John Bishop to host Sky stand-up showcase at the London Coliseum as Apollo bows out
Sky has ordered three 44-minute episodes, to be recorded in December 2026, giving comedians a new television stage after the BBC axed Live At The Apollo.
Sky announced on 27 October 2026 that John Bishop will host a new stand-up series, John Bishop's Comedy Night at The Coliseum. It will be recorded in front of an audience at the London Coliseum in December 2026 and will reach Sky and its streaming service NOW in early 2027.
The order is for three episodes of 44 minutes each. Sky says the bill will mix established names, breakthrough acts and emerging comedians, though nobody beyond Bishop has been named. Drum Studios, part of Omnicom Media, is making the series, with Cameron Banks as showrunner and Chris Howe as director. Bishop and Lisa Thomas are executive producers for Lola TV.
I want this series to celebrate all of it and reflect what's happening out there right now. I can't wait to fill the London Coliseum with some of the best comedy the country has to offer.
John Bishop, host
A gap left by the BBC
The commission lands three months after the BBC said it would end Live At The Apollo after 22 years, as part of plans to save £100m a year from its content spending. Chortle reported the decision on 29 July 2026 and called the show a rite of passage for waves of comedians. A 21st and final series has been recorded, and British Comedy Guide expects it to air over the Christmas period. The BBC has said digital plans for stand-up and emerging comedians will take its place.
The Apollo's biggest audience, 6.29 million, came in December 2009 for a show featuring Rhod Gilbert and Bishop himself, so Sky has hired a host who knows what that kind of exposure can do.
Sky has been building a comedy slate of its own. It says it has released more than 30 stand-up specials in the last three years, including hours from Rob Beckett, Harry Hill and Frank Skinner, and from Saturday Night Live UK cast members Larry Dean, Paddy Young and Ania Magliano. The Coliseum adds scale: British Comedy Guide puts it at 2,359 seats, the largest capacity of any London theatre.
What it means for acts
With no line-up announced and recording due in December 2026, agents should be speaking to Sky and Drum Studios now. Only three episodes have been ordered, so treat this as one strong booking rather than a new annual fixture. Comedians with 2027 tours should plan around an early-2027 broadcast, because a television set does most for an act when there are tickets ready to buy.
