Dom Joly Brings Trigger Happy TV to Cheltenham

A quarter of a century after Trigger Happy TV first unleashed its glorious chaos onto unsuspecting members of the public, the Cheltenham-born comedian is marking the milestone with a full-blown national celebration: a huge 100-date UK tour, honouring the hidden camera phenomenon that went on to sell to 80 countries and reshape modern comedy.

Before “viral” was a career path and before YouTube became the world’s stage, Joly was already out there creating the blueprint, armed with an absurdly large mobile phone, a suspicious number of squirrels, and a giant snail that somehow became national treasure status. His anarchic, intelligent style didn’t just define the early 2000s, it quietly set the tone for an entire generation of prank comedy and meme culture that followed.

The announcement comes hot on the heels of a major appearance at the Royal Albert Hall, where Joly hosted and performed at the Teenage Cancer Trust comedy night, curated by Robert Smith of The Cure. Sharing the bill with comedy royalty, he revived some of his best-loved characters to a rapturous response - proof, if any were needed, that the world still has an appetite for well-executed mischief.

Now, for the first time in decades, those characters are returning properly, live, in person, and with a few surprises. The Trigger Happy TV 25th Anniversary Tour promises behind-the-scenes stories, bloopers, unseen original footage and, perhaps most excitingly, brand-new material. Expect fresh tales of the Giant Snail’s painfully slow zebra-crossing journeys, Dom’s arrest while dressed as a KGB spy, and the long-running obsession with the elusive “grey squirrel.” And yes, the giant mobile phone will, inevitably, feature.

For Cheltenham, however, this isn’t just another tour date. It’s personal.

Joly has already been making waves locally with Dom Joly’s SpeakeaZy, his cult comedy night at the fiercely independent Steam & Whistle. Approaching its one-year residency this April, it has become something of a town secret, the sort of thing people mention in lowered voices, usually followed by: “You’ll never get a ticket.”

The Trigger Happy tour arrives at the Parabola Arts Centre on Saturday 5th December 2026, and with its intimate atmosphere and famously fine acoustics, it’s the perfect venue for two hours of nostalgia, new material, and utter comedic mayhem.

While the tour spans 100 dates nationwide, the Cheltenham show is shaping up to be the jewel in the crown, a homecoming in every sense, and arguably the most anticipated night of the entire run.

As Joly himself puts it:

"I can’t believe it’s been twenty-five years since I first started shouting into a giant mobile phone. Trigger Happy TV changed my life, and bringing these characters back for a massive anniversary tour is a total blast. Cheltenham is my home, and while the SpeakeaZy at the Steam & Whistle has been incredible, bringing the full Trigger Happy chaos to the Parabola is going to be a level up. I can't wait to share some brand-new mayhem with my hometown audience."

For all the info and tickets, please visit www.domjoly.tv