Andy Zaltzman

Andy Zaltzman – host of The News Quiz and The Bugle podcast, statistician on Test Match Special, Taskmaster series 18 champion – returns with his stand-up review of the global year, for the first time this decade.

Following his sell-out The Zaltgeist tour show, in The Certifiable History Andy will assess the state of our world-renowned planet at the conclusion of another furiously odd year, in his unique comedic style.

Even the biggest 2026 fans would concede that it has been far from flawless as a year, even in the context of this incurable buffoon of a decade.  Humanity has stared into the ravening maw of Artificial Intelligence, wondering whether or not it has already eaten us.  Across the world, existential crises have become the must-have accessories for nations, art forms, sports and species.

Andy will attempt to harness the powers of modern and ancient technologies to find shards of genuine hope amongst the cavalcade of cantankerousness, before 2026 is certifiably consigned to the history books, where it emphatically belongs.

As chair of The News Quiz since 2020, Andy has brought his inventive brand of satirical comedy to BBC Radio 4’s long-running flagship topical comedy show, earning the show multiple awards, critical acclaim and a growing listenership.

Andy has hosted The Bugle, one of the world’s longest-running and best-loved comedy podcasts, since 2007 (alongside John Oliver until 2015, and with numerous co-hosts from numerous continents since 2016). Renowned for its unique cocktail of up-to-the-minute global satire and premium-grade hogwash, and listened to by hundreds of thousands around the world, The Bugle recently passed the 600-episode mark, and has clocked up around 100 million total downloads.

Andy is unquestionably amongst the very best of the one-person list of Satirical Stand-Up Comedians Who Are Also Professional Cricket Statisticians. Since 2016, he has been a key member of the Test Match Special team, adding his distinctive blend of knowledge, expertise, humour and numerical inquisitiveness to the BBC’s legendary cricket broadcast.