Comedy Stars Coming to Batley to Remember Jo Cox

Batley Town Hall welcomes comedy stars Tez Ilyas and Daliso Chaponda on Sunday 21st June as part of The Great Giggle Together, the latest show from Gag N Bone Man Comedy.

The show is part of the 10th Great Get Together, the UK’s annual celebration of everything that connects our communities, inspired by Jo Cox’s belief that we have more in common than that which divides us. This year’s Great Get Together will take place on 19-21 June 2026 and will mark 10 years since the then Batley & Spen MP Jo was killed in Birstall.

“In the years since Jo was tragically taken from us, I have been honoured to have volunteered at a great many of the events held in her memory across the area. Seeing the various parts of our community come together to celebrate what we have in common has been heart-warming, and comedy is perhaps one of the most powerful ways people can be united. We’re putting on a superb show that we hope will appeal to everyone in the area, with some superb talent,” said Graeme Rayner, Owner of Gag N Bone Man Comedy.

Graeme Rayner (image Andy Hollingworth)

Headlining the show is Tez Ilyas, who will be recognisable to many from his role as Eight on sitcom Man Like Mobeen as well as his various appearances on shows like Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, and The Last Leg, as well as starring in his own Channel 4 series, The Tez O’Clock Show.

Opening the show is Daliso Chaponda, as seen and heard on Have I Got News for You?, The Royal Variety Performance, Britain’s Got Talent, QI and many others. Daliso shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent, making it to the final of the 2017 series and establishing himself a firm favourite with the judges and the British public.

The line-up also features performances from Leicester Comedy Festival’s Comedian of the Year Chloe Reynolds and rising star Bobby Jethro, who hails from Bradford.

The show has been organised by Graeme Rayner and Fazila Aswat, who was part of Jo Cox’s staff and was with her when she passed away. Any profits made from the show will be divided equally between Oxfam, a charity Jo worked for and supported, and Gag N Bone Man Comedy’s nominated charity of the year for 2026, YWCA Yorkshire, who support women who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Fazila Aswat, Jo Cox’s Aide, added: “Now more than ever our community needs to come together to show ‘we have far more in common’ and what better way than to share laughter.”

Tickets for the show are £15 and are available at Gagnboneman.com/tickets and can also be purchased at the Kirklees Town Halls Box Office in person or online.