Women Comedians Face Harassment and Legal Threats in UK Live Comedy Circuit
Sexual harassment and abuse are widespread and under-reported in the live comedy sector, with female performers often lacking formal protections and relying on informal warning systems that expose them to further risks, a parliamentary committee has heard.
Informal 'Whisper Networks' as a Shadow Safeguarding System
Nina Gilligan, a comedian and co-founder of the industry body Get Off Live Comedy, told the cross-party women and equalities committee that female comedians depend on so-called 'whisper networks' to share warnings about unsafe venues or known perpetrators. These private WhatsApp threads serve as a shadow safeguarding system in an industry dominated by freelance work, opaque booking practices, and significant power imbalances.
"Female comedians rely on these informal networks because traditional safeguards are harder to enforce in the gig economy," Gilligan explained during the session, which was chaired by Labour MP Sarah Owen. The committee is examining how employment protections apply in freelance sectors where company structures and HR departments are often absent.
Legal and Professional Risks of Speaking Out
However, reliance on these informal systems carries serious legal and professional consequences. Gilligan revealed that she knows women who have been sent cease and desist notices and faced accusations of defamation for sharing information about harassment.
"There's also the quieter but equally damaging threat of being sidelined or blacklisted by promoters and bookers in what is a tightly connected circuit," she warned. Comedian Ola Labib and journalist Rachael Healy echoed these concerns, noting that the fragmented nature of the comedy world leaves performers with nowhere to turn when problems arise.
Scale of the Problem and Industry-Wide Impact
Research by Get Off Live Comedy involving more than 800 workers found that:
- More than one in five people had experienced or witnessed sexual harassment
- Over 70% had been told about inappropriate behaviour by colleagues
While these figures align with broader UK workplace estimates, campaigners argue the impact is intensified in comedy due to its informal structure. Healy presented evidence of serious sexual assault being "incredibly widespread and endemic" across the industry, affecting not just performers but also stage managers, venue managers, and producers.
Additional Barriers Facing Female Comedians
The committee also heard about how pregnancy, childcare, and other caring responsibilities disproportionately affect women in comedy. Witnesses presented evidence showing that:
- Insecure income and lower pay compared to male comedians create financial pressures
- Late-night working, unsafe environments, and travel demands make combining comedy with caring responsibilities particularly difficult
- Recent sector-wide research shows average earnings in UK live comedy falling to about £21,000 in 2025
- A growing majority of performers need additional work outside the industry
Labib shared poignant testimony about the personal sacrifices female comedians make: "I know female comedians who have lost the opportunity to have kids because they have put off having a family because they think it's going to affect their careers. It's really sad and upsetting but I know a lot of female comedians who feel they can't have a kid and a career."
Campaigners argue that these conditions of financial insecurity and professional vulnerability further discourage reporting of harassment and abuse, creating a cycle that perpetuates the problems within the live comedy circuit.
