, Cally has also started a parallel career in comedy. She brings humour and energy to workplace insights ranging from how to foster a creative, positive environment to how to inspire and lead through change.