The Edinburgh Comedy Awards, formerly known as the Perrier Comedy Awards, the if.comedy awards and briefly as the if.comeddies, are a group of prizes awarded annually since 1981 to comedy shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Each award currently has a separate sponsor, being sponsored by Sky TV, DLT Entertainment and The Victoria Wood Foundation, respectively.
They have previously been sponsored by Perrier, lastminute.com, Dave, and Foster's Lager.
Currently three awards are given – Best Comedy Show, Best Newcomer and the Panel Prize.
Main prize
| Perrier Comedy Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Main prize winner | Main prize nominees |
| 1981 | Cambridge Footlights (Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Tony Slattery, Emma Thompson, Penny Dwyer and Paul Shearer) |
|
| 1982 | Writer's Inc (Gary Adams, Steve Brown, Vicki Pile, Trevor McCallum, Helen Murry, Jamie Rix, and Nick Wilton, with additional material by Kim Fuller) |
|
| 1983 | Los Trios Ringbarkus | |
| 1984 | The Brass Band | Fascinating Aïda Hank Wangford Band Frank Chickens The Bodgers Paul B. Davies & Dave Cohen |
| 1985 | Theatre de Complicité | The Bodgers Merry Mac Fun Show John Dowie Sue Ingleton |
| 1986 | Ben Keaton | Paul B. Davies Roy Hutchins Jenny Lecoat Merry Mac Fun Show |
| 1987 | Brown Blues... Arnold Brown with Barb Jungr and Michael Parker | Nick Revell Jeremy Hardy Simon Fanshawe John Sparkes |
| 1988 | Jeremy Hardy | Doug Anthony Allstars Roy Hutchins – Spacehoppers Clackers & Really Big Fish Robert Llewellyn's Mammon Robot Born of Woman The Wow Show |
| 1989 | Simon Fanshawe | John Hegley – Can I Come Down Now Dad? Al and George – Unscheduled Stop Will Durst Live Bed Show The World of Les and Robert |
| 1990 | Sean Hughes – A One Night Stand | Dillie Keane – Single Again Pete McCarthy – The Hangover Show Jimmy Tingle |
| 1991 | Frank Skinner | Avner the Eccentric Jack Dee Eddie Izzard – Just the Words Lily Savage – The Live Experience |
| 1992 | Steve Coogan – In Character with John Thomson | Jo Brand Bruce Morton – Sin John Shuttleworth's Guide to Stardom Mark Thomas |
| 1993 | Lee Evans | Corky and the Juice Pigs Phil Kay Johnny Meres – My Booze Hell by Little Johnny Cartilage Donna McPhail Parrot – Sick as a Parrot Greg Proops |
| 1994 | Lano and Woodley | Alan Davies Jeff Green Harry Hill's Pub Internationale with Al Murray Owen O'Neill – It's a bit like this... Robert Schimmel |
| 1995 | Jenny Eclair – Prozac & Tantrums | Simon Bligh – Banzai Scott Capurro – The Love and Affection Tour Boothby Graffoe – The Love and Affection Tour The Umbilical Brothers – Heaven by Storm |
| 1996 | Dylan Moran – Dylan Moran Is Indisposed | Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller – Armstrong and Miller: The Quality Shag Bill Bailey Rich Hall – Freewheelin Dominic Holland – Holland-Days Sauce Al Murray |
| 1997 | The League of Gentlemen | Milton Jones – Joyrider Al Murray – King of Beers Graham Norton – Charlie’s Angels go to Hell The Johnny Vegas Show |
| 1998 | Tommy Tiernan – Undivine Comedy | Ed Byrne – A Night at the Opera Seán Cullen – Wood, Cheese & Children Peter Kay Al Murray – Pub Landlord's Keeper of the Pint Cosmic |
| 1999 | Al Murray as The Pub Landlord – And a Glass of White Wine for the Lady | Terry Alderton The Arctic Boosh Simon Munnery as The League Against Tedium – Ubertechnocomedie Ross Noble – Laser Boy |
| 2000 | Rich Hall – Otis Lee Crenshaw | Dave Gorman – Are You Dave Gorman? Lee Mack's New Bits, with Lee Mack, Catherine Tate and Dan Antopolski Sean Lock – No Flatley, I am the Lord of the Dance Garth Marenghi's Fright Knight, with Matthew Holness, Richard Ayoade, and Alice Lowe |
