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Just for Laughs inks broadcast, streaming deals for live shows

By Nicholas Sokic
July 16, 2025
The deals with Crave, Prime Video, CBC and others are worth more than $20 million, according to JFL.

Just for Laughs (JFL) has confirmed $20 million worth of deals with domestic and international broadcasters and streamers to air more than 50 hours of its upcoming live events and specials in Montreal and Quebec City.

Many of these events take place at JFL’s annual comedy festival, with air dates to be confirmed at a later time. Aside from the previously announced Netflix special for comedian Gerry Dee filmed at Espace St-Denis, Crave and CTV will film season five of Roast Battle Canada, produced with Toronto’s Counterfeit Pictures, at the same venue from July 20 to 22. The Ennis Esmer-hosted series will feature a judging panel of Toronto-born comedians Russell Peters, Sabrina Jalees and K. Trevor Wilson.

There are three events set to film at the Théâtre Maisonneuve. Prime Video will stream the 2025 Just for Laughs Francophonie Gala, set for July 17; ICI Télé will film the induction of Louis Saia’s 1997 film Les Boys into the Just for Laughs Hall of Fame on July 21, hosted by comedian Guy Jodoin; and CBC will film the Just for Laughs Galas from July 25 to 26.

ICI Télé will also film the Just for Laughs Galas from Aug. 8 to 9 and 13 to 16 at Quebec City’s Grand Théâtre de Québec, as well as Les Grands Bien-Cuits Juste pour rire from Aug. 20 to 23 at the same venue. The latter event is a series of comedic roasts, with this year’s participants including actors Patrice L’Ecuyer, Marina Orsini and Gildor Roy as well as the singer Garou.

TV5 will film JFL’s New Faces of Comedy showcase at Club Soda, while the Canal+ series Comédie Club Tour will make an appearance at the Bordel Comédie Club from July 22 to 23.

Along with Gerry Dee’s standup special, Roast Battle Canada, Just For Laughs Francophonie Gala and the New Faces of Comedy showcase will all be taped live at the festival for the first time, a JFL spokesperson told Playback Daily.

The 2024 edition of the festival was scaled down following JFL’s restructuring proceedings. This year’s festival will be the first for JFL following its June 2024 acquisition by Quebec City’s ComediHa! Group and the latter’s subsequent rebranding to Just for Entertainment in October.

Image courtesy of Just for Laughs