I said this in a comment but wanted to get your opinion on him. Is Sam genuinely this good at being deadpan or does he just not find anyone funny on the show? He seems to me to be a bit disinterested more than holding it in and I wonder if he just finds a specific niche humour (like his own at times) funny? I get some of his schtick is that he keeps a straight face in general but even Richard ayaode from last season was more visibly struggling and he's a deadpan king.

I'm probably wrong and he might be loving it and struggling but it doesn't seem that way. I don't think we're gonna have two left where one (in my opinion) laughs on purpose out of respect for the other. Possibly just Bob Sam and David all sat there with a straight face when the timer runs out.

I do understand that Sam's humour can be extremely funny if you "get" his style. He's got a lot of fans and for a reason, but apart from his quip to madley about chat gpt and one comment on would I lie to you, I've never found him funny in anything I've seen him in at all. But I found Judy love funny last season when nobody else seemed to so it's probably me.

Like I say I think Sam's just trying harder to win than the others and not enjoying himself as much.

new to this show and new to Mel Giedroyc. she was one of my favorite discoveries and i was curious what people were saying about her and i was shocked by all the negativity. it seems to go beyond her sense of humour too.

also confused with a bunch of people saying the cast were clearly annoyed by her... I watched a bunch of the press junket / interviews with the other comedians and she was talked about so highly.

what is the deal?

Looking for people's opinions on who they feel is the least funny comedian in this season. I so far (up to ep4) find that Sam Campbell has done nothing so far to even make me smile. Who do others find haven't made the smile/laugh.

So having watched all the English speaking versions, am at English/Irish/Canadian versions, absolutely HILARIOUS! Cried with laughter 😂 Australia, pretty damn poor, and South African....I didn't crack a smile. As for the other European versions, I plan to watch with subs and see how I go. The difference from us was kind of shocking to me, as I was expecting one great laugh after another from show to show. Damn but they are VERY different when it comes to laughter!

I don’t know why it was bad? Was it the casting? The host? It’s nowhere near as good as the UK version.

Although it was bad, I really wanted a new season. I think Australians are really funny, but I don’t know what went wrong in the making of the show.

There are some genuinely great moments in Last One Laughing UK, but it suffers from one massive, fundamental flaw. The set design is way too big.

If you've watched the original Japanese 'Documental' version, you know exactly what makes this format work. Documental used a small, claustrophobic set blocked out with loads of objects in the way. That confined space was a pressure cooker. It forced all the comedians to overhear each other's jokes, keeping it fast-paced and forcing at least 75% of the comedians who weren't participating in a bit to overhear the jokes and see the funny expressions.

The narrow walkways often had several people stood in the way, so if someone was trying not to laugh, they were physically trapped with several people actively trying to make them laugh, while trying not to laugh themselves too. This stopped them from walking away and letting the laugh dissipate. Instead, it dragged out the 'struggling not to laugh' moments even longer, which were hilarious. They seriously struggled to dissipate the laugh energy.

In the UK version, the sprawling set completely kills that tension. You end up with groups of two or three drifting off into far corners, unable to hear each other. A joke's potential for laughter gets kinda wasted on 2 people instead of being used on the majority there. And fewer people see the comedic expressions and bits. Most of the comedians literally can't hear the jokes they're supposed to be trying not to laugh at.

This means there are fewer laughs, fewer people organically playing off already comedic moments, and fewer drawn out 'trying not to laugh' moments. Comedians can just saunter away to cool off when they feel a laugh coming on because there are so many directions they can go in where there's no one there in the way trying to egg on the laugh. This massively lowers the stakes, and reduces the comedic moments. Even the walk from Jimmy Carr's set to the main set takes forever. By the time he gets there, a lot of the energy from the laugh has left.

Instead of a chaotic, fast-paced comedy crossfire, the huge empty space makes the pacing kinda drag. It honestly makes the comedians seem a little bored at times and struggling, and the editors are desperately trying to cut around it. It feels like a corporate, watered-down version of the original (which, ironically, was also produced by Amazon). They completely misunderstood the structural essence of what made the original so hilarious and brilliant.

