Master of Ceremonies for Hire

What a master of ceremonies does

A master of ceremonies, or MC, runs the programme on the day. The MC opens the event, tells the room what is coming, introduces every speaker and award, and keeps the running order to time. In between, the MC holds the audience’s attention so the event feels like one experience rather than a list of agenda items.

Most of the job is invisible. A good MC knows the names, the sponsors and the cues before the doors open. When a speaker overruns or a video fails, the MC fills the gap and the room barely notices. When a winner is emotional, the MC lets the moment breathe, then brings the energy back. That is what you are paying for when you hire an MC: someone who looks after the room so your team can look after the event.

Rhys has done this job in big, loud rooms and in quiet, formal ones. He has hosted everything from client dinners for forty to international match days with thousands of supporters, and he has interviewed Wales legends live on stage. The skills are the same in every room: prepare properly, read the audience, keep time and make the people on stage look good.

MC, emcee, compere, host, toastmaster: same job, different titles

Clients use different words for the same role, and the word usually says more about the event than about the job. MC is short for master of ceremonies. Emcee is simply MC spelled out, and it is common with international clients and with travel and hospitality brands. Compere is the word many UK clients use for awards nights and entertainment, and Rhys works as a compere for hire on exactly those nights. Event host is the broadest title of all, and his event host for hire page covers the full range.

So what is the difference between an MC and a compere? In practice, very little. Both run the programme, introduce the people on stage and keep the room with you. The title tends to follow the tone. Business events and formal functions lean towards MC. Awards and entertainment lean towards compere.

A toastmaster is a different role. A traditional toastmaster leads formal protocol: announcing the top table, calling for grace and the toasts, and introducing the speeches. An MC runs the whole show, from the opening welcome to the final thank-you. If your event has a conference programme, awards, interviews or entertainment, you need an MC.

Events Rhys MCs

Rhys is based in Essex, about 30 minutes from the City of London, and works as an MC across the UK. Each format asks something different of the person holding the microphone.

Hiring an MC: what to ask

Most organisers only hire an MC once or twice a year, so it helps to know what good looks like. These six questions will tell you more than a showreel. Here is what to ask, and how Rhys answers.

How Rhys prepares

Good MC work is mostly preparation. Before your event Rhys joins a briefing call to learn who is in the room and what the event needs to achieve. He works through the running order with your producer or event manager, agrees the timings and writes the host links. He checks pronunciations, award categories and sponsor commitments, so nothing is read cold on the night.

On the day he arrives early, rehearses with the AV team and agrees cues with the stage manager. He stays close to the organiser so timings can flex without the audience noticing. When something goes off plan, he deals with it quietly and keeps the room calm.

That habit comes from the other side of the stage. Rhys started out booking bands, running festivals and delivering events. As EMEA Summits Events Manager at the SANS Institute he planned and delivered cyber-security summits in twelve cities across Europe and the Middle East. Today he is CEO and founder of TRM Flex, the event operations platform that connects enquiries, staffing, suppliers and delivery for venues, agencies and event teams. He understands production from the inside, so your MC becomes part of the delivery team rather than one more thing to manage.

Ready to hire an MC? Send the date, the venue and a short brief using the enquiry form. Rhys replies within one working day with availability and a guide fee.