NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT APPROVES RUSSELL HOWARD TO BE FIRST COMEDIAN FROM NORTHERN HEMISPHERE TO PERFORM IN THE COUNTRY SINCE GLOBAL LOCKDOWN IN JANUARY 2021

Howard is a megastar” ★★★★ The Times
★★★★ Evening Standard ★★★★ Metro ★★★★ The I ★★★★ Chortle ★★★★The Arts Desk

16th December 2020 – Following a sold-out and critically acclaimed UK arena run, Russell Howard is set to bring Respite to New Zealand in the New Year. After the global success of Netflix special Recalibrate, The Russell Howard Hour – which spawned over 400 million views worldwide on social media – and 2017 international record-breaking sell-out tour Round The World, Russell Howard one of the UK’s most successful comedians, has been approved to travel to New Zealand with his tour in January confirmed to go ahead.

Russell Howard said: I’m very excited to announce that in January I’ll be back on stage in New Zealand. Their government has allowed me in to perform, following 2 weeks of quarantining. My Australia dates have been rescheduled to July but I can’t wait to get there”

The New Zealand premiere of Respite will commence on 22 January 2021 in Wellington and will be followed by performances in Auckland and Christchurch making Russell the first comedian from the Northern Hemisphere to perform in New Zealand since the global lockdown.

Due to ongoing border restrictions, Russell Howard’s Australian Respite tour dates have been rescheduled to July and August.

Further information can be found on Russell’s website here: https://www.russell-howard.co.uk/australia-nz

All existing tickets remain valid for the rescheduled show without the need for exchange. Patrons unable to attend can obtain a refund from the point of purchase. Refund requests are to be submitted prior to 5pm, Friday 29 January.

Russell is currently on his third and largest world tour Respite which will take him to 69 cities across 24 countries in 5 continents, and started with a sold-out, critically acclaimed UK arena run in Autumn 2019. Russell’s 2017 sell-out international tour, Round the World, saw him break the record for the largest English speaking stand-up show in China and play a record-breaking 10 night run at the Royal Albert Hall, overtaking 8 in a row jointly held by Frank Sinatra and Barry Manilow. The tour culminated with the global release of Netflix Special Recalibrate.

Russell most recently returned to our screens to offer his satirical take on global news, politics and stories dominating the cultural zeitgeist with the fourth series of The Russell Howard Hour.  A huge hit online, show content has been seen over 400 million times across social media since the show’s arrival. Every episode is also available to watch worldwide on Russell’s YouTube channel, with over one million subscribers, as well as being broadcast on Foxtel in Australia close to UK transmission on Sky.

Russell has over 6 million followers on social media.

After completely selling out his Australian season of Wonderbox in 2014 and Round the World in 2017 – Respite will be one not to be missed.

 

“it’s thrilling to see Howard with fire in his belly” ★★★★★ Metro

“World domination is looming… he has grown darker, angrier and more satirical on stage. His sets deal with everything from foreign policy to his fear of death, and he rages as much as he teases” The Sunday Times, UK

RUSSELL HOWARD – RESPITE
NEW ZEALAND 2021
OPERA HOUSE, WELLINGTON                            FRI 22 JAN 2021
KIRI TE KANAWA THEATRE, AUCKLAND           SAT 23 JAN 2021
TOWN HALL, CHRISTCHURCH                            MON 25 JAN 2021

FINAL TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW

For complete tour and ticket information, visit: livenation.co.nz

 

For more information please contact: Victoria Wedderburn at Avalon on 07557160139 or [email protected]

For all tour-related media enquiries, contact:

Chris Henry // 818
[email protected]
+64 21 670 604

Kate Jones // 818
[email protected]
+64 21 038 1906

For all Live Nation related enquiries, contact:
Live Nation Australasia
Ciara Pratt
+64 21 171 4332

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

About Avalon

Avalon is a multi-award-winning talent management, television production and live promotion group with offices in London, Los Angeles and New York.

The company represents a prolific roster of artists including comedians, actors, presenters, writers and directors and produces numerous ground-breaking television shows. Series currently in production include: Not Going Out (BBC), the UK’s longest running sitcom on air; Taskmaster (Channel 4), the hit entertainment format showing in 100 countries; multi Emmy-winner, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO); The Russell Howard Hour (Sky), the network’s most successful entertainment show launch since 2010; Starstruck, a new sitcom from the 2018 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Rose Matafeo (HBO Max/BBC); Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, from creator Josh Thomas (Freeform); Breeders, a new sitcom starring Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard (FX/Sky); The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show (Netflix); new series of the iconic British satirical puppet show, Spitting Image (BritBox UK);  and multiple comedy specials for Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max and Netflix. Other landmark Avalon shows include BAFTA winning and multi Emmy nominated, Catastrophe (Amazon Prime Video/Channel 4), Fantasy Football League (BBC/ITV), multi BAFTA-winning TV Burp (ITV), and seven seasons of Workaholics (Comedy Central USA). Avalon also distributes its catalogue of programmes to over 150 countries worldwide.

As a leading promoter of live comedy, Avalon produced Newman and Baddiel: Live at Wembley, the UK’s first arena comedy show; Jerry Springer: The Opera, the first West End show to win all four UK ‘Best New Musical’ awards; and has continued to produce and promote live shows globally, as well as promoting more winners and nominees of the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award than any other company.

For Avalon news visit: www.avalonuk.com/press or follow @avalonent