Master of ceremonies · Awards MC · Conference host · UK-wide
Your master of ceremonies. A professional MC and compere for UK corporate conferences, awards ceremonies and product launches, with TV-style game show entertainment built in
Twenty years on stage and a television background, so your event stays on time, on brand and genuinely entertaining. I take the room off your hands from the first welcome to the closing line, and I can build a full TV-style game show into the night when you want more than a safe pair of hands.
Round 01 The signature
An MC who brings the game show with him
The master of ceremonies role is where my game-show background earns its place. Between the awards, the speeches and the dinner I can drop in a broadcast-standard round of Family Fortunes, The Generation Game or Play Your Cards Right, each one written for the people in the room. Split the room in two, rotate the teams, and the formalities and the fun stop competing for the evening.
Round 02 The approach
The master of ceremonies who is also, genuinely, the best part of the night
An MC has to switch register in a single evening: the precision an awards script demands, the warmth that keeps a dinner from stalling, the quick thinking when a segment overruns. Working across all three is the job, and it is what lets you sit with your guests instead of watching the clock.
That range is built on twenty years of live rooms and a spell in broadcast, where a running order, a countdown and a last-minute change are simply a normal shift. On the night it means the timings hold, the transitions are clean, and the person out front looks entirely unbothered.
Round 03 The role
What an MC does
Carries your brand from the stage
I represent your brand as the voice of the event, setting the right tone for your audience and keeping the messaging on track from the welcome to the close.
Runs the room to the minute
Speaker introductions, transitions and pacing all held tight, so awards, speeches and entertainment land exactly where they should.
Handles the unexpected
A late speaker, a technical hiccup, a running order that slips. I fix it from the front before anyone in the room realises there was a problem.
Round 04 The big board
Our survey says
All real numbers. No survey required, just twenty years of doing the job.
The conveyor round Tonight’s lineup
Cuddly toy not included.
Round 05 Nice to see you
Meet your MC
I’m Kevin Durham, and master of ceremonies is the role I have spent more than twenty years learning in front of live audiences: over 800 events, from twelve-table award dinners to festival stages of eighty thousand and more, including Download Festival. The bigger the room, the more the job is about control that never looks like control.
Before events I presented for Fox, BBC and Warner Bros, which is where the composure comes from: an autocue that keeps moving, a director in your ear and no option to stop. An MC’s real work is the same, holding the shape of an evening while making it feel relaxed for everyone who is not the one running it.
As your MC I do more than announce the next item. I hold the running order, carry your brand message cleanly, keep the room’s energy where it needs to be, and read the moments where a night wants a laugh rather than another link. Corporate planners across the UK rate that 5.0 out of 5 across 29 reviews.
More about meRound 06 What clients say
The judges’ scores
Hired Kevin to be a Master of Ceremonies and he was incredible. The day ran so smoothly and he was attentive, understanding and helping increase the energy of the day. If you’re looking for someone to help, whether that’s for a charity auction or to host an event, you won’t be disappointed if you choose Kevin.
My company used Kevin’s services for our awards evening, and we were blown away with his performance! From the time of engagement Kevin was very clear and communicative, gave great advice and set clear deadlines.
Kevin is a fantastic host. I used him as a toastmaster for a corporate event. I booked him last minute and with minimal prep time, he managed to provide an exceptional service. He was professional and went above and beyond to ensure that our guests were engaged throughout the course of the event.
Didn’t he do well? Ask the audience, all 29 reviews →
Round 07 Questions
The quickfire round
Can’t see your question? Send it over and I’ll come straight back to you.
What does a master of ceremonies do?
An MC is the through-line of your event. I introduce speakers, manage every transition and set the pace, keep the audience engaged, carry your brand message from the stage, and handle anything that goes sideways before the room notices. On the night, you get to be a guest at your own event.
What is the difference between an MC and a compere?
In practice, very little. Master of ceremonies, MC and compere all describe the person who hosts and links your event from the stage. Compere is the more traditional British term and MC the more common one now. I answer to all three, and the job is the same: keep your event moving, engaging and on brand.
How much does it cost to hire a master of ceremonies?
Every event is different, so fees are quoted individually based on the date, location, running time and what you need on the day. Tell me about your event and I will put together a clear quote.
What kind of events do you MC?
Corporate conferences, awards ceremonies, product and brand launches, gala dinners and large-scale events across the UK. I also bring TV-style game show entertainment to the events that want the whole room involved, not just watching.
Where are you based and how far do you travel?
I’m based in the UK and cover many different areas including London, Manchester and Edinburgh. I have regular events in the US, Spain, Monte Carlo and Portugal.
What makes you different from other MCs?
Twenty years of live hosting, a television background, and a full TV-style game show I can build into the running order: together they are why an MC booking with me is closer to hiring an entertainer, an event manager and a safe pair of hands at once. Rated 5.0 out of 5 across 29 reviews.
On camera
Clients on being MC’d
We hired Kevin to be our MC for the Special Lioness annual ball and he was absolutely sensational. He covered all of the areas that we discussed and a little bit more. He kept the day flowing beautifully and added in his own flair and personality. It’s absolutely wonderful.
Some of the speakers were late, there was a video problem, there were all sorts of complications and we got delayed by an hour and a half. In all those small pauses Kevin had to go on stage and entertain the audience and keep it going, so as not to lose attention.
He’s really professional, engaged the room and took control where we needed it. Highly recommend him if you need him to host any event.
More clips on the reviews page.
Enquiries
Let’s make your event run like clockwork
Send me the running order and I will keep your event on time and on point.