Coming to Hilarity Bites at The Turbinia in Newton Aycliffe on July 5th 2017 is Paul Tonkinson, Sully O’Sullivan & host Rob Mulholland Paul Tonkinson is a sensational live performer, Yorkshire man, marathon runner and former (double award-winning) Time Out Comedian of the Year. Paul has long upheld his esteemed reputation as one of the finest stand-ups the UK has to offer. He most recently performed on BBC One’s Michael Mcintyre’s Comedy Roadshow and Comedy Central’s The Comedy Store and The World Stands-up. His first love remains stand-up, and Tonkinson remains in great demand in the UK and across the globe, performing at all the major international comedy festivals. “Hilarious; nobody makes me laugh like Paul Tonkinson.

Simply one of the greatest comics around. Go see him!” said Michael McIntyre. Sully O’Sullivan first stepped onto a standup stage in June 1998, and his talent gained instant recognition as he won his first national award less than 12 months later. Nine years on he’s featured in four seasons of New Zealand’s award winning TV standup showcase ‘Pulp Comedy’, been nominated for the NZ Comedy Industry’s supreme award by the NZ Comedy Trust, and nominated by his fellow performers for the title of NZ’s Best MC. Rob Mulholland is one of the fastest rising new comedians on the circuit, Rob fell into comedy after finding a flyer looking for acts to appear at Harrogate Comedy Festival outside his front door.

In the two years since, he has clocked up a huge amount of gigs all over the country ranging from tiny pubs to massive theatres (even performing to 2,000 bikers at an outdoor festival!), and can now be seen most weekends in some of the biggest comedy clubs in the country. Just as at home as an act or compere, Rob mixes cheeky audience banter with his intricately woven, gag-packed stories; adding a touch of the absurd to his askance glance at everyday life. Rob is 17 feet tall, made of steel and can jump over a mini cooper from a standing start.

Rob is the current Hilarity Bites New Act of the Year, and after finishing runnerup in this year’s Great Yorkshire Fringe New Act of the Year competition has awarded himself the title of “Yorkshire’s Funniest NonMusical Comedian”. Tickets can be bought online now from www.hilaritybites.co.uk, or in person from The Turbinia, or telephone 01325 313034. Tickets for this show are only £6 in advance or £8 on the door, with doors opening at 7pm and the show starting at 8pm.