London: Bottomless Brunch Comedy – The Ding Dong Gong Show

The most unusual part of this Southbank outing is the contest itself: new comics get five minutes to make the room laugh, and the audience helps decide their fate. It can be sharp, silly, crude, and gloriously unpredictable. The Ding Dong Gong Show is not a polished night of famous professionals. It is a live comedy gamble.

I like the simple setup: pizza and 90 minutes of drinks come before the 3pm show, so you can settle in without rushing. I also like the central location between Upper Ground and Stamford Street, plus the friendly staff praised by Grace, who said the food and drinks were good and the host was great.

The catch is the tone. Strong language, sexual references, and gutter humour are common, while the comic quality can swing from promising to painful. One attendee liked the concept and staff but found the judges obnoxious, so book this only if you enjoy a rowdy bear-pit atmosphere and can laugh when a performer struggles.

Key points to know before booking

• Five minutes can make or break a comic: Fresh hopefuls perform short sets before the room decides their fate.
• The food and drinks come first: Arrive for the 1pm start, with pizza and 90 minutes of bottomless drinks before comedy begins at 3pm.
• Your ticket costs $74: The price covers the show, one wood-fired pizza, and the listed drinks package.
• The humour is deliberately rough: Expect strong language, sexual material, and gutter jokes. This is an 18+ event.
• Southbank access is easy: The venue sits between Upper Ground and Stamford Street and is wheelchair accessible.
• The crowd shapes the show: The format depends on audience reaction, so no two performances should feel exactly alike.

A comedy contest instead of a standard club night

Many London comedy evenings follow a safe pattern: an opener, a few acts, and a headline performer who knows how to land the plane. The Ding Dong Gong Show takes a different route. It puts newer comic hopefuls in front of the room for five minutes and lets the audience play an active part.

That format gives the event its edge. You are not simply watching a finished product. You are seeing performers test material in public, sometimes finding a strong joke, sometimes losing the room, and sometimes doing both in the same five-minute set.

The show has been named Best London Comedy Club 2024, but you should understand what kind of club this is. The award does not mean you are getting a quiet, polished evening of carefully selected stand-up. The attraction is the risk. The energy comes from not knowing who will connect, who will struggle, and when the gong might arrive.

I like that the format gives you a genuine role in the evening. Your laughter matters, and the room’s reaction helps shape the mood. That can make the show feel more immediate than a conventional performance.

It can also make the atmosphere less comfortable. A five-minute slot is short enough to keep the pace moving, but long enough for a weak act to feel exposed. If you prefer comedy that is gentle, polished, or free from audience confrontation, this may not be your best London night out.

The 1pm start: pizza, drinks, and time to settle in

The experience begins at 1pm, with the first 90 minutes set aside for food and drinks. That timing matters. You are not squeezing in a meal during an interval or hoping to find a table near the stage after the show begins. The meal and drinks are built into the opening part of the afternoon.

Your ticket includes a wood-fired pizza from Mr. Pizza Baby. The available information does not specify the exact pizza selection, so check the options when booking if you have a particular preference. If you need a vegan or gluten-free pizza, you must request it at checkout.

There is one important difference for special-diet orders. Vegan and gluten-free pizza is not bottomless. You receive one pizza per person, rather than unlimited pizza, so keep that in mind when comparing the ticket with the standard food option.

The 90-minute drinks package includes Big Belly Lager, cider, prosecco, Aperol Spritz, soft drinks, and Lucky Saint. That is a useful range for a mixed group. You can choose beer, wine, a spritz, a nonalcoholic beer, or soft drinks without having to buy each one separately.

I would treat the drinks package as part of the value, not as a reason to drink heavily. The show itself lasts long enough to be enjoyable without turning the afternoon into a race. The 90-minute window gives you time to eat and have a few drinks before the comedy starts, but it ends before the main performance.

The food and drinks also make the event easier to plan. You can meet friends at the venue for an afternoon that combines lunch and comedy, rather than arranging a separate meal before or after. For a central London outing, that convenience has real value.

The 3pm show: short sets and sudden reversals

The comedy begins at 3pm. By then, you have had time to eat, get a drink, and understand the room. The main event is the Ding Dong Gong Show, where fresh acts get five minutes to amuse the audience.

Five minutes creates a brisk rhythm. A comic who finds the right joke can make a quick impression. An act that struggles cannot hide behind a long set, but even five minutes can feel extended when the material is not working.

The audience decides what happens next, giving the show its competitive feel. The exact mechanics of the judging process are not fully detailed, so do not expect a quiet, passive performance. The room’s response is part of the entertainment.

One practical point is worth stressing: comedy quality will vary. That is not a side effect of the concept. It is the concept. You are watching people at different stages of their development, not a lineup made entirely of established acts.

For some people, that is the fun. You might see an unexpected favorite, enjoy the tension before a punchline, or appreciate how a performer tries to recover after a joke falls flat. For others, the uneven quality may become tiring.

The judges also appear to be part of the show’s rough personality. One attendee enjoyed the concept and thought the staff were lovely but disliked the judges and did not see their purpose. If you are sensitive to loud or abrasive stage personalities, keep this criticism in mind. The judges may add pressure and comic conflict, but they will not suit every sense of humour.

The tone: friendly staff, hard-edged jokes

The staff are one of the safer parts of the experience. Grace, who attended in August 2025, specifically praised the host, food, drinks, and overall fun. Another attendee also described the staff as lovely.

