Have you heard the one about the married couple taking part in a stand-up comedy challenge?

If there’s one thing guaranteed to be a rich source of material for stand-up comedians, it’s relationships. And Mhairi and Andy Morris from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) will be bringing stories from their 16 years together when they compete against each other in Leicester Business Festival’s stand-up comedy challenge.



Mhairi, a researcher and senior lecturer, and husband Andy, Employability Mentoring Officer, are among the 12 corporate contestants from city businesses who will be doing a five-minute comedy routine at The Kube at Leicester Racecourse on November 2.

All 12 begin their training with classes from professional comedian Anthony King at De Montfort University later this month. The newly-opened Leicester Castle Business School is the main sponsor for this year’s business festival and the Leicester Mercury is media partner.
 
Last year’s event raised £15,000 for the Big Difference Company which uses the cash to fund its work to improve the health and wellbeing of communities across Leicestershire and Rutland.

Mhairi, a senior lecturer in biomedical science, said she’s used to speaking in front of a crowd but this was something completely different. Mhairi (who can be sponsored here) said: “I’m used to lectures but making people laugh is another matter!

“I’m nervous but excited too. Andy and I are big stand up comedy fans, we go to a few live gigs and have already started talking about material and passing ideas back and forth, so we are helping each other.”

Andy (who can be sponsored here) has already written his five-minute set and wants to hear from the comedian coach what he thinks. He said: “We like a bit of stand-up comedy and our taste is very similar, so we have a lot of good banter at home.

“Am I looking forward to it? I’m fascinated by that silence which is always there whenever a comedian first goes on, until they make the crowd laugh. I’m kind of thrilled by that and I want to experience what happens when you do a comedy gig.”

RELATED NEWS:
* Watch Andy Morris' video and sponsor him for the challenge
* Watch Mhairi Morris' video and sponsor her for the challenge
* Find out what DMU can offer you at October's Open Day

Mark Charlton, DMU's public engagement manager, was on hand to calm contestants' nerves. Mark used to perform stand up comedy and did more than 50 gigs around the UK – including the Leicester Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe.

He said: "At about a fifth of my gigs, my material bombed or I failed to get the audience on my side."

Mark said DMU's Leicester Castle Business School is delighted to be sponsoring the event as it helps the university link with the business community. The event is organised by Big Difference Company, which also organises the annual Leicester Comedy Festival. The Leicester Mercury is the media partner.

Carl Mifflin, a partner of Howes Percival, said: “One of my colleagues did it last year, and I supported it, and when it came around this time I thought ‘why not?’

“I’m looking forward to it, and I’m excited. I’ve got a five-minute routine written but I’m hoping Anthony can help polish it!”