Type of site | OTT streaming platform |
---|---|
Available in | English |
Founded | November 2016 |
Headquarters | London, England, U.K. |
Area served | Worldwide |
Founder(s) |
|
Industry | Technology & Entertainment industry, mass media |
Products | |
Services | |
URL | nextupcomedy |
NextUp Comedy Ltd is a UK video-on-demand and streaming service based in London, England, specialising in stand-up comedy shows. Founded in November 2016 by Daniel Berg, Sarah Henley and Kenny Cavey, the platform provides users access to a 200+ library of on-demand comedy specials and short sets and weekly livestreams direct from comedy clubs and festivals. Comedians with shows on the platform are supported through a 50/50 revenue share model and NextUp provides rehearsal space for comedians in its London office. [1]
The platform consists of 60 minute comedy 'specials' which are full length shows available on demand. NextUp also hosts a variety of 'shorts' which are 10 minute clips aimed at giving viewers a taste for the comedian and their show. [1] NextUp Comedy live streams comedy shows happening across the UK from local venues to festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe straight to the viewer's devices at home. [2] They also scout the circuit to serve their subscribers the best shows, with new and exclusive releases every quarter. NextUp Comedy also reflect the variety of the comedy scene better than any other platform with observational stand-up alongside character comedians, musical comedy, sketch groups, and alternative acts.
Subscribers can watch worldwide instantly on the web on their website or via their apps on Apple Inc. and Android smartphones and tablets, Samsung and LG smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. NextUp shows can also cast with AirPlay and Chromecast, whilst on their iOS and Android app subscribers can download shows to watch offline. [1] [3] [4]
NextUp Comedy is headquartered in London, England and not only features shows happening in the greater London area, but stand-up gigs happening all over the United Kingdom.
NextUp was founded in the UK in November 2016 by Daniel Berg, Sarah Henley and Kenny Cavey, the owners of YouTube channel and live comedy night ComComedy. Their co-Founding Director is Stuart Snaith, formerly of BBC Worldwide. [5] Bil Bungay from venture capitalist firm Velocity is among their board members. [6] [7]
In 2017 the company secured £230,000 (US$297,000) in its latest investment round, [8] and signed deals with both Amazon Channels [6] [9] [10] and Virgin Atlantic to broadcast their specials on the airline's in-flight entertainment. [11] [12] In 2021, they joined Samsung's Smart Start platform and provided new Samsung Smart TV customers the unique opportunity to access premium apps and entertainment during the initial months of purchase. This partnership let viewers discover exclusive sets from both famous acts and rising stars such as Ed Byrne, Miles Jupp and Maisie Adam – all without leaving their sofa. [13] [14] [15]
Beginning January 2023, select NextUp Comedy shows are also available on ITVX including Anna Mann, Jason Byrne, Lost Voice Guy, and many more. [16]
The company's primary business is its subscription-based platform, which offers a library of live comedy specials (including those filmed and edited by the in-house production team), live recording tickets and discounts. It has been referred to as the "Netflix of UK stand-up Comedy". [17] [18] [19] They offer one subscription plan that includes access to all of their content, 50% of revenue go to the acts, and watch without any ads, access content from any device, and in-person tickets to 50+ live shows a year. During a livestream, platform users are able to utilize a chat feature to engage with other viewers. For those that miss the livestream, NextUp also offers a Catch Up option for certain shows. These shows will be recorded and available to watch on the platform for a limited period of time.
Comedians with shows on the platform are supported through a 50/50 revenue share model and NextUp provides rehearsal space for comedians in its London office. Social impact projects are supported such as 'The Care Home Tour' that saw comedians perform for dementia care home residents. During COVID-19, they raised over £150k for acts who lost their income. [12] [17] [18]
Over the recent years NextUp Comedy has partnered with comedy festivals nationwide such as the Edinburgh Fringe and Leicester Comedy Festival to provide viewers with the opportunity to see some of their favorite acts without having to leave their homes.
