FOUR budding comedy writers will have their sketches performed at the first Sunday for Sammy event since the successful Newcastle Arena shows in February 2020.

The four finalists in A Sketch for Sammy competition have all received mentoring sessions with North East comic Jason Cook to help them polish their scripts and to prepare them for the cast of comedy actors who will perform them.

Selected sketches are Byker Grove Reboot, by Francesca Best, Coming Oot’, by Jamie Diffley, Billy Welly It, by Ian McCormick, and, A Game of Two Halves, by Jamie McLeish.

They will be performed by Viktoria Kay, Chris Connell, Craig Richardson and Steven Sullivan in the special show compered by BBC presenter and comedian, Steffen Peddie, at The Exchange, North Shields.

In addition to the new comedy sketches, there will also be stand-up spots from Lauren Pattison, Fran Garritty, Cal Halbert and Kelly Rickard.

Musician Nev Clay will also be performing some of his comedic songs.  

The winning sketch will be chosen by a panel of celebrity judges and the successful writer will be presented with the 2022 Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais Comedy Award.  

Sunday for Sammy Show producer Ray Laidlaw said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for these new comedy writers to see their work performed in a theatre environment with a live audience.

“We’d love to see as many people as possible. It’s just a fiver and you can’t put a price on a good laugh.”

The latest DVDs from the Sunday for Sammy team are now also available.

Sunday for Sammy is a series of biennial charity concerts held in aid of the memorial fund, launched following the sudden death of North East actor Sammy Johnson, in 1998.

All profits go towards helping young creative talent from the North East receive a helping hand on the way to potential stardom.

Read more: Sunday for Sammy turns 20

A Sketch for Sammy is at the Exchange, in Howard Street, North Shields, on Sunday May 15, at 7.30pm.

Tickets, costing £5, are available from The Exchange, on 0191-258 4111.

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