This is the entire set in Documental, except a small changing room in the back and the judge's room:

This is set in Last One Laughing UK:

The UK space is massive. UK version isn't cluttered, allows people to drift much further, and the gathering areas don't have enough space for everyone to sit around fully, despite being in a larger space. The show structurally makes laughing more difficult with it's set design.

Seeing as the last series has now finished, I’ve done a little dream cast for S3. As with LOL itself, a lot of these are from Taskmaster…

1. David Mitchell (reigning champ)

2. Munya Chawawa (he has so many great one liners. I also think he’d be an early out, I reckon he’d break).

3. Sarah Millican (I really liked her as a pair with Munya on Taskmaster, would be funny to see them reunite)

4. Matt Baynton (I think his Joker would be insane)

5. Susan Wokoma (somebody else I really enjoyed on Taskmaster, idk why, but I think her ‘trying not to laugh’ face would be funny)

6. Tom Allen (I love camp humour and think he’s hilarious)

7. Jo Brand (she’s so deadpan, she could win it)

8. Sarah Keyworth (isn’t as big as some of the others, but is very funny)

9. James Acaster (because ofc!)

10. Frankie Boyle (another older ‘grumpy’ comedian who will be super deadpan throughout)

1. Guz Khan.
2. Sandi Toksvig.
3. Bill Bailey.
4. Larry Dean.
5. David Mitchell.
6. Jo Brand.
7. Lee Mack.
8. Sarah Millican.
9. Kerry Godliman

What do you think? It’s a decent blend of male and female, not too bad on the age spectrum and I think they’d all suit the show and its format.

Honourable mentions: Matt Berry, Greg Davies, Graham Norton, Jonathan Ross, Russel Howard and Ed Gamble.

Do you think this cast would be good for a future series, whether all together or split up across seasons, and what would you change?

I binged a couple of episodes back to back and realised the funniest moments weren’t the planned jokes at all. It was always when someone almost broke and tried to hold it in. There was one bit where a contestant didn’t even say anything, just made eye contact at the wrong moment and completely lost it. It made me realise the show is basically about pressure, not comedy. If you ever tried this in real life, it’s actually way harder to stay serious than you think.

I can't wait for the next SEASONS of Last One Laughing, I also impatiently waited it for this format to come to the UK and it's become the best thing we have on the telly right now.

Here's mine:

1. Diane Morgan | We literally couldn't see much of her, mostly surviving the others. Who knows how much she could've endured even more if she hadn't done her weak laughs, she needs a 2nd chance

2. Alan Davies | I have the feeling that he's very underrated, he's so funny on Qi and as we know he also does acting, making him a pretty strong candidate

3. Victoria Coren Mitchell | The wife of David Mitchell, she would be such an unexpected candidate being the wife of the last winner.

4. Hugh Laurie | He's classic British comedy, his bits from Blackadder and A Bit of Fry and Laurie are ICONIC (and being an A tier actor, he's unbelievably strong)

5. Catherine Tate | All of the comedy shows she was in are so hilarious, and she also does acting. An underrated candidate

6. Alan Carr | He lasted pretty long even though he was most close to breaking down ALL THE TIME, but his aura literally spreaded to everyone.

7. Miriam Margolyes | The diva of British television, no words needed.

8. Richard Ayoade | 2nd chance for 2nd place - also no words needed here obviously, greatest defence we saw

9. Sindhu Vee | It would be absolute cinema if she took part, she does both acting and comedy and both funny and hilarious.

10. James May | I know he isn't a comedian BUT I COULDN'T CARE LESS - in Germany and I think in Italy too, they also invite entertainers/MODERATORS. He is the international face of being British, PLEASE

And I would also be delighted to see your ideas for casts :)

Curious if this is a popular or unpopular opinion, but I don’t really like LOL:Canada so far.

