Five chances to catch five-star pun machine Mark Simmons

He’s a rapidly-rising star on the comedy circuit, dishing up the most amazing spur-of-the-moment gags, and bringing the house down in the process. Mark Simmons is a very funny man, and he is coming to the Thames Valley not once but five times over the coming months. 

A hit on social media for his witty videos showcasing his skills in comedy clubs, tackling hecklers and coming up with quickfire one-liners about the most unlikely things, Mark Simmons deserves the accolade given to him by the London Standard: “One of the UK’s pre-eminent pun merchants… the quickest quipster in show business”. 

Audiences here have the chance to find out for themselves, thanks to his latest multi-date tour, Jest To Impress. He made Norden Farm in Maidenhead the starting point back in January, and he continues a gruelling schedule all the way through to the end of November. 

And he is planning a return visit to Norden Farm, as well as performances in Reading’s Concert Hall, Camberley Theatre, and the Kenton in Henley. 

Mark is officially Britain’s funniest joke writer – he won Dave’s Funniest Joke of the Fringe 2024 – and is known for his expertly crafted one-liners, alongside his trademark off-the-cuff jokes based on random audience suggestions.

Mark decided to quit his Martial Arts career, before his dream to make the Olympics became a reality, to jump onstage and become a professional standup when Seann Walsh asked him to be his tour support.

Mark’s debut tour, Quip Off the Mark, lasted three years with over 215 dates across the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, selling more than 25,000 tickets.

He won the Comic’s Comic Award in 2022, the Victoria Wood Panel Prize at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in 2023 alongside Danny Ward, and Dave’s Joke of the Fringe Award in 2024. 

He was a regular on BBC’s Mock The Week and hosts the popular podcast Jokes with Mark Simmons, which has featured the likes of Sarah Millican, Penn and Teller and Rob Beckett.

Now, he’s back on the road and hoping he will Jest To Impress: this is an opportunity to catch him on this mammoth tour. 

Mark says: “I’m so excited to go out on tour, it’s the best job in the world. I used to work on a market stall selling yo-yos and, as you can imagine, that had its ups and downs.”