With the past year we’ve all had, sometimes, the only thing you can do to sit back and have a good laugh.

Thankfully, there is a long list of some of the finest stand-up comedians in the UK heading our way in the near future, who are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Throughout last year and 2020, comedy tours, much like every other source of live entertainment, was postponed and put off to a later date, meaning that there is a long list of performers waiting to come over to the island, with some of them waiting for quite a while too.

First up is top Irish stand-up Paul Smith, who is appearing at the Gaiety Theatre, on Saturday, February 5, hosting his show ’Changed’, where he will demonstrate how he moved from the small comedy circuit to headlining his own national tour in under a year.

This will be Paul’s eighth attempt to appear on the island, having originally been due to come over in May 2020.

Next will be live-wire Cockney funnyman Rob Beckett, who is performing at the Villa Marina on Saturday, February 19.

Rob was originally due to bring his show to the island during March 2020 and was subsequently one of the first concerts to be cancelled at the Villa after the lockdowns kicked in.

Affectionately known as the ’mouth of the south’, Rob is regular face on the television, appearing on ’Eight out of 10 Cats, BBC1’s Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, as well as being the Taskmaster champion of 2016.

He will be followed by champion one-liner Gary Delaney, another panelist of ’Mock the Week’. who will appear with his show ’Gary Delaney in Punderland’ at the Gaiety Theatre on Wednesday, February 23.

Irish comedian Ed Byrne is next up, appearing with his brutally self-reflective show ’If I’m Honest’, at the Gaiety Theatre on Thursday, March 31, rescheduled from its original date in May 2020.

Paul Merton returns to the island with his ’improv chums’ Richard Vranch, Suki Webster and Mike McShane for a night of improvised comedy, created on the spot, at the Gaiety Theatre on Saturday, April 2.

He will be closely followed by the long-awaited return concert from Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert, who is appearing at the Villa Marina on Tuesday, April 12.

Rhod has had a longer than anticipated wait to return to the stage, having originally intended to end his seven-year live performance break with his new tour ’Book of John’ throughout 2020.

Adam Rowe, the host of the hit comedy podcast ’Have A Word’, brings his show ’Imperious’ to the Gaiety Theatre on Tuesday, April 26, and he will be followed by the highly anticipated return of the hilarious, top-rated miserabilist Romesh Ranganathan, who will finally get to present his ’Cynic’s Mixtape’ at the Villa Marina over two nights, on Thursday and Friday, May 5 and 6.

Originally scheduled to take place in April 2020, this will be third date for this show.

The concert comedian Chris Ramsey, also due to take place in April, has been cancelled

All details on ticket prices, availability and times can be found online at villagaiety.com