Last One Laughing UK’s Second Season Should Not Be This Good

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Though billed as a comedy competition, Last One Laughing UK is really a show about comedians politely (but abruptly) ending conversations. Normally considered rude, walking away mid-sentence is key to surviving the game. Ten comedians are locked in a comfortable room with snacks and games for six hours, tasked with simply not laughing. One warning is given, and a second chuckle means elimination. It’s similar to the tension of watching someone try to keep a straight face on SNL – the very fact that laughing is forbidden makes it even funnier when it happens. Sometimes the comedians perform for each other, sometimes they discuss silly topics (like favorite banks they don’t use!), and sometimes they accidentally make themselves laugh. The humor for viewers comes from watching these professional performers struggle to maintain composure. It’s surprisingly funny to see them quickly walk away from each other, or witness the strange faces they make trying to suppress a smile.

The first season of Last One Laughing came to Amazon Prime in the U.S. and U.K. last March, with a mix of comedians known from shows like Taskmaster – including Richard Ayoade, Lou Sanders, Daisy May Cooper, and Bob Mortimer – and others more popular with British audiences. However, the second season, which started on March 19th, feels like an all-star edition. It’s unclear if the show increased its budget, but this season features bigger names – comedians who’ve become well-known beyond panel shows – like David Mitchell (Peep Show, Would I Lie to You?), Mel Giedroyc (The Great British Bake Off), Taskmaster winners Maisie Adam and Sam Campbell, Alan Carr (Traitors UK), and Diane Morgan (Philomena Cunk). The first three episodes are currently available, with episodes four and five releasing on March 26th and the finale on April 2nd.

This season of the show isn’t just featuring more famous contestants; the competition itself is much more exciting. Similar to the first season, the comedians start by sharing stories and jokes. However, host Jimmy Carr keeps things moving by making them challenge each other – this year with an arm-wrestling match – or perform a prepared routine called their ‘joker,’ where they try to make all the other comedians laugh. These ‘joker’ performances, and much of the game, create a tricky choice for each contestant: should they go for big laughs, play it straight, or do something completely unexpected? This year, contestants are playing more aggressively, often focusing on those who are easily amused, like Carr and Giedroyc, and following them around until they crack. Campbell, a newer face in the U.K. comedy world, has been playfully bothering established stars like Mitchell and Mortimer with deliberately boring questions. Mortimer, the returning champion, is uniquely skilled at getting even the most stoic comedians to break character, and he nearly succeeded with Morgan.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=h93NIzyabTg

Like any good competition, Last One Laughing gets more enjoyable as you get to know the comedians and how they try to make each other laugh. The first episode of each season can feel a little slow as everyone figures out each other’s weaknesses, but things quickly escalate. Soon, faces turn red and expressions become strained as the show descends into a hilarious game of dodging and challenging each other. As comedian James Campbell described it, it’s like being on a cooking show where you’re not allowed to cook, but spatulas are everywhere! The comedians can’t laugh, but they can playfully attack each other relentlessly, trying to be the last one standing. The fact that no one has been eliminated halfway through the season just means the pressure – and our entertainment – is building.

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2026-03-24 20:55