That matters because a show built around heckling energy and comic risk needs a welcoming front-of-house experience. Friendly staff can make the difference between a playful afternoon and a stressful one, especially if you are unfamiliar with the venue or the format.

Still, do not confuse friendly service with gentle content. The event is for people aged 18 and over. Strong language, sexual references, and gutter humour are prevalent. Some acts may use material that is intentionally crude or close to the line.

I would not choose this as a first comedy outing with someone who prefers clean jokes. It is better suited to a group that already understands the tone and will not be shocked by rough material. The bear-pit description is useful here. The atmosphere is meant to be lively, exposed, and a little brutal, even when the event remains good natured.

The audience’s role can also affect your comfort. If you enjoy cheering, laughing loudly, and reacting to performers, you will have more fun than someone who wants to sit quietly and observe. The event asks you to participate through your response, even if you are not called on personally.

What the $74 price includes

At $74 per person, this is not a cheap comedy ticket. The value depends on how much use you make of the complete package.

You are paying for four hours at Big Belly Bar & Comedy Club, a wood-fired pizza, 90 minutes of bottomless drinks, and the comedy contest. In a central London setting, combining lunch, drinks, and an afternoon show can be more convenient than buying each part separately.

The ticket is strongest value for someone who wants a social afternoon rather than a short stand-up set. You arrive at 1pm, eat and drink for 90 minutes, then watch comedy from 3pm. That makes the experience feel like a full outing.

It is weaker value if you mainly want high-level stand-up and would not use the food or drinks. Since the acts are new comic hopefuls and the quality varies, you are paying for the format and atmosphere as much as for individual performances.

The vegan and gluten-free arrangement also deserves attention. You still receive a pizza, but it is one pizza per person rather than a bottomless serving. If you are comparing the price with the standard option, do not assume that the unlimited food element applies to special-diet orders.

The package includes Lucky Saint and soft drinks, which gives you alternatives to alcoholic drinks. That is useful if you want to join the afternoon without drinking alcohol. The event still remains a comedy and bar experience, rather than a specialist food tour or a formal theatre production.

Getting to the Southbank venue

The meeting point is between Upper Ground and Stamford Street. That puts the venue in a central Southbank area, a practical choice for an afternoon activity in London.

The supplied directions do not give a full street address, so check the precise meeting details before setting out. You should allow enough time to arrive before the 1pm start, since the food and drinks period begins then.

The central location is one of the experience’s strongest practical features. You can build it into a wider day in central London, though the available information does not promise any particular nearby attractions or transport connections. Use the venue’s exact confirmation details for the final approach.

The venue is wheelchair accessible. That is useful, but accessibility needs can vary, so contact the provider if you require details about seating, toilets, or access arrangements beyond the general accessibility statement.

Who will enjoy this afternoon most

I would recommend the event to adults who like comedy with a risk factor. It suits a group of friends looking for lunch, drinks, and something more unpredictable than a normal club set.

It is also a good fit if you enjoy seeing new performers before they become established. The five-minute format lets you sample many comic voices in one afternoon, although the tradeoff is uneven quality.

You should think twice if you want a refined theatre experience, clean comedy, or a carefully controlled lineup. The judges may be abrasive, the material can be sexual or crude, and a weak performance is part of the deal.

The event is not suitable for children under 18. That is both a formal restriction and a useful warning about the content. If anyone in your group dislikes strong language or audience-driven tension, choose another activity.

Booking flexibility and useful planning details

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund. That gives you a reasonable cushion if your London plans change.

You can also reserve now and pay later, which may help if you are arranging a group outing before your schedule is fixed. Availability determines the starting time, but the advertised experience begins at 1pm with the food and drinks period and reaches the comedy show at 3pm.

The host or greeter speaks English, and the activity is conducted in English. Since the comedy depends on quick verbal reactions, a strong understanding of English will help you follow the jokes and judge the acts.

The full duration is four hours. That is long for an afternoon comedy booking, but the time is split between the meal, drinks, and show. Plan it as a substantial part of your day, not as a quick stop between sightseeing appointments.

Should you book the Ding Dong Gong Show?

Book it if you want a social, unpredictable comedy afternoon with pizza, drinks, and a say in what happens on stage. The friendly staff, central Southbank setting, broad drinks choice, and unusual contest format give the event a clear personality.

Skip it if you want guaranteed polished comedy or dislike crude material. The $74 price makes the most sense when you value the complete four-hour package and the fun of seeing new acts take a risk.

For the right audience, the unevenness is the point. You are buying a lively experiment, not a guaranteed parade of perfect punchlines.

FAQ

How long does the Ding Dong Gong Show experience last?

The experience lasts four hours.

What time does the activity begin?

The food and drinks period begins at 1pm, and the comedy show starts at 3pm.

What food is included?

You receive a wood-fired pizza from Mr. Pizza Baby.

Are drinks included in the ticket?

Yes. The ticket includes 90 minutes of bottomless drinks.

Which drinks are available?

The drinks include Big Belly Lager, cider, prosecco, Aperol Spritz, soft drinks, and Lucky Saint.

Can I request vegan or gluten-free pizza?

Yes. You need to request a vegan or gluten-free pizza at checkout.

Is vegan or gluten-free pizza bottomless?

No. A vegan or gluten-free order includes one pizza per person.

Is the event suitable for children?

No. The activity is for adults aged 18 and over, and children under 18 are not suitable.

Is the venue wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The venue is listed as wheelchair accessible.