Joanne McNally to Make History at DublinS 3Arena with ‘Pinotphile’
Joanne McNally is set to become the first Irish female comedian to headline a solo show at Dublin’s 3Arena on december 12th, 2026, with her latest production, Pinotphile.
“It’s really exciting, and the lovely thing about the 3Arena, of all the arenas, and it’s not like I’ve done loads,” she laughs, “it feels intimate, it’s just really well designed, and it will be great to be on that stage.”
While McNally previously graced the 3Arena stage alongside podcast co-host Vogue Williams for five sold-out nights of their live show My Therapist Ghosted Me in December 2023, this performance marks her debut as a solo act at the iconic venue.
Despite the milestone, McNally remains characteristically modest, admitting she finds it challenging to express pride in her accomplishments. “I am an Irish woman after all, and we aren’t good at the proud bit,” she said. Though, she acknowledges Pinotphile represents a notable step forward in her career as both a writer and performer.
The show has already been performed over seventy times across the UK, including a triumphant five-night run at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, and has been met with a positive response from audiences.
McNally initially felt pressure to have significant life changes to discuss in her new material, anticipating shows focused on marriage and motherhood. “I thought years ago that my next shows would be about being married with kids, but that is not my actual life,” she explained.
Rather, Pinotphile draws inspiration from the evolving experiences of single, child-free women.”I do think being a single, child-free woman in this day and age, with the shift in the culture, and the drop in childbirth rates and with marriage rates dropping too, and women kind of thriving on their own, women are reinventing the female experience. That’s my actual life anyway, and maybe that needs to be represented more as well, you know?”
She sees a “revolution happening now” and highlights the resilience required to navigate life independently, alongside the strength of female friendships.
McNally credits her hugely popular podcast, My Therapist Ghosted Me, co-hosted with Vogue Williams, as a catalyst for her career’s rapid ascent. “it has changed my life, it’s changed both our lives,” she said. “And I love that I get to work with Vogue and my friends on the podcast as it is indeed a lovely way to keep us all connected too.”
The comedian’s success is already well-established, having completed a record-breaking 78 sold-out nights at Vicar Street with her previous tour, The Prosecco Express.
Looking at the broader comedy landscape,McNally believes the increased visibility of women comedians is partly due to trailblazers like Amy Schumer. “I’ve discussed this with Katherine Ryan and we think Amy Schumer was the start of it all for us, women coming into comedy.We both see that she just came in and exploded on stages, and she paved the way and that does trickle down.”
Joanne McNally defends Vogue Williams Against Tabloid Criticism, Announces 3Arena show
Comedian Joanne McNally has publicly expressed her outrage and support for her friend, Vogue Williams, amidst what she describes as unfair and hateful criticism in the tabloids while Williams is competing on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of here!. McNally voiced her feelings on the treatment of Williams, stating, “It’s an awful feeling, and they are using it for clickbait. They are inciting hatred towards her, and I feel very protective of her.” She likened her reaction to the fervent support shown for britney Spears, saying, “I feel like that guy we used to see on the videos screaming ‘Leave Britney alone’.”
McNally emphasized that Williams is currently in the jungle and unable to see the negative press, and she wants her friend to “enjoy this, without trashing her in the tabloids again.” She further stated on her instagram story that she is “wildly offended on her behalf” and “angry.”
The comedian highlighted Williams’ positive impact on her own life,describing her as “a really lovely person” who has been incredibly supportive. McNally believes Williams “deserves to win” I’m A Celeb…, hoping the show will open doors for her professional opportunities in the UK.
Beyond her support for Williams, McNally is focused on her own career, building on her success with sold-out stage tours and expanding internationally, especially in the USA. She also mentioned she is working on completing her long-awaited book.
McNally reflected on her connection with her audience, noting a shared evolution. She observed that her fanbase has matured alongside her, moving from nights centered around prosecco to conversations about HRT. “We are probably slightly less feral than we were,” she joked, adding, “We drank so much prosecco in the last tour, that if I have prosecco now, I’ll gag!”
The comedian also discussed her artistic goals, stating she aims to evoke emotion in her audience alongside laughter.
McNally is preparing to perform at the 3Arena in Dublin, a venue she fondly remembers attending as a fan, having seen The Prodigy perform there when it was known as The Point. She expressed her excitement about performing at the venue herself, feeling it is “the right time” to do so.
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