Jimmy Carr to perform in Abu Dhabi in 2023

The British-Irish comedian will be heading to Yas Island

Jimmy Carr is heading to Etihad Arena in January. Invision / AP

One of Britain's favourite comedians, Jimmy Carr, is now flying to Abu Dhabi to win over the UAE crowds.

As part of his Terribly Funny 2.0 World Tour, Carr is heading to Etihad Arena on Yas Island for a one-off performance on January 7, 2023.

Carr, 49, is known for his near-the-knuckle one-liners delivered in a deadpan manner, winning over fans around the world.

He started in comedy in 2000, at age 28, and has since become known for his stand-up gigs, but also for his television appearances, including being a presenter of hit UK television shows I Literally Just Told You, The Big Fat Quiz Of The Year and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

It will be the first time the funnyman appears in the capital, as part of a series of shows by GME Events, the company responsible for bringing Russell Peters and Michael McIntyre to Abu Dhabi.

“Hello UAE!” Carr said in a statement. “I can't wait to return to see you all at the Etihad Arena in January. Grab your tickets and I will see you all there.”

Carr was last in the UAE in the summer of 2020 for gigs at the Dubai World Trade Centre for Dubai Summer Surprises, and had to add new dates as tickets sold out.

It followed a 22-week hiatus from the stage during the coronavirus pandemic. “It felt absolutely wonderful,” he told The National of the shows at the time. “It was a joy to be back on stage.”

Tickets are now available from the Etihad Arena website, Platinum List and Virgin Megastore branches across the UAE, starting from Dh195 to Dh495. There are also packages that include the ticket and hotel stay.

Carr's jokes don't always land right. In February, he was criticised for an “abhorrent” joke he made about the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community in a Netflix special.

The show, called Jimmy Carr: His Dark Material, was released on Netflix on Christmas Day, but generated criticism after a clip was posted and shared online almost two months later.

In it, Carr tells the audience “strap in everybody, are you ready?” He then talks soberly about the “tragedy and horror” of the Holocaust before going on to attempt a joke about the murder of thousands of Gypsies by the Nazis in the Second World War. The remark is met with laughter from the audience.

Olivia Marks-Woldman, chief executive of The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, called Carr’s comment “abhorrent”.

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  Russell Peters performed his Act Your Age show on the opening night of the Dubai Comedy Festival 2022. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National

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