Sarah Millican opens Home Bird tour
Sarah Millican hits the road on a 152-date tour of the UK tonight – with over a third of her shows already sold out.
According to Millican’s official website, 53 dates on her new Home Bird tour don’t have a single ticket available, including tonight’s opener in her hometown South Shields.
In fact, tickets have been snapped up for the majority of Millican’s North East dates, such is her demand in the region.
Shows in Durham and Stockton, as well as three nights at Middlesbrough Town Hall, sold out over a year ago.
The former ‘Queen of Comedy’ has also sold out five nights at the 1100-capacity Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre.
As a result, Millican has added five more dates at the venue on 20-22 February 2014 and 23-24 May 2014, the final two dates of her Home Bird tour.
Tickets are still available for those.
However fans hoping to catch Millican at theatres like Sunderland Empire, Manchester Opera House and Leeds Grand Theatre might be waiting a while.
As Giggle Beats first reported a year ago, Millican is boycotting Britain’s largest theatre chain, Ambassador Theatre Group, on this tour – because of the extortionate booking fees they are charging her fans.
She will not perform at any of the 39 venues owned by ATG, who have also been critcised by Jason Manford this week.
Speaking last year, Millican said: “Some of you will notice that I’m not playing some of the venues I played on my last tour; those venues are owned and run by The Ambassador Theatre Group.
“In my opinion I don’t agree with the extra charges ATG put on top of the face value ticket price to you the customer and a number of other restrictions they have in place so that’s why I’ve avoided their venues this time round.
“We’ve booked alternative theatres though across the country so you will still be able to find somewhere close to you to come and see the show.”
It looks like fans have heeded her advice, with another sell-out tour on the cards.
And with series three of the Sarah Millican Television Programme returning to BBC2 on Tuesday, North East comedy’s biggest star is about to shine even brighter.
Sarah Millican: Home Bird tours venues across the UK until 24 May 2014. Tickets are £28, including booking fee. Click for a full list of Sarah Millican tour dates.
