Last One Laughing Returns as British TV's Funniest Show
Remember desperately trying not to laugh during school assembly when someone else was being silly? That exact feeling of suppressed hilarity is what makes Prime Video's runaway hit Last One Laughing so brilliantly entertaining, according to critic Ellie Harrison. Just be warned about Bob Mortimer's infamous 'safety face' technique.
The Simple Yet Genius Premise
The objective of Last One Laughing is precisely what the title suggests. In this Prime Video phenomenon, a group of comedians find themselves confined to a room where smiling or laughing is strictly prohibited. The contestant who maintains a straight face the longest emerges victorious. Last year's debut season became one of the streaming service's most successful launches ever, attracting six million viewers at its peak. The series also cemented eventual winner Bob Mortimer's status as one of Britain's funniest living comedians.
Mortimer's Rise to Comedy Dominance
Mortimer had been hovering on the periphery of national treasure recognition for several years, with his viral Train Guy sketches and the slow television gem Gone Fishing experiencing a lockdown popularity surge. In 2022, he embarked on a successful side career as a bestselling novelist with The Satsuma Complex, subsequently publishing two more books. However, it was the 2025 introduction of Last One Laughing, a wonderfully strange import from Japan, that propelled him to comedy supremacy.
No competitor stood a chance against Mortimer's unique brand of humour. He resembled a surreal, Middlesbrough-bred King Kong of comedy, overwhelming rivals with peculiar songs about lemon curd and random observations like "meats and cheeses, always pleases." For reasons that remain mysterious, this phrase becomes the English language's funniest sentence when delivered in a Teesside accent.
Season Two Brings Fresh Challenges
Now, Last One Laughing returns for its second season with Mortimer back as defending champion. Without revealing spoilers, the sophomore outing proves just as hilarious as the original. This time, Mortimer joins fellow comedians in an abominably decorated Berkshire studio featuring questionable LED strip lighting that some might consider a design hate crime.
The impressive lineup includes Alan Carr, David Mitchell, Diane Morgan, Romesh Ranganathan, and Mel Giedroyc. Contestants arrive individually, unaware of who will enter next—similar to Love Island but without the half-naked, glistening participants. Instead, they wear multiple layers and appear slightly crumpled, as British comedians typically do. Ranganathan appears genuinely unsettled by Mortimer's surprise return, much like an alpha skulking around Casa Amor, with all competitors recognising the ultimate threat.
The Art of Not Laughing
One of the show's most entertaining aspects remains the comedians' desperate techniques for suppressing laughter explosions. In season one, Daisy May Cooper perfected the ultimate I-will-not-laugh-even-if-it-kills-me face, resembling a severely constipated Woody Harrelson. New contestants employ various methods including biting their fingers, yoga breathing, constant pacing, and occupying their mouths with available food like pick 'n' mix, miniature cucumbers, and cheese.
Mortimer deploys his trademark "safety face"—an absurd underbite that somehow helps maintain composure. Sometimes, literally fleeing from laughter becomes the only viable option. When Carr begins sucking helium and speaking in high pitches, fellow comics scatter like pigeons, unable to withstand his presence for even a second.
Childish Simplicity Creates Comedy Gold
The show's sheer daftness represents its greatest strength. It captures the perfectly childish essence of a staring competition or thumb war, transporting viewers back to those school assembly moments when suppressing giggles felt impossible. Watching generates that specific childhood sensation of laughter bubbling up stupidly and uncontrollably.
Contestants experience similar agony. Even when nothing particularly funny occurs, the prohibition against chuckling creates unbearable tension. "I feel smiley in a hysterical way that's very unhelpful," Mitchell notes approximately three seconds into the game, adding "No joy to it."
The Silent Audience Challenge
Comedians performing to silent audiences proves nearly as difficult as not cracking up. While most have "died" on stage before, doing so on national television before peers presents unique challenges. "This is like the first five years of my stand-up career," Ranganathan remarks at one point. "Horrific."
One creator recently admitted: "I imagine it's the talent's worst nightmare to do something funny and not have people react. They all really feel for each other, but also don't want to lose, and are clinging on with whatever they can to not laugh."
Aggressive Tactics and Psychological Warfare
Some contestants resort to aggressive tactics to break their competitors. Mortimer approaches victims purposefully, beginning with seemingly harmless conversation before delivering incongruous comments about defecating on windowsills. More resilient contestants gang up on vulnerable participants like vultures circling injured deer—if someone appears close to hysterics, everyone pounces. Sometimes, persistent staring alone proves brutal enough to nearly eliminate someone.
A Modern Television Phenomenon
The show's simple premise creates remarkable success. The first season became a word-of-mouth hit after clips, primarily featuring Mortimer, went viral. This path to popularity reflects contemporary viewing habits and our endless appetite for short, shareable content over longform programming—a formula Saturday Night Live UK will likely attempt to replicate upon its upcoming launch.
Compared to the millions Prime spends on fantasy dramas, Last One Laughing presumably costs mere pennies, requiring only that celebrities spend six hours in a studio showcasing their best material. Ultimately, like the wonderful simplicity of thumb wars or staring competitions, creating British television's funniest programme proves remarkably uncomplicated when the formula works this perfectly.
