Side-splitting comedy line-up at Hop Farm Festival is "the best yet" (From News Shopper)

Side-splitting comedy line-up at Hop Farm Festival is "the best yet"

11:35am Monday 25th June 2012 in Comedy By Nikki Jarvis

Rock music, camping and lots of beer are probably the first things to pop into your mind when you think of Hop Farm Festival.

But when the sun sets on headliners Peter Gabriel and Bob Dylan, there is a side-splitting line-up of hilarious comics ready to make you howl with laughter all night.

Thanks to Mike Fox and his dedicated comedy team, festivalgoers will enjoy the hysterical likes of Russell Kane, Stephen K Amos and Patrick Monahan to name but a few.

This Friday and Saturday night the laughter kicks off at 11pm and goes on until 2am at the Paddock Wood, Kent event.

Mike, head of comedy, said: “The first year we brought comedy to the festival (three years ago) we had room for about 400 people and we were oversubscribed.

“The next year we had room for 1,200 – but this year we’ve got the Big Top with room for 3,000 people.

“I think this is our best line-up yet.

“Comedy adds another completely different dimension.”

Mike, who also runs Bromley Comedy Club, is a huge fan of many of the 18 comedians taking to the Hop Farm stage this year.

He added: “We have Ant Dewson who does these really sick songs.

“He looks like a bit of a geek but these songs are just so funny.

“We have Ray Peacock – you never know what you’re going to get with Ray because he’s just crazy.

“Anything could happen.

“In Bromley once he brought someone on stage who was due to get married and he staged a rehearsal to the wedding with another bloke.

“It was a civil partnership – we had a vicar in and he got him to do the ceremony.

“It was just hilarious.

“He’s definitely one to look out for.

“He sometimes comes on stage with a lightsaber because he loves Star Wars.

“When he came to Bromley once I bought him a Star Wars toothbrush – he loved it.”

Mike believes many of the acts this year are on the brink of hitting the big time.

But among them are few who already have.

He added: “I’m delighted with the line-up.

“Russell Kane is in the public domain, it’s a real coup for us to get him.

“And a lot of the guys are on the cusp of breaking big.

“Kerry Godliman is doing a lot of stuff with Ricky Gervais next year.

“She the one in the Bird’s Eye advert with the polar bear who says to her ‘Janice, this time tomorrow you’ll be back in Bromley.”

Mike felt something was missing at Hop Farm when he went four years ago.

He told us: “I just noticed the real absence of a comedy tent.

“I spoke to Vince Power (who runs the festival) and convinced him it would work again and it did.”

Mike has high hopes for the future of comedy at the festival.

He said: “My aim is to have comedy all day, every day of the festival eventually.”

Tickets for weekend with camping, which runs from Friday June 29 to Sunday July 1, are £162 and day tickets are also available.

Visit hopfarmfestival.com for the full line-up and bookings.