Victorious: Comedy headliners Joel Dommett, Chris McCausland and Ruby Wax to perform on the main stage

Joel Dommett, Chris McCausland and Ruby Wax will all be performing on the main stage in an afternoon slot with the layout of the three-day event set to change slightly as the new sea defences are created in front of Southsea Common.

The comedy tent was hailed as a huge success last year attracting huge crowds, with large numbers of people having to stand outside outside it to hear their favourites, with large screens added outside the tent last year as a result of its popularity the year before.

In previous years the tent has been placed near the Esplanade close to the entrance and exit near the Blue Reef, however with the road completely closed for the sea defence works Victorious organisers have seen it as an opportunity to go without a seperate comedy tent this year and instead move the comedians to the main stage.

It means that stand-up comedian, actor, and host of The Masked Singer UK, Joel Dommett will lead Friday’s billing and is certain to get the crowds laughing with infectious storytelling and trademark quick wit.

Supporting Joel will be Irish comedian Andrew Maxwell whose notoriety as the sharp shooting narrator of MTV’s Ex on the Beach and regular appearances on panel shows such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Mock the Week have helped Andrew reach the upper echelons of the IE/UK comedy circuit.

Saturday will see the arrival of critically acclaimed comedian Chris McCausland, who is a regular on shows like Live at the Apollo, Would I Lie to You?, and The Last Leg and captured the hearts of the nation with his win on Strictly Come Dancing.

Joining Saturday’s billing will be Jon Long, the unique stand-up and musical comedian whose critically acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe debut show ‘Planet Killing Machine’ has led to him developing the prime time BBC Radio 4 programmes Extinction Compendium and the Carbon Lifeforms series.

Closing this year’s comedic extravaganza on the festival's final day, is the legendary Ruby Wax who has been flying the flag for female comedy for decades and is poised to bring her signature blend of sharp humour and insightful yet hilarious social commentary to the Victorious stage.

With a career spanning decades in comedy and television, Ruby is best known for 90s classic The Full Wax, Ruby Wax Meets..., The Ruby Wax Show and as script editor and actor for multiple eminent comedy series including Absolutely Fabulous. Ruby’s performance is set to be a must-see moment to round off the weekend with an extra special addition to be announced for Sunday’s comedy line up in the coming months.

Festival Director James Ralls said: “We’re beyond excited to bring such an incredible selection of world-renowned comedy talent to Victorious this summer. Comedy has become a huge part of our festival's offering over the past few years as we continue to expand on its success.

“To be able to showcase such a strong line up on the main stage is both a marker for our fan’s ever-growing love for comedy and also testament to our focus on expanding the offering year on year - 2025’s headliners are certainly setting the benchmark high!”

To celebrate the changes to this year’s comedy offering, Victorious is launching the Victorious Comedy Week this week which will embrace the festival’s comedians with individual bespoke social content for headline acts. It will also be reimagining its fan favourite Album of the Week feature to include the performers’ popular podcasts along with a host of footage from last year's line up to get fans in the mood for laughing

Away from comedy, this year’s Victorious Festival will also feature an incredible lineup of world-renowned artists including, Kings of Leon, Queens of the Stone Age, Vampire Weekend, Nelly Furtado, Michael Kiwanuka and The Last Dinner Party.

The three-day festival will take place on Southsea Common on August 22, 23 and 24. For more information and tickets visit www.victoriousfestival.co.uk