In 2022, NextUp Comedy announced that they would be livestreaming 50+ shows from the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time ever since the arts festival's founding. The company highlighted that pandemic and accessibility concerns created a desire for alternative forms of watching stand-up shows. [20] By streaming the Fringe they were able to provide comedy fans from all over the world with the opportunity to watch some of their favorite acts at the biggest comedy festival in the world. They partnered with several venues including the Gilded Balloon and The Pleasance. Fringe events such as The Wrestling, Late N Live and final of So You Think You’re Funny were featured as part of their program highlights. The full streaming lineup included Mark Watson, Harriet Dyer, Patrick Spicer, Arthur Smith, Brennan Reece, the Chortle Student Comedy Awards, Christopher Bliss, Chris Turner, Christy Coysh, Conrad Koch, Esther Manito, Hal Cruttenden, Ignacio Lopez, Jack Tucker, Jake Farrell, Javier Jarquin, Jen Ives, Morgan Rees, NewsRevue, Nick Helm, The Oxford Imps, Pete Heat, Rajiv Karia, Rosie Holt, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Shelf, Sikisa, Tarot, Will Duggan, Yuriko Kotani, Fred MacAulay, Sean McLoughlin, Jamie D'Souza, Rob Rouse, All Killa No Filla Live, Showstopper! The Improvised Musical, Jake Lambert, The Comedy Arcade, Finlay Christie, Celya AB, Tom Rosenthal (actor), Shazia Mirza, and Justin Moorhouse.
In addition to streaming shows on their platform, NextUp Comedy a few shows were streamed to cinemas across the UK so the audience can watch their favorite shows with fellow fans.
The platform launched a partnership in January 2023 with Impatient Productions, co-founded by Mark Watson and Lianne Coop, to stream Access Festival, an online-only comedy festival that allow the audience the opportunity to interact with the comedian through a Zoom show or via NextUp's platform. [21] [22] [23] This festival was inspired by comedians who experimented with hundreds of online comedy gigs that connected people worldwide throughout the pandemic and aims to open up comedy to thousands of people who have had the door barred to them by health, economic, geographical or other factors. [24] NextUp Comedy streamed and moderated over 15 stand-up shows throughout the month including No More Jockeys, Sarah Keyworth, Bilal Zafar, Laura Lexx, and more. The festival was accessible through a NextUp Comedy annual subscription which also provided new users with access to the rest of their content library.
To further emphasize the festival's mission of accessibility NextUp and Impatient Productions teamed up with Below the Line, a charity platform where comedy fans can donate through an anonymous pay-it-forward ticket to buy online comedy tickets for fellow fans who can’t afford them. [25] [26]
NextUp offers 60 minute comedy 'specials' which are full length shows available on demand. These shows include a wide range of comedic genres such as observational, sketch, character, alternative, and storytelling. 'Specials' feature a variety of comedians from well known acts to up and coming stars.
Notable comedians who have had their shows filmed by NextUp include: [27]
James Anthony Patrick Carr is a British-Irish comedian, presenter, writer and actor. He is known for his rapid-fire deadpan delivery of one-liners which have been known to offend some people. He began his comedy career in 1997, and he has regularly appeared on television as the host of Channel 4 panel shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year.
Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as television series and films, streamed over the Internet. Standing in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air aerial systems, cable television, and/or satellite television systems, streaming television is provided as over-the-top media (OTT), or as Internet Protocol television (IPTV). In the United States, streaming television has become "the dominant form of TV viewing."
Roku, Inc., founded by Anthony Wood in 2002, is an American technology company. It produces streaming players and smart TVs, and licenses its technology. It also distributes streaming services, supporting both ad-based and pay models. Roku tops U.S. streaming TV distribution, reaching 120 million viewers as of 2024. Outside the U.S., the company operates in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the U.K., and many Latin American countries including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
Now is a subscription over-the-top streaming television service launched in the United Kingdom in 2012. It is operated by Sky Group in Europe, and Xfinity in the US; both owned by the American media conglomerate Comcast.
Mark Andrew Watson is an English comedian, novelist and producer.
Amazon Prime Video, or simply Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered both as a stand-alone service and as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced or co-produced by Amazon MGM Studios or licensed to Amazon, as Amazon Originals, with the service also hosting content from other providers, content add-ons, live sporting events, and video rental and purchasing services.
My5 is the brand name of video-on-demand services offered by Channel 5 in the United Kingdom. The service went live on 26 June 2008. It is owned by Paramount Global and operated by their Paramount Networks UK & Australia division.
