Sexual Harassment and Abuse in Comedy Industry
Sexual harassment and abuse remain persistent and under-reported issues on the comedy circuit, with protections for women often limited or absent, a comedian told MPs.
Performers and campaigners highlighted that many female comedians depend on informal warning systems to protect themselves and others, but these systems may also expose women to additional risks.
“Female comedians rely on so-called ‘whisper networks’, a shadow safeguarding system where warnings and experiences are shared on private WhatsApp threads,” Nina Gilligan, a comedian and co-founder of the industry body Get Off Live, which provides HR support to those working in the industry, told the cross-party women and equalities committee on Wednesday.
Chaired by Labour MP Sarah Owen, the committee examined the experiences of women in live comedy, their representation across the sector, and the barriers they face in building careers.
The committee has been investigating how employment protections apply in freelance and gig-economy sectors, where traditional safeguards are more difficult to enforce.
In an industry still dominated by freelance work, opaque booking practices, and significant power imbalances, witnesses stated that these whisper networks are often the only reliable method for female comedians to avoid known perpetrators or unsafe venues.
However, Gilligan, comedian Ola Labib, and journalist Rachael Healy informed the committee that reliance on such informal systems carries legal and professional risks.
“I know women who have shared information and been slapped with cease and desist notices, and accusations of defamation,” said Gilligan. “There’s also the quieter but equally damaging threat of being sidelined or blacklisted by promoters and bookers in what is a tightly connected circuit.”
Research conducted by Get Off Live Comedy involving over 800 workers found that more than one in five people had experienced or witnessed sexual harassment. Additionally, over 70% reported being informed about inappropriate behaviour by colleagues.
While these figures align broadly with wider UK workplace estimates, campaigners argue that the impact is intensified in comedy due to its fragmented structure.
“The difference for female comedians is that the informal nature of the comedy world means they’ve got nowhere to turn when something goes wrong,” said Gilligan.
Healy presented evidence of serious sexual assault across the industry:
“It’s incredibly widespread and endemic – and it’s not just performers who are targeted,” she said. “It’s across the board, from stage managers, venue managers to producers. There just aren’t the protections you might have in other industries: there are no HR departments, company structures or regular colleagues on the comedy circuit.”
Challenges Related to Caring Responsibilities and Income Insecurity
Witnesses also discussed how pregnancy, childcare, and other caring responsibilities affect female comedians. They provided evidence suggesting that insecure income, lower pay compared to male comedians, late-night working, unsafe environments, and travel demands make combining comedy with caring responsibilities particularly difficult.
Recent sector-wide research indicates the scale of this insecurity, with average earnings in UK live comedy projected to fall to about £21,000 in 2025 and a growing majority of performers requiring additional work outside the industry. Campaigners say these conditions further discourage reporting of harassment and increase vulnerability.
“I know female comedians who have lost the opportunity to have kids because they have put off having a family because they think it’s going to affect their careers,” said Labib. “It’s really sad and upsetting but I know a lot of female comedians who feel they can’t have a kid and a career.”
