7 min
Laughter is the universal language spoken by over 200 nationalities calling Dubai home, and the Dubai Comedy Festival is back to celebrate it! Returning for its highly anticipated fifth edition, from October 2nd till 12th, get ready for an 11-day whirlwind of comedy gold as some of the world's funniest folks hit the stage for a string of side-splitting shows at the region's biggest comedy event.
Produced by BRAG and presented by Dubai Calendar, the 2025 edition of the Dubai Comedy Festival will be hosted at various venues in the city, including the prestigious Dubai Opera and the incredible Coca-Cola Arena.
This year’s edition will once again welcome some of the most witty, quick-tongued, and utterly hilarious men and women from the region and across the globe. Promising something to cater to every comedic taste, here are the confirmed names in the line-up of the event for 2025:
Tom Segura
A comedian, actor, and writer, Tom Segura is one of the biggest names in the comedy business, and he will be taking centre stage at the Coca-Cola Arena on October 2nd. Tom is best known for his Netflix specials Ball Hog (2020), Disgraceful (2018), Mostly Stories (2016), and Completely Normal (2014). After getting plenty of laughs at last year's Dubai Comedy Festival, Tom returns with his global stand-up tour Tom Segura: Come Together a highly anticipated new hour that kicked off in Honolulu and has been selling out venues across Asia and North America ever since. Language: English.
When: October 2nd, doors open at 6:30PM — show starts at 8PM
Where: Coca-Cola Arena
Omid Djalili
Fans of a good laugh can look forward to an evening of multicultural humour and unfiltered mayhem as Omid Djalili, the British-Persian funnyman, takes the stage at Dubai Opera on October 5th in a show presented by DXB Live. He has appeared in a number of films as a stereotypical Middle Eastern background character and began hosting the ITV game show Winning Combination in 2020. This October, Omid brings his critically acclaimed new show NAMASTE to Dubai, where he calmly bows to his inner rage before letting loose with a hilarious tirade on the absurd state of the world. Language: English
When: October 5th, doors open at 5:30PM — show starts at 6PM
Where: Dubai Opera
Akaash Singh
On October 5th, the Dubai Comedy Festival welcomes American comedian, podcaster, and actor Akash Singh to Dubai Opera for an evening of non-stop belly laughs. Having first made his mark with appearances on MTV's Guy Code and Wild'n Out, Netflix's Brown Nation, and HBO's The Leftovers, Akash later shifted his focus from TV to podcasting. Together with his good friend and fellow funny man Andrew Schulz, Akaash co-created the immensely popular podcast 'Flagrant', which has amassed millions of listeners. Continuing his winning streak, Akash is set to give Dubai fans a dose of giggles with his unique takes, redefining stand-up on his own terms. Language: English.
When: October 5th, doors open at 8:30PM — show starts at 9PM
Where: Dubai Opera
Morgan Jay
Making his Dubai Comedy Festival debut, LA-based comedian and musician Morgan Jay is ready to light up the Dubai Opera stage on October 6th with his uniquely hilarious, genre-bending performance. You might know him from appearances on MTV's Wild 'N Out, NBC, Comedy Central, or from his impressive social media following, though many fans simply recognise him as the real-life version of the guy from Ratatouille. A trained actor and seasoned performer, Morgan's Brazilian-Italian charm sets the stage for an unforgettable evening packed with guest interactions, playful banter, and plenty of singing (don't worry, the autotune's very forgiving). Language: English.
When: October 6th, doors open at 9PM — show starts at 9:30PM
Where: Dubai Opera
Joanne McNally
Irish comedian, writer, and actress Joanne McNally most certainly has the gift of the gab, and she's bringing it back to Dubai this October for not one but two solo shows at Dubai Opera. A primetime TV favourite, she's brought the laughs on Taskmaster, The Jonathan Ross Show, The Big Fat Quiz of Everything, and plenty more. Joanne last stormed the Dubai Comedy Festival stage in 2023 with Vogue Williams in their sell-out show My Therapist Ghosted Me, offering a hilarious deep dive into dating disasters, social media stress, and everything in between. This time, she's flying solo with all-new material, still single, still chaotic, and delivering her unfiltered take on life. Language: English.
When: October 7th, doors open at 6PM — show starts at 6:30PM
Where: Dubai Opera
John Achkar
Comedian, entrepreneur, consultant, and everything in between, John Achkar is set to light up Dubai Opera this October 11h. John first made waves with Stand-Up Baladi-the first Lebanese stand-up comedy series in Arabic-and continued to win over audiences with hit specials like No Worries (2020). A crowd favourite at Dubai Comedy Festival 2023, John wrapped up his Wein 3ayesh tour on a high note with a standout performance that was filmed live for his next special. Now, he's back with fresh material, ready to deliver another night of clever, culturally tuned comedy that hits close to home in all the best ways. Language: Arabic
When: October 11th, doors open at 8:30PM — show starts at 9PM
Where: Dubai Opera
Zakir Khan
Zakir Khan, the popular Indian comedian, is back on the road with a brand-new show, ready to tickle the funny bones of Dubai audiences once again this October 12th at the Coca-Cola Arena. Having risen to prominence in 2012 after winning Comedy Central India's Best Stand-Up Comedian competition, Khan has since become one of the most recognisable names in Indian comedy. After captivating Dubai Comedy Festival audiences in 2024 with a sold-out 150-minute Hindi-language set, the sakht launda returns this time, with even more laughs in store.
When: October 12th, doors open at 6:30PM — show starts at 8PM
Where: Coca-Cola Arena
Well there you have it... just kidding, you didn't think we'd be stingy about this, did you? This isn't the end, as more and more iconic names will be added to the line-up as the days near!
19 min
