John Bishop heading to Utilita Arena, Birmingham, as he marks 25 years in comedy - and you can still grab tickets at just £25

Famous for his storytelling and Liverpudlian humour, the comedian steps onto the stage at Birmingham's Utilita Arena on Friday evening - and there's still a few remaining tickets available.

On 2 October 2000, John Bishop stepped onto the stage at the Frog and Bucket in Manchester to perform his first ever comedy gig in front of just a handful people. John was working by day in the pharmaceutical industry, but that night, as he picked up the mic and performed for the very first time, he changed his life forever.

Now, a quarter of a century later, the comedy superstar is embarking on his tenth stand-up tour John Bishop: 25, to celebrate his incredible 25-year career. And to mark this special anniversary, every ticket at every show will be just £25*.

John Bishop said: “I can't believe that next year it will be 25 years since I first performed at the Frog and Bucket in Manchester. It's been a rollercoaster! And I can't thank the fans enough who have supported me all the way. I wanted to mark the anniversary with a brand-new tour and do something to say thank you – so every ticket throughout the tour will be £25. I really hope you can come and celebrate with me.”

Since that first gig in October 2000, John has achieved so much in his incredible career. Within three years John was playing to sold out arena audiences across the country and released the fastest selling stand-up DVD in UK history.

He has achieved huge success with a number of his own comedy, entertainment and documentary TV shows including: ‘John Bishop’s Australia’ (BBC1), ‘John Bishop’s Britain’ (BBC1); ‘John Bishop’s Only Joking’ (Sky1); ‘The John Bishop Show’ (BBC1); ‘The John Bishop Christmas Show’ (BBC1) and ‘John Bishop’s Gorilla Adventure’ (ITV1), ‘John Bishop’s Ireland’ (ITV1) and four series of the critically acclaimed ‘John Bishop: In Conversation With…’ (W Channel) which saw him chatting one to one with some of the biggest names in entertainment, music and sport. Other TV credits include two series of ’The John Bishop Show’ (ITV1), ‘Doctor Who’ (BBC1) and the documentary John & Joe Bishop: Life After Deaf (ITV1). 

John Bishop will appear at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham this Friday (October 18), and Saturday, November 8.

The tour includes legs in Europe, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

Here are the details of his appearance at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham.

Are tickets still available?

To find any remaining tickets for Friday's show, and for tickets for Saturday, November 8, see here.

How do you get there?

The Utilita Arena is a 15 minute walk from New Street Station or the city's Midland Metro stops. There is also plenty of parking around the arena and within city centre car parks. Postcode  B1 2AA. You can pre-book your parking here.

Utilita Arena Birmingham and associated visitor car parks are located within the Clean Air Zone. Daily charges apply to vehicles entering the zone which do not comply with the zone's criteria. You can find out more details here.

Show times

Doors Open at 6.30pm

Act 1: 8pm

Interval: 8.50pm

Act 2: 9.15pm

Show end: 22.05pm

Food and drink

Tuck into epic burgers with all the trimmings, or enjoy loaded fries piled with a variety of toppings. Vegan and NGCI menus are available. There are numerous bars across both floors of the arena, with plenty of options to quench your thirst.

Bag policy

All bags are searched prior to entry; therefore, to help speed things up and ensure your safety, the venue would prefer if you didn't bring a bag to venue. If you need to bring one, it needs to meet the following criteria: No bigger than A4 in size (21cm x 30cm x 19cm). Maximum of two compartments. Rucksacks are not permitted.

And finally - enjoy the show!