Channel 4 is a video on demand service from Channel Four Television Corporation, free of charge for most content and funded by advertising. The service is available in the UK and Ireland; viewers are not required to have a TV licence—required for live viewing and the BBC iPlayer on-demand service—when watching on-demand services. The service launched on 16 November 2006 as 4oD. The service offers a variety of programmes recently shown on Channel 4, E4, More4, Film4 and E4 Extra and shorts, alongside exclusive content such as programming from Adult Swim. However some programmes and movies are not available due to rights issues. The service was originally available without registration, but free registration was later required. The service is available without advertising on payment of a subscription, under the name Channel 4+.
ITVX is a British over-the-top and ad-supported streaming service operated by ITV plc. The service offers original content from the broadcaster, livestreams of the ITV television channels, FAST channels, and exclusive and licensed programming.
Vir Das is an Indian comedian, actor and musician After beginning a career in standup comedy, Das moved to Hindi cinema starring in films like Badmaash Company (2010), Delhi Belly (2011), and Go Goa Gone (2013) in supporting roles. In 2017, he performed the Netflix special Abroad Understanding. Das has appeared in approximately 35 plays, over 100 stand-up comedy shows, 18 films, eight TV shows and six comedy specials. He has written comedic columns for Femina, Maxim, Exotica, DNA and Tehelka. In 2019, he made his debut in American television with the television series, Whiskey Cavalier. He won the 2023 International Emmy Award for Best Comedy Series for the Netflix comedy special Vir Das: Landing.
A smart TV, also known as a connected TV (CTV), is a traditional television set with integrated Internet and interactive Web 2.0 features that allow users to stream music and videos, browse the internet, and view photos. Smart TVs are a technological convergence of computers, televisions, and digital media players. Besides the traditional functions of television sets provided through traditional broadcasting media, these devices can provide access to over-the-top media services such as streaming television and internet radio, along with home networking access.
Qello Concerts is an American-based entertainment company founded in 2010, in New York, by Brian Lisi, Bob Frank, and Richard Johnson. Qello is the parent company of digital streaming service Qello Concerts, and over-the-top content service provider Qello Media Solutions. Qello Concerts is a digital streaming music service specializing in on-demand concert films and music documentaries. In 2016, Qello Concerts added live streaming events and original programming. It was acquired by Stingray Group in January 2018.
Fisher Klingenstein Ventures, LLC, doing business as FilmRise, is a New York–based film/television studio and streaming network, which has become one of the largest independent providers of content to ad-supported streaming (AVOD) platforms, in addition to providing the largest free direct to consumer service with its 22 owned-and-operated streaming channels, the "FilmRise Streaming Network". Currently [as of whrn?], the FilmRise Streaming Network has reported more than 31.5 million downloads in the U.S. and can be seen on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Comcast, iOS, Android and Apple, among other platforms. FilmRise also syndicates its own digital linear channels to platforms including The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, and Amazon's Freevee and Vizio.
Anuvab Pal is an Indian stand up comedian, screenwriter, playwright and novelist. He is occasionally featured as a rotating co-host on Season 4 of the podcast The Bugle.
Nishant Kumar is a British stand-up comedian, television presenter, and podcast host. He became known as the host of satirical comedy The Mash Report, now known as Late Night Mash. He has also presented BBC Radio 4 Extra's topical comedy show Newsjack, the Comedy Central series Joel & Nish vs The World, the BBC Radio 4 programme The News Quiz and Hello America on Quibi. Since May 2023, he has been the co-host of the political podcast Pod Save the UK.
Nathan Cassidy is a British comedian, writer, actor and podcaster.
The Apple TV app is a line of media player software programs developed by Apple Inc. for viewing television shows and films delivered by Apple to consumer electronic devices. It can stream content from the iTunes Store, the Apple TV Channels a la carte video on demand service, and the Apple TV+ original content subscription service. On iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Vision Pro, and Apple TV devices it can also index and access content from linked apps of other video on demand services.
This is a timeline documenting events and facts about English-speaking stand-up comedy in the year 2019. Comics like Gabriel Iglesisas' and Ken Jeong. There is more stand up comics but this list only documents shows and movies in which stand-up comedy might be performed.
John Franklin is an American comedian and media personality. He is best known for his Amazon Prime comedy special, The Specialist. He also known for his appearance in Netflix's The Circle (2022).
As well as the streaming platform, the company has signed deals with Virgin Atlantic and Audible to syndicate shows.