A creditors report for the Big Difference Company, the charity behind the Leicester Comedy Festival that recently collapsed, reveals that the organisation owed more than £215,000 at the point it ceased trading.

However, the Live Comedy Association says that that may be a conservative figure. The official report lists more than 100 creditors owed money by Big Difference, but the LCA says it is aware or people and companies not included on the official list who are also due outstanding payments.

LCA Chair Jessica Toomey says, “It seems the information the liquidators have been given by the trustees isn’t accurate and we are appealing for anyone who is owed money to contact us as soon as possible. We will be assisting the liquidators in their task of trying to piece together the jigsaw and getting a more accurate figure”.

It first emerged in April that hundreds of comedians who performed at the 2026 edition of the Leicester Comedy Festival had not received their ticket income. Concerns then began to mount about the financial position of Big Difference, until its directors confirmed earlier this month that the company had ceased trading.

Last week LCA revealed it had sent a list of questions to the trustees of Big Difference following an online meeting of more than 20 performers, promoters, suppliers and staff members who are owed money by the company.

Among other things, trustees are asked if they were aware that money from ticket sales that belonged to performers and promoters was being used to cover the core costs of running Big Difference.

And whether they knew that the company’s CEO had previously promised to ring-fence ticket money in a separate back account to stop that from happening.

LCA plans to make any responses it receives to its questions publically available.