Sir Lenny Henry and comedy stars to headline Ipswich hospice fundraiser
Sir Lenny Henry and Chris McCausland are joining this year's Happy Christmas Ipswich, a fundraiser show that has raised around £700,000 for East Anglia's Children's Hospices since 2019.
Why it matters: Tickets for the seventh edition of the festive fundraiser are now on sale, with the comedy and music show returning to The Ipswich Regent on Monday, 30 November 2026.
The details: Sir Lenny and former Strictly Come Dancing winner Chris McCausland will be joined by stand-up comic Stephen Bailey, impressionist Lewis MacLeod, professional opera group Wild Arts, and Bury St Edmunds' VOCA Community Choir, with more acts expected to be confirmed soon. The show is sponsored by Johnston Quarter.
As in previous years, families receiving support at The Treehouse, EACH's Ipswich hospice, will also perform.
What they're saying: EACH Chief Executive Kevin Clements said: "We're thrilled and excited to be returning to the Regent for this year's Happy Christmas Ipswich spectacular. It's a highlight in our fundraising calendar, and we're delighted to be able to confirm our first acts."
He added: "Sir Lenny has had an incredible career and is, of course, a fundraising champion, having co-founded Comic Relief with Richard Curtis in 1985. He's bound to be a hit with our audience and the same goes for Chris, who is one of the country's best-loved comedians."
Clements also praised Griff Rhys Jones, who organised the first Happy Christmas Ipswich show in 2019: "As ever, we're incredibly grateful to Griff for giving his time, energy and unwavering support to this magical and much-loved fundraiser. His enthusiasm, dedication and genuine passion have been instrumental in its success, inspiring audiences, performers and supporters alike."
For context: Last year's sell-out show starred Tim Vine, Anneka Rice, Jan Ravens, Dee Allum, Sophie McCartney, Amy Matthews, Dianne Pilkington and John Pierce, and raised a record £151,500.
The bottom line: Now in its seventh year, Happy Christmas Ipswich has become a fixture of the town's festive calendar, with this year's star-studded line-up aiming to build on nearly a decade of fundraising for East Anglia's Children's Hospices.
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