EAST Lancashire's biggest laughter festival is coming back to Blackburn in November.

After the huge success of the inaugural You Must Be Joking event last year, the first shows for this year's comedy extravaganza have been announced.

Three shows will be going on sale at 9am this morning - for Paddy McGuinness, Russell Howard and The Lancashire Hotpots.

This year the festival will run from Friday, November 7 until Sunday, November 23, and it is hoped that there will be comedy events throughout the two week period.

The King George's Hall complex will once again be at the centre of the festival but this year other venues around Blackburn town centre are being approached to host nights of stand-up comedy and the festival will also roll out into Darwen.

Last year over 5,500 comedy lovers saw more than 50 performers take part in the first ever festival and is hoped that this year's event will prove even more popular.

Some of the country's leading comedians made a beeline for East Lancashire including Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle.

With many shows selling out and comedians getting a great reception from East Lancashire audiences, You Must Be Joking immediately established itself as a first rate festival and attracted the interest of many leading names in the comedy world.

Already Jason Manford - best known for appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats and Live at the Apollo - has announced that he is to play the festival on Wednesday, November 19 as part of his first major UK tour.

Today, three other major names go on sale with all three shows likely to seel out quickly.

Paddy McGuinness will be returning to King George's Hall for the first time in three years on Thursday, November 13.

One of the stars of Phoenix Nights and Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere, Paddy McGuinness has gone from being a fitness instructor to one of the country's most popular comedians.

He will be appearing in Blackburn with a brand new show Paddy McGuinness Plus You where support slots are open to would-be stand-up comedians from all over the country.

For details of how you could share a stage with a top comedy performer, visit his website www.patrickmcguinness.co.uk.

Russell Howard will be returning to Blackburn after a sell-out performance at last year's festival.

The blond comedian, who is one of the main panellists on Mock the Week, will be performing on Sunday, November 16 with a brand new show.

The thid act going on sale this morning is a band who have been nothing short of a musical sensation.

The Lancashire Hotpots who combine traditional Lancashire folk music with witty obervations of modern life have become one of the most in-demand live bands.

They will make their first ever visit to King George's Hall on Friday, November 21.

Tickets for Paddy McGuinness are priced £18.50, Russell Howard £15 and The Lancashire Hotpots £10. Details of all three shows are available from the box office of King George's Hall on 0844 847 1664.

More big names will be announced in the Lancashire Telegraph for the You Must Be Joking Festival in the coming weeks.