British comedian John Kearns has officially announced his highly anticipated 2026 tour, titled Tilting At Windmills—a sprawling 55+ date run that will see the idiosyncratic comic bring his uniquely surreal wit to stages across the UK and beyond.
The announcement, made earlier this morning via Kearns’ social media and official website, has already sparked excitement among fans and comedy lovers alike. Known for his philosophical bent, absurdist humour, and signature look—wig and false teeth included—Kearns’ upcoming tour promises to deliver the kind of deeply thoughtful and disarmingly funny material that has become his trademark.
A Quixotic Undertaking
The tour title, Tilting At Windmills, is a nod to the famous image from Don Quixote, where the deluded knight charges at windmills believing them to be giants. It’s a fitting metaphor for Kearns’ style: tackling life’s big questions with the tools of clownishness and melancholy, poking at the absurdity of existence while dressed for the wrong century.
Kearns, the only comedian to have won both the Best Newcomer (2013) and Best Show (2014) at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in consecutive years, has built a cult following for his intimate, thoughtful, and emotionally resonant stand-up. Unlike many of his peers, his shows don’t rely on punchline-per-minute metrics; instead, they build gradually, weaving stories and observations into something deeply personal and profoundly funny.
“It’s about trying. Failing, mostly. But still trying.”
Speaking about the tour, Kearns said:
“It’s about trying. Failing, mostly. But still trying. There’s something noble and daft about it. So I thought, what better way to mark that than by getting on a train every night for six months and telling strangers about it?”
The 2026 tour kicks off in January in Newcastle, winding its way through major cities like Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, and London, before culminating in a series of dates in Ireland and continental Europe. A few surprise “work-in-progress” gigs are also rumoured to be on the cards for late 2025.
Fans React
The announcement was met with enthusiasm across social media, with fans praising Kearns for continuing to carve his own path in a comedy world increasingly dominated by algorithm-friendly soundbites.
“No one else does what Kearns does. He’s not trying to go viral—he’s trying to say something true,” one fan commented on X (formerly Twitter).
Critics have also expressed anticipation, with several noting that Tilting At Windmills could mark a new high point in Kearns’ already acclaimed body of work.
Tickets and Dates
Tickets for Tilting At Windmills go on general sale this Friday at 10am, with pre-sales available to newsletter subscribers a day earlier. Given Kearns’ loyal fanbase and the relatively intimate venues he tends to favour, early booking is strongly advised.
Full tour dates and ticketing information are available now at johnkearnscomedy.com.
Don’t miss the chance to see one of the UK’s most original comedy voices on his most ambitious tour yet.