Jimmy Carr reveals why late friend Sean Lock would have been perfect for Last One Laughing – as Roisin Conaty talks dream cast members

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You know those days on set where you just feel something special is happening? That was definitely one of them. Roisin Conaty and I both knew we were capturing something truly unique. Honestly, it felt like the perfect escape – and let’s face it, we all needed one. It’s hard to stay down when you’re genuinely laughing, and this show just delivered that. It really was the right show for the moment, a much-needed dose of joy when the world felt pretty bleak.

So, I’m really excited for the second series of LOL: Last One Laughing UK! David Carr and Jo Lycett are back as the hosts, basically watching all the comedians try not to laugh from this cool control room. The best part? They get to laugh whenever they want – talk about a good gig!

The show’s producers are carefully watching the ten contestants for even the smallest sign of laughter, using around 40 cameras to capture everything. If a contestant laughs, they receive a yellow-card warning. A second laugh leads to a red card and their removal from the competition, after which they join the hosts in the control room.

According to Conaty, viewers arrived eager after enjoying the first season, and no one wanted to leave immediately, creating a highly competitive atmosphere. He compares it to watching someone hold their breath – eventually, something has to give.

She says she’s really focused and in control. There was a moment where she had to intervene because things were getting out of hand. Jimmy, on the other hand, tends to be more lenient – he’s the one who’s willing to let things slide.

As a huge comedy fan, I’ve always been fascinated by how comedians manage to keep a straight face while their colleagues are killing it on stage. They’ve got all sorts of tricks – pretending to check something in a cupboard, suddenly needing a bathroom break, or even just bending over for ages! But sometimes, the laughter slips out, and it’s really noticeable. Jimmy Carr was telling me about a couple of times where the laughter was so loud, you could’ve heard it for blocks! He even joked about needing an exorcist for one particularly explosive burst of laughter – it wasn’t a chuckle, it was more like a primal roar!

It’s not enough to just avoid being the one who makes people laugh – you also need to throw your rivals off balance. According to Carr, the key to success in a traditional stand-up set is to subvert expectations. “Do something completely different from what people anticipate,” he explains. “For example, if I suddenly started doing classic physical comedy, the audience would be surprised.”

Carr believes his friend, the late Sean Lock, would have been a fantastic addition to the show. He describes Lock as wonderfully imaginative and playfully competitive, recalling a touching video compilation of himself laughing at Lock’s jokes during their past collaborations.

Conaty mentioned Jennifer Saunders, Tim Key, Lolly Adefope, and Mo Gilligan as people she’d love to have on the show.

The show’s format originated with a Japanese series called Documental, and it’s been adapted in several countries, including Ireland, Spain, Australia, and Canada. However, Conaty believes the UK version is the strongest. He attributes this to its natural feel – it avoids being overly produced, awkward, or forced. He suggests the UK’s thriving comedy scene, with events like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and TV panel shows, means performers are skilled at reading each other and playing off each other’s strengths.

Surprisingly, even when jokes don’t land for hours, they manage to create some of the most hilarious moments on TV.

Authors

Laura Rutkowski

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2026-03-09 20:37