Live comedy in UK has become serious business worth £1bn a year, study claims

Live comedy – ‘an industry we should be proud of and protect.’ Photograph: Oleksandr Nagaiets/Alamy

The live comedy industry in the UK contributes more than £1bn to the economy every year, according to a study by Brunel University London.

In the first project of its kind, researchers calculated the industry’s annual value at £1bn, based on an estimated 3,000 workers in the sector, surveying more than 350 comedians, promoters, producers, venue managers and agents.