Following the Government's announcement yesterday (March 16), and due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, this year's Wells Comedy Festival has been cancelled.

Ben Williams and the festival team have been working hard for months to make the event happen, and have been monitoring the situation closely over recent weeks, but given the most recent advice they say they feel the festival would be too much of a public health risk to go ahead, and the safety of festival goers, artists, staff, volunteers and the people of Wells must come first.

In a statement, they said: "We are deeply disappointed to be cancelling the festival, and our huge apologies go to the people, sponsors and businesses that help make the festival possible each year.

"We realise that cancelling the festival will have a knock-on effect on everyone involved, and it is not a decision we have taken lightly.

"Ticket holders will be contacted in due course via Ticketsource to receive automatic refunds. Please be aware that this is an incredibly busy time for Ticketsource, and with thousands of refunds to issue, it may take a little longer than usual for refunds to be processed – we (and they) appreciate your patience, and apologise for the delay.

"As it will be in many industries, this is going to be an incredibly difficult time for the arts industry as a whole.

"If you have the means to, please consider supporting comedians/arts workers in other ways. Buy their merchandise, give a donation, offer them work, listen to their podcasts, buy tickets for shows further down the line.

"For Plosive – which produces the Wells Comedy Festival – one free and easy way you can support our work is by listening to our podcasts and not skipping the adverts. Our podcasts are here.

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"To the people that have supported the festival over the past six years – particularly the volunteers who give up their time for free – we want to say a huge thank you.

"We hope to be back, stronger than ever, in 2021. But until then, many thanks for your understanding, and stay safe."