BBC opens up for comedians and writers to appear at the virtual BBC Upload Festival

Comedians! Writers! Fancy getting seen on the BBC iPlayer? And heard on radio right across England? You could get a slot to perform at the Upload Festival.  All you have to do is upload your comedy or writing to the BBC upload site Click Here.

Budding comedians and writers of all kinds are being invited to upload their work - whether it’s stand up, sketches, poetry, fiction, spoken word, blogs, or drama - all for a chance to get it seen and heard during the festival across BBC Local Radio and online.

The festival takes place from Friday, 19 June – Saturday, 21 June 2020.  The main 'performance' will be broadcast at 9pm each night (Fri, Sat, Sun) across all 39 local radio stations in England and the Channel Islands as well as being a live visual stream on bbc.co.uk/upload (available afterwards on the iPlayer). Acts will appear live via webcam from home, or as recorded videos of their sketches or performances.  

Running alongside the live performances there’s a packed schedule of activities - on Saturday during the day there will be virtual comedy workshops and on Sunday, virtual writing workshops all hosted by the BBC, free and open for uploaders to sign up to. People will be able to sign up for these workshops online - follow @BBCUpload on social media to find out when they're open and how to sign up.

Jess Rudkin who leads BBC Upload said: "We're really excited to be able to create this opportunity for up and coming comedians and writers from every corner of England and the Channel Islands. A chance to perform their work to a nationwide audience on radio and to appear on the BBC iPlayer would be a dream come true for many." 

Chris Burns, Head of Audio and Digital for BBC England said: "We know how much creators of all kinds and backgrounds love being part of Upload and getting showcased by their local radio stations. Now, with the Upload Festival, we're taking that opportunity to the next level. With gigs and festivals cancelled, we'd love to help new writers and comedians turn what could be a real setback into a big opportunity."

 To be in with a shot to appear on one of the Festival shows - all you need to do is upload your work by 14th June at bbc.co.uk/uploadfestival Click Here.

 For further information you can contact Harjinder.mann@bbc.co.uk