FUNNY Way To Be Comedy has unveiled details of its 2018 autumn comedy programme for Barnard Castle.

The roster of shows from September to December features top comedy names and outstanding tour shows. There will be nine shows at The Witham and an evening at the Scarth Hall in Staindrop.

The season begins on Saturday, September 8, with Gary Delaney, a Mock The Week regular and star of the latest Live At The Apollo series. Delaney is one of Britain's leading one-liner comics and returns to Barnard Castle with more expertly crafted gaggery.

Iain Stirling, voice of the TV smash hit Love Island, is at The Witham on Tuesday, September 18. The BAFTA winning TV presenter and top comic is in great demand, and this is his only North-East date.

Tuesday, September 25, brings Simon Evans, one of the most distinctive stand-up talents to emerge in recent years. He is a familiar voice on BBC Radio 4, being a regular on The News Quiz, The Unbelievable Truth and his own series, Simon Evans Goes To Market.

Jeremy Hardy is in his fourth decade as a stand-up this year. Also a regular on Radio 4 with ten series of Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation, his new series Jeremy Hardy Feels It, The News Quiz and I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue. He performs at The Witham on Tuesday, October 23.

Zoe Lyons is a regular on TV including Mock The Week and Live At The Apollo, as well as constant appearances on Radio 4. It sounds like she has some idea what she's doing in life, or is she the perfect example of an Entry Level Human? She explores this idea on Thursday, November 15.

Daniel Sloss was much talked about in Teesdale after his show last year. The award-winning Scottish comedian is becoming one of comedy world's biggest names. Two of his earlier shows, filmed in LA and Sydney, will be available on Netflix later this year. His new show is at The Witham on Wednesday, November 21, when he will be joined by special guest Kai Humphries.

After sell-out runs of their 2016 and 2017 shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, Harry Baker and Chris Read, better known as Harry & Chris, have been featured three times on The Russell Howard Hour and are now drunk on comedy-rap-jazz power, intent on bringing love and laughter to the world. This show, on Friday, November 23, will appeal to music fans as well as lovers of comedy.

A busy November ends with one of the UK's top comedians on Tuesday 27th with Sean Walsh. This dishevelled, fiery, animated, fiercely idle, millennial man-child is in the top league of stand-up comedians. With many TV credits and success in sitcoms and film, Walsh is on his way to becoming one of the UK’s best comedy character actors. Support will be from rising star, Jake Lambert.

The programme rounds off on Friday, December 7, with a return of the highly popular Jason Cook and Glen Roughhead. Award winning comedian and writer of BBC2’s Hebburn, Cook and swing singer Roughead join forces to bring a mix music and comedy.

Cook is currently writing and filming Murder on The Tyne, a follow up to Murder on The Blackpool Express, which will be broadcast later this year. He is sure to have a few tales to tell about the TV series.

Each season the comedy club also produces a show at the Scarth Hall in Staindrop. Cult Geordie comedian of over 25 years, Gavin Webster, is finally doing a tour.

A massive influence on the stand-up scene on Tyneside, he’s decided to bring his guitar, ukulele, book of poetry and his quick fire jokes and surreal routines along with his rants and throw them at the Staindrop audience on Saturday, October 13.

Funny Way To Be promoter Peter Dixon said: "We continue to try our best to programme a range of shows providing something for everyone. Most of the shows are recommended as 14+.

"During the early part of the year we produced our 100th show at The Witham. We have been attracting people from all over the North of England to Barnard Castle and very much welcome audience members old and new.”

Tickets for shows are available from funnywaytobe.com. Barnard Castle shows are also available from The Witham box office and tickets for the Staindrop show are at Staindrop post office.