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The Spring 2026 cohort of the Gags for Good CIC Comedy for Confidence & Wellbeing course brought together adults aged 35–64 from a range of backgrounds, many of whom joined the programme to improve confidence, reduce anxiety, challenge themselves, rebuild self-esteem, or reconnect with creativity and community. Across the course, participants consistently reported significant improvements in confidence, mental wellbeing, self-expression and social connection. Nearly every par

It’s hard enough being a woman in comedy surrounded by men…we don’t need to shrink ourselves once we get the mic. Image credit: Ben Thompson Photography After a recent comedy night celebrating International Women’s Day, I received an email from an audience member. It was polite. Thoughtful. Not aggressive. But it questioned something interesting... Specifically, it questioned why some of the comedians (all female) were making jokes about women’s bodies and sexuality. The

This week, the Financial Times r eported on a ground-breaking NHS pilot offering something unexpected for people experiencing mild to moderate depression: stand-up comedy classes on prescription . Yes. Actual comedy. The programme, currently being trialled in London, invites participants to take part in a structured six-week stand-up course led by professional comedians. Referred through social prescribing link workers, patients learn how to turn their personal experiences i

I haven’t been in comedy long enough to talk about “the good old days.” But I have been in enough rooms to know when something feels tight… and when something feels open. You can sense it the second you walk in. There’s a version of the comedy scene that runs on familiarity. The same faces, the same names, the same quiet circulation of opportunities between people who already have them. It's not dramatic. It’s not villainous. It’s just comfortable. Well, comfortable for the

Comedy and humour are frequently positioned as entertainment rather than intervention. Within mental health and wellbeing discourse, they are often viewed as peripheral, enjoyable, but not essential. However, an expanding body of research across psychology, neuroscience and medicine suggests that laughter and humour play a substantive role in stress regulation, emotional processing, and social connection. This article outlines the current evidence base supporting comedy and l

Organisation Gags for Good CIC is Sheffield-based social enterprise using comedy and creative writing to improve confidence, wellbeing and social connection. The Challenge Many adults experience low confidence, isolation and poor mental wellbeing, particularly following major life events such as illness, bereavement, caring responsibilities or prolonged stress and burnout. These experiences often limit opportunities for self-expression, creativity and learning, leading to wit

Trigger warning: Breast cancer, chemotherapy, mental health and good old British emotional repression Image credit: Archie Rayner Photography I’m proudly working class. Born in the 80s. Raised on the unspoken rule that whatever happens... you just get on with it. Sad? Get on with it. Tired? Get on with it. Trauma? Pop the kettle on and crack on love. So in 2019, shortly after having my second daughter and being diagnosed with breast cancer, that’s exactly what I did. I got