KENDAL Calling has announced the lineup for the return of its celebrated Soapbox Comedy Stage, with Jason Manford taking the headline slot.

Comedians from across the country's flourishing comedy scene will join the festival's packed lineup, which features headliners such as Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, The Charlatans and Madness.

Jason Manford will be joined by some of the finest comedic talent that the UK and beyond has to offer in the shape of frequent Peter Kay collaborator Justin Moorhouse, Channel 4's Friday Night Project host Rob Rouse, prolific American comic Russel Hicks, the elegant rants of Phil Jerrod, Time Out ‘One To Watch’ Sarah Callaghan, Edinburgh Fringe regular John Hastings and the unique musical comedy of Vince Atta. Familiar face of E4’s ‘Cucumber, Tofu, Banana’ series Bethany Black, Holsten Pils’ Comedian of the year Steve Shanyaski, the whip smart Kiri Pritchard-Mclean, the BBC New Comedy Award shortlisted Laura Lexx and ‘The Funnygirl Podcast’ host Katie Mulgrew.

Full Soapbox Comedy Lineup:

JASON MANFORD

JUSTIN MOORHOUSE

ROB ROUSE

RUSSELL HICKS

PHIL JERROD

SARAH CALLAGHAN

JOHN HASTINGS

VINCE ATTA

BETHANY BLACK

STEVE SHANYASKI

KIRI PRITCHARD-MCLEAN

LAURA LEXX

KATIE MULGREW