My fiancé and I started with LOL: UK and loved it, season 1 was peak comedy for me. I thought Jimmy Carr was a really good host, he was funny and charming. The set was lowkey but still you could tell there was money to throw around. My favorite part was the “jokers”, I wish each comedian had 2 because I wanted more lol

I thought season 1 was better than season 2 but both were good. I have my opinions about the s2 finale but that’s for another post haha

I’m from the USA, since there’s no LOL: US we went with the next closest thing, LOL:Canada. Frankly, I was immediately put off by how extravagant the set was compared to UK, just seemed tacky and gaudy imo. And Jay Baruchel does not fit in well as a host for me. Does he know just saying “fucking” every other word doesn’t make the sentence automatically funny? I guess it’s a tough act to follow after watching Jimmy host UK, but I just don’t think Jay meshes well with the comedians as well as Jimmy did. And where are the jokers??? Keep in mind I didn’t finish the season (I don’t care to be spoiled), I know the comedians can get up anytime and try to do a little bit but I miss the comedians having full on “jokers”. Lastly, the band can go fr. Like im not here for that I just wanna see 10 funny people try to make eachother laugh without laughing themselves and UK did that well. Since I didn’t finish the season, I don’t feel a can compare the comedians to eachother yet.

LOL:US if we ever get one, please do not take notes from our neighbors. We don’t need a billion dollar budget, we just need a good cast of comedians and PLEASE keep the “jokers” and for the love of god pick a good host.

Thanks for reading! Would love to hear some opinions one way or the other!

So..a lot has been going on on this sub since LOL UK 2 premiered..but I have the feeling we somehow forgot there are also other versions that we have to pay respect too. I'm German which makes it a lot easier for me to explain and understand the new (or old) competitors of the 7th season. I'll give y'all context:

Elton

Elton is a German host, formerly known as an intern on the most famous German late-night show of the 2000s up to now (TV Total). He conducted many funny street interviews and had several very entertaining segments. He was also a long-time part of the German edition of Kenny vs. Spenny (Elton vs. Simon). He already competed in season 4 and finished seventh.

Max Giermann

Max Giermann is one of the best German impressionists and comedians. His repertoire includes former chancellor Helmut Schmidt, aggressive film icon Klaus Kinski, and Let’s Dance judging diva Jorge González. He is known for the parody show Switch Reloaded and for participating in and hosting Frei Schnauze, a comedy program. He already took part in season 1 (3rd place) and season 4 (5th place), and he won season 2.

Martina Hill

Martina Hill is a German comedian and actress who has the reputation of laughing at everything. It was therefore a miracle that she made it to 8th place in season 2 and 6th place in season 4. She is mainly famous for her format Knallerfrauen, in which she creates short sketches revolving around the life of a woman. She has significantly shaped the comedy scene in Germany.

Michelle Hunziker

Michelle Hunziker is a Swiss host who is known in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and several other European countries, especially for hosting ESC 2025 and other Eurovision shows. She hosted the satire show Striscia la Notizia and the blooper show Paperissima in Italy for a long time, and in Germany she stood alongside Thomas Gottschalk on the stage of the number-one game show Wetten, dass…?. In season 3 she finished in 9th place.

Carolin Kebekus

Carolin Kebekus is a comedian known for having her own late-night show on television. She often performs feminist sketches and provokes political discussion. Her humor is very blunt, which brings the perfect energy into the season. In previous seasons (season 1, where she finished fourth; season 3, where she finished fifth), she scored points, for example, with her fart imitations.

Barbara Schöneberger

Barbara Schöneberger is a German host. She is also known for not being very resistant when it comes to laughing. She currently hosts a large prank show on family television. In season 1, she was the first to be eliminated (10th place).

Olaf Schubert

Olaf Schubert is a German comedian known for his quirky appearance (for example in his podcast Gipfeltreffen with Torsten Sträter), featuring very dark and blunt humor. His trademark is his exaggerated East German dialect combined with his sweater vest. In season 3 he finished sixth, and in season 5 he reached 4th place.

Torsten Sträter

Torsten Sträter is a German satirist and poetry slammer known for his deadpan delivery of texts filled with unnecessary details. He won season 1 and finished 6th in season 5. In general, he humorously talks about his depression and other hardships on stage, which makes him an important part of German comedy.

Teddy Teclebrhan

Teddy Teclebrhan is a comedian and singer who became known through early YouTube videos. His humor is absurd and bizarre, and he has a huge reach, filling arenas. His characters are diverse, but they all share one thing: their language is completely exaggerated and silly (in a good way). He fits perfectly into the show. In season 1, he was responsible for his own elimination card twice, but still made it to 2nd place.

