A compère is the person who holds an event together. They welcome guests, introduce each act or speaker, fill gaps and keep the evening on time. You rarely notice a good one, because everything simply runs smoothly.
What a compère does on the night
- Opens the event: welcome, housekeeping and fire exits, and sets the tone.
- Introduces acts and speakers: with the right names and the right pronunciation.
- Manages the running order: if the meal runs late, the compère adjusts.
- Fills gaps: while a band changes over or an award winner walks to the stage.
- Runs the extras: raffles, auctions, quizzes and announcements.
When you need one
A compère pays for itself when an evening has several moving parts: an awards night, a charity dinner with an auction, a variety show with several acts, or a holiday park or club night with a full bill.
For a simple party with one act, the act itself usually handles the microphone.
Who can compère?
Some performers on our books combine hosting with their own act. Mike Carlton worked as resident compère and entertainer in Tenerife. Gaz Jenkins, the Billy Joel tribute, hosted and compèred with Trevor Chance's Legends. Yzzy is a vocalist and compère, and Simon Young began as a singer and compère.
How to brief a compère
- Send the running order with times.
- List every name to be announced, with phonetic spellings if needed.
- Name one contact on the night who can make decisions.
- Say what tone you want: formal, light-hearted or somewhere between.
- Flag anything sensitive to avoid.
Quick answers
Is a compère the same as an MC?
Broadly, yes. MC and host are used for the same role.
Can a comedian compère?
Many can, and comedy helps fill gaps. Ask when you enquire.
Next steps
Tell us about your running order on the quote form, and we'll suggest a host who suits it.
Ready to find your act?
Flair Entertainments has been booking entertainers for clients across the UK since 1984. Send us your date, venue and the kind of night you want and we’ll come back with acts that suit.
