Stand Up For Cider 2023! First Heat Report

Our 1st heat for 2023 was held at The Creative Innovation Centre in Taunton on Friday 24 February. Oh my goodness! What an absolutely incredible show!

Our resident MC – the glorious David Arnold welcomed everyone to this year’s competition.

He showed our gorgeous cider barrel which is engraved with the winner’s name each year! Last year’s winner Keefy will be presented with his trophy at a show at Wookey Hole on 24 March by Steve Bugeja (off the telly!) – David is so loved by the Stand Up For Cider audiences! I always get the dates in his diary as early as I can – This show wouldn’t be what it is without our Dave!

First to take to the stage was Ben Ashurst! Very confident performance, great material! Fab tee shirt….especially when the head judge loves cats!

Next up was Ava da Costa Maia – Gorgeous flame haired lady from Swansea. Told some great stories.

Next up was Jack Boland – Local lad from Taunton. Lots of gritty and edgy political stuff.

Following a break for comfort and lashings of Sheppy’s Cider – we opened the 2nd half with Joanna Surowiec – A vision in bright yellow! She literally leapt onto the stage and took the audience on an hilarious journey of her experiences as a Polish woman in the UK! Excellent performance, lots of great local references to Bridgwater! And her journey to become a British Citizen. This lady is going to climb the comedy ladder very quickly! A very worthy WINNER!!

Stephen Catling was next up! We loved his audition reel and he lived up to what we were looking forward to! He walked to the stage with a Dog head on! Honestly! Then he handed out dog treats and shook paws with the front row….

Then he got a member of the audience to lean his head back so he could balance a treat on his nose…..yes he did! And left him like that for such a long time!

Then he stripped off and turned into a bee!!

Unique act and straight through to the final!

Next up was Emma Coyne – I must apologise I totally forgot to get a photo of Emma on the stage! Confident delivery of Dating Apps material. Very edgy material!

Finally Abhishek Morye took to the stage – he described himself as a Cornwall Brown Man! Lots of Indian references, family stories etc….always hard to be the last one onstage!

During the next break, myself and Sally counted the score sheets….

I wanted to count really quickly so I could enjoy our headline act Jon Wagstaffe! Waggy has taken some time off comedy but is coming back. Bloody hell! He took the roof off the CICCIC – Quick witted, full of energy, so loveable! So many applause breaks and I am pleased to say that Waggy will be appearing on plenty of Genius stages this year!!

Then we announced the winners! In 3rd place and having a wildcard through to the final in November is Ben Ashurst – or “Ben’s ass hurts” as he was announced! (You needed to be there!) – In 2nd place was Stephen Catling – Then our WINNER Joanna Surowiec!!

Our next heat is 19 May and tickets for the final are selling very quickly!

Stand Up For Cider are incredibly lucky to have such wonderful support from our sponsors!

Sheppys Cider – Berrys Coaches – Walpole Dunn – CICCIC – Design Bean – Somerset County Gazette