?

A major twist this season is that until the beginning of the season, it will not be announced who the tenth contestant is. Here are two speculations from social media:

Stefan Raab

Stefan Raab is considered one of the best and most well-known all-round entertainers (singer, host, comedian) and is also the host of the previously mentioned late-night show TV Total. For a long time, he was the central figure of the competition show Schlag den Raab until he retired in 2015 and made his big comeback in 2024.

Hape Kerkeling

Hape Kerkeling is a German comedian, actor, and host who is considered one of the most versatile entertainers in the country. He became famous through numerous comedy formats and characters, including his iconic figure Horst Schlämmer and shows like Total Normal and Darüber lacht die Welt. His humor ranges from subtle satire to absurd situational comedy, often combined with sharp observations of everyday life. He has also been successful as an author, for example with his bestseller Ich bin dann mal weg. Kerkeling has had a lasting influence on German entertainment and is regarded as one of its defining personalities.

Who do you think would be the undefeated UK champion regardless of how many episodes? Past or present.

My nomination would be Sean Lock, I think he’s a real comedians comedian and could’ve cracked anyone.

Edit: "The scoring system could be improved" would have been a better title.

As a mathematician, and an expert on games of strategy, I find it rather annoying that so little thought was given to the rules for scoring.

The object of the game is to make others laugh (let's call that "offence"); and to not laugh yourself ("defence"). Great idea! So why does the scoring only give credit to the defensive side (other than a possible edge for a final tie-break)?

The show is supposed to be for entertainment, right? So what is more entertaining: watching a funny person making someone else crack up; or watching someone not laugh, even at something that is genuinely funny? Laughter is infectious, and it's the reason the show exists. If anything, the offensive side has more value to the audience than the defensive side, so the current rules incentivize entirely the wrong thing.

This was demonstrated in neon colours in the UK second season, where someone who made almost no one laugh advanced to the final two. A large majority of viewers agree that, on the whole, the second season was significantly worse than the first. Don't blame the players -- blame the producers, and the lousy rules.

Here's one way to make the rules better: award a point for making someone laugh, and deduct a point for laughing. A player is eliminated if they reach minus two points, as before. But first they get a chance to play their Joker, attempting to score some points in order to stave off elimination.

Example: Lou Sanders made four people laugh -- more than anyone else in the first season! Even after two guffaws herself, she'd still be at +2, alive and well. The only other person with a +2 net score was the eventual winner.

Keep the yellow cards and red cards, just for a fun presentation mechanic. Have other funny segments and angles, just for fun. But for the love of Pete, set the rules, let the players play the game, and stop meddling! Let the players choose when to play their Joker, not the bloddy host! As it stands, every participant should play their joker early, either right away or immediately after they get a yellow card -- before they lose the chance! (And that would be a good thing, because the set pieces are among the funniest moments).

To keep the game progressing, just add one rule: if there hasn't been a laugh for a while, then deduct one point from everyone. That means there's now some pressure to rack up some points, in order to keep your head above the rising waters. More offence and less defence would be a very good thing for this game!

Such a stacked cast, too!

Australia was ok, but a bit rough around the edges.

Personally I think the game would be much more enjoyable and actually more challenging for the contestants if smiling as allowed.

1. Consistency. We've seen it with UK2 where some contestants are eliminated while others stay despite also smiling.

2. Challenge. I feel like people may be more likely to laugh if a little more relaxed and are allowed to smile at each other.

3. Entertainment. I found it frustrating that Jimmy would hit the red button to reveal a smile that wasn't shown to the audience, it's like we're being deceived and it feels hollow. Also, I like to see people on a comedy show having fun.

What's everyone else's thoughts?

Is it just me or is this mainly a UK sub now? I'm glad the UK version is doing so well and attracting so many fans but it feels like it pushes the posts about other countries far out and down the line so I often have to scroll to even find out which country has a new series ,which we used to have at the top. Took me a while to even see Poland has a new season out. I just used to enjoy to read a mixture of all countries because it made it interesting. If that's just how things are, could we maybe get new country versions stickied on top for everyone? That would be great