The Comedy Club program on TNT recently announced a leadership change in its creative team. Garik Kharlamov has been named the project’s creative producer, a move reported by the channel’s press service and corroborated by RBC. In this new capacity, Kharlamov will steer the creative preparation of each broadcast, oversee the work of scriptwriters, monitor material development, and set topical direction for the show.
Kharlamov himself described the appointment as an additional responsibility that complements his role as a resident performer. He emphasized that a well-coordinated team of writers and producers is already working on the upcoming season, and the goal is to refresh the program with a new look and a refreshed approach to comedy on screen.
Comedy Club features a strong group of creative producers who have been integral to its development. After Garik Martirosyan left in 2018, colleagues such as Alexey Poimanov, Sergey Mokhnachev, Ilya Romanko, and Alexey Lyaporov — all long-time TNT contributors since the early 2000s — joined the project and will now collaborate with Kharlamov to shape the show’s creative direction.
TNT’s director Tina Kandelaki described Kharlamov’s appointment as a logical progression of his talent, noting that the producer must respond swiftly to current events and craft timely, engaging ideas. This sentiment reflects a broader view of what makes Comedy Club resonate with audiences across the country.
Kharlamov has been a fixture of Comedy Club since his television debut in 2005, a period that helped him gain wide recognition. Before joining the show, he worked as a host on Muz-TV and led the reality program The Office on TNT. In addition to his hosting and stage work, Kharlamov has pursued film projects, broadening his presence in the entertainment industry.
Comedy Club remains one of TNT’s most popular programs. Measurements from Mediascope’s TV meter show that the show achieves higher ratings and audience share among viewers aged 14 to 44 than the channel’s average. In the first half of 2024, the program attracted an average of 1.6 percent of residents in this age group and accounted for 9.6 percent of all TV viewers. By comparison, the same period in 2023 recorded 1.8 percent and 9.5 percent respectively, indicating a steady engagement pattern with the audience.
A special episode titled Comedy Club. New Year on TNT Comedyvision achieved notable online performance, ranking second among the top ten most-watched videos on YouTube during the 2024 New Year holiday period. This milestone underscores the show’s continued appeal during festive seasons and its strong reach across digital platforms.
Overall, TNT’s share of audience grows modestly while ratings show a slight dip compared with the prior year, a dynamic that highlights ongoing adjustments in the network’s programming strategy and audience targeting. The channel maintains a stable presence in the entertainment landscape, driven by engaging formats and a roster of familiar talents who connect with viewers across multiple formats and channels. Inquiries into Kharlamov’s new responsibilities point to a broader industry trend where creatives expand their influence to shape content narratives faster in response to current events and changing viewer preferences.
How the collaboration between Kharlamov and fellow producers unfolds remains a development watched by fans and industry observers alike, with early indications suggesting a bold reinvention of the Comedy Club brand under TNT’s creative leadership. The path forward will likely emphasize sharper topicality, stronger writing pipelines, and visually fresh presentation that aligns with contemporary audience expectations.