Following sold-out global runs and continued international acclaim, comedian and satirist Bassem Youssef returns to the UK this summer with his new stand-up show The Belly of the Beast, taking place at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 14 June 2026.

Tickets will be available via O2 Priority from 10am Wednesday 25 February, followed by Royal Albert Hall Members pre-sale from 10am Thursday 26 February, with general on sale opening 10am Friday 27 February via livenation.co.uk.

Widely recognised as the pioneering host of Al Bernameg, the Middle East’s first political satire show, Youssef rose to prominence during the Egyptian revolution when his short YouTube clips evolved into a television phenomenon reaching tens of millions of viewers weekly.

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The Neighbourhood drops (((((ultraSOUND)))))+, the highly anticipated deluxe edition of their recent album (((((ultraSOUND))))), via Warner Records today. The expanded edition deepens the sonic universe of the original album with five new tracks Start, Good Grief, Lulu, Red Flag, and Bed. (((((ultraSOUND)))))+ is available now on digital platforms as well as CD and vinyl, with track order varying by format. See full track list below. Listen to the deluxe album HERE. Order physical vinyl HERE.

The band has also announced additional dates for The Wourld Tour, which launches in March 2026 and spans North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Due to overwhelming demand, more than twenty new dates have been added, after nearly every show from the initial November 7 on-sale sold out within minutes. The expanded run includes stops across Scandinavia, Malaysia, and the United States, featuring iconic venues such as Barclays Center, OVO Arena Wembley, and an additional hometown date at the Kia Forum. The full list of updated tour dates is below.

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London Theatre Direct today announces that renowned theatre journalist Lyn Gardner will join the brand, sharing her expert recommendations and insight to help audiences discover the best of London theatre — from bold new fringe productions to major West End shows.

With decades of experience covering British theatre, from fringe venues to West End productions, Gardner is widely respected for championing new voices, bold storytelling and greater diversity across the theatre landscape. Previously writing for The Guardian and The Independent, and now associate editor of The Stage, she brings an informed perspective shaped by a lifelong passion for live performance.

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Today, global music collective Soulection and its founder Joe Kay have officially announced their 15th anniversary UK show, set to take place this summer at the brand new outdoor location Magazine Open–Air on the Greenwich Peninsula, London, on Sunday, 16 August 2026. The event will feature an immersive lineup of Soulection artists, DJs, and live performances, celebrating the community’s decade-and-a-half legacy of genre-bending sounds and innovative music.

Since its founding by Joe Kay in 2011 as an independent radio show, Soulection has grown into a worldwide creative hub for forward-thinking musicians, crate-digging DJs, and open-minded fans. Over the years, the collective has become synonymous with a borderless musical movement, bringing together a global audience.

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Grace Jones is the latest artist announced to headline Palace Bowl Presents, a brand new festival series in the iconic Crystal Palace Bowl. The series will feature an eclectic lineup of global headliners taking place from Friday 31 July to Sunday 16 August.

Support for Grace Jones will come from Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Soul II Soul, with more to be announced.

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Today, J. Cole announced a major global tour spanning North America, Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The Fall-Off Tour headline arena run will hit 50+ cities across 15+ countries, kicking off on Saturday, July 11 in Charlotte, NC at Spectrum Center. The tour will make stops in Miami, Atlanta, Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, London, Paris, Sydney, Auckland, and more, before concluding on Saturday, December 12 with a stadium performance at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa—marking J. Cole’s first return to the region in 10 years.

The Fall-Off Tour is J. Cole’s first solo headline tour in five years, following 2021’s The Off-Season Tour, and his first full global run in nearly a decade since the 2017 4 Your Eyez Only World Tour. The global run supports J. Cole’s seventh studio album, The Fall Off, which was released February 6, 2026 via Cole World, Inc., under exclusive license to Interscope Records. Listen HERE.

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Gary Numan is the latest artist announced to headline Palace Bowl Presents, a brand new festival series in the iconic Crystal Palace Bowl. The series will feature an eclectic line-up of global headliners performing across twelve events from Thursday 30 July to Sunday 16 August.

Support for Gary Numan will come from Marc Almond, performing the songs of Soft Cell and solo hits, plus Ladytron.

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Comedian, actor and BRIT Awards 2026 host Jack Whitehall is heading back on the road with Bad Influence, his brand-new national arena tour. Hitting arenas across the UK in 2027, the show promises outrageous stories, all-new material and Jack’s trademark mischief.

Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday 20 February here, with a pre-sale from 10am on Wednesday. Fans can access the pre-sale by signing up now at jackwhitehall.com.

Following four consecutive sold-out arena tours, Jack Whitehall is back after far too long behaving himself. Returning to what he does best, Bad Influence sees Jack unleash fearless, gloriously unfiltered stand-up on the biggest stages across the UK. Fresh from starring in Prime Video’s Malice and stepping back into the spotlight as host of this year’s BRIT Awards, he’s ready to deliver bigger laughs than ever.

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Ahead of her highly anticipated new album, luck… or something, arriving next Friday, February 20, multiplatinum global superstar Hilary Duff has officially announced the lucky me tour, marking her first full-scale global headline run in almost two decades. Check out her announcement post HERE. She first teased the tour announcement at her final “Small Rooms, Big Nerves” show in LA when she brought fans onstage to reenact the viral “With Love” dance. See photos HERE (Credit: Aaron Idelson | @aaronidelson) and videos HERE.

Hilary Duff: the lucky me tour will span seven countries, with dates across the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand beginning June 22 at West Palm Beach, FL’s iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre and then traveling into February 2027. Full routing is available below. Highlights include shows at world-famous venues such as Los Angeles, CA’s Kia Forum (July 8), Morrison, CO’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre (July 20), New York City’s Madison Square Garden (August 5), London, UK’s The O2 (September 10), Melbourne, AU’s Rod Laver Arena (October 26), Montreal, QC’s Bell Centre (February 5, 2027) and Mexico City, MX’s Palacio de los Deportes (February 12, 2027). Support for the 2026 US, Canada, Ireland, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand shows comes from GRAMMY Award winning and Platinum-selling artist La Roux. Jade LeMac is set to join Duff on the 2026 North America run and Lauren Spencer Smith will join Duff on the 2027 Canadian run.

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The Critics’ Circle today announces the nominations for the 2026 Theatre Awards, sponsored by Finito. This is the first time in the awards’ 37 year history that members have voted for longlists and shortlists. These are the only prizes to be entirely voted for by the professional theatre critics who are members of the Circle. The winners will be revealed in a ceremony at the National Theatre on 26 March.

Leading the competition with five nominations each are Ivo van Hove’s production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons currently running at the Wyndham’s Theatre (Best Revival, Best Actor nominations for Bryan Cranston and Paapa Essiedu, Best Actress for Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Best Director for van Hove), and two musical revivals – Jordan Fein’s production of Sondheim’s Into the Woods currently running at Bridge Theatre (Best Revival, Best Actress for Kate Fleetwood, Best Director for Fein, Best Designer for Tom Scott and Best Ensemble or Cast), and Jamie Lloyd’s production of Evita by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice which ran at The London Palladium last summer (Best Revival, Best Director for Lloyd, Best Actress for Rachel Zegler, Best Designer for Soutra Gilmour and Best Newcomer for Diego Andres Rodriguez).

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