Susie Youssef Announced As Host For This Weekend's RAW Comedy National Final

The hilarious Susie Youssef will serve as host for this weekend's RAW Comedy national final at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, it has been announced.

The renowned comedian and local Whose Line Is It Anyway? cast member will steer the proceedings as RAW Comedy seeks to unearth the next great funny-person from among our national ranks, whittled down to the final 12 contenders after months of fierce competition through heats, preliminary, semi and state finals.

The distinctive dozen encompass representation from all states and territories, including the ACT's Andrew Bensley, NSW's Bonnie Tangey and Billy D'Arcy, the NT's Jason Williams, Qld's Oliver Twist, SA's Carla Wills and Brad Hollis, Tassie's Isabella Roldan, WA's Shaquille Blackley, and home-state heroes Zack Dyer, Sharon Andrews and Josh Webb.

They'll be joking it out for a shot at a trip to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to see how they stack up on the international stage and join the ranks of standout stand-ups to have come through the RAW Comedy program, including the likes of Ronny Chieng, Celia Pacquola, Luke McGregor, Hannah Gadsby, Josh Thomas, Claire Hooper, Peter Helliar and Chris Lilley, among others.

It all goes down at Melbourne Town Hall this Sunday, 16 April, from 5pm.

Tickets are available now — priced from $29 — via the Melbourne International Comedy Festival's website.