| 2001 | Garth Marenghi's Netherhead, with Matthew Holness, Richard Ayoade, and Alice Lowe | Dan Antopolski – Antopolski 2000 Jason Byrne Adam Hills – Go You Big Red Fire Engine Daniel Kitson – Love, Innocence and the Word Cock |
| 2002 | Daniel Kitson – Something | Noel Fielding – Voodoo Hedgehog Jimmy Carr – Jimmy Carr's Bare Faced Ambition Omid Djalili – Behind Enemy Lines Phil Nichol – Things I Like, I Lick Adam Hills – Happy Feet |
| 2003 | Demetri Martin – If I... | Reginald D. Hunter – White Woman Adam Hills – Cut Loose Flight of the Conchords – High on Folk Howard Read and Little Howard – The Big Howard and Little Howard Show |
| 2004 | Will Adamsdale – Jackson's Way | Chris Addison – Civilisation Epitaph with Ethan Sandler and Adrian Wenner Reginald D Hunter – A Mystery Wrapped in a N***a Sarah Kendall |
| 2005 | Laura Solon – Kopfraper's Syndrome | Chris Addison – Atomicity Jason Manford – Urban Legend Jeremy Lion (AKA Justin Edwards) with George Cockerill – What's the Time Mr Lion? Dutch Elm Conservatoire – Conspiracy |
| if.comedy awards (styled as if.comeddie for 2006) | ||
| Year | Main prize winner | Main prize nominees |
| 2006 | Phil Nichol – The Naked Racist | David O'Doherty – David O'Doherty Is My Name Russell Howard – Wandering Paul Sinha – Saint or Sinha? We Are Klang – Klangbang |
| 2007 | Brendon Burns – So I Suppose THIS Is Offensive Now | Andrew Lawrence – Social Leprosy for Beginners and Improvers Andrew Maxwell – Waxin' Tom Binns – Ivan Brackenbury's Hospital Radio Roadshow Pappy's Fun Club – Pappy's Fun Club |
| 2008 | David O'Doherty – Let's Comedy | Rhod Gilbert – Rhod Gilbert and the Award-winning Mince Pie Russell Kane – Gaping Flaws Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler – Double Down Hearts |
| Edinburgh Comedy Awards (known as the Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards since 2010) | ||
| Year | Main prize winner | Main prize nominees |
| 2009 | Tim Key – The Slutcracker | Idiots of Ants – This Is War John Bishop – Elvis Has Left the Building Jon Richardson – This Guy at Night Russell Kane – Human Dressage Tom Wrigglesworth – Tom Wrigglesworth's Open Return Letter to Richard Branson |
| 2010 | Russell Kane – Smokescreens and Castles | Bo Burnham – Words, Words, Words Greg Davies – Firing Cheeseballs at a Dog Josie Long – Be Honourable Sarah Millican: Chatterbox |
| 2011 | Adam Riches – Bring Me the Head of Adam Riches | Andrew Maxwell – The Lights Are On Chris Ramsey – Offermation Josie Long – The Future Is Another Place Nick Helm – Dare to Dream Sam Simmons – Meanwhile |
| 2012 | Doctor Brown – Befrdfgth | Claudia O'Doherty – The Telescope James Acaster – Prompt Josie Long – Romance and Adventure Pappy's – Last Show Ever! Tony Law – Maximum Nonsense |
| 2013 | Bridget Christie – A Bic for Her | Carl Donnelly – Now That's What I Carl Donnelly! Volume V James Acaster – Lawnmower Max & Ivan – The Reunion Mike Wozniak – Take The Hit Nick Helm – One Man Mega Myth Seann Walsh – The Lie-in King |
| 2014 | John Kearns – Shtick | Alex Horne – Monsieur Butterfly James Acaster – Recognise Liam Williams – Capitalism Romesh Ranganathan – Rom Wasn't Built in a Day Sam Simmons – Death of a Sails-Man Sara Pascoe – Sara Pascoe vs History |
| 2015 | Sam Simmons – Spaghetti for Breakfast | James Acaster – Represent Joseph Morpurgo – Soothing Sounds for Baby Kieran Hodgson – Lance Nish Kumar – Long Word. Long Word.. Blah Blah Blah.. I'm So Clever Sarah Kendall – A Day in October Seymour Mace – Seymour Mace Is Niche as F**k! Trygve Wakenshaw – Nautilus |
| Edinburgh Comedy Awards (known as the lastminute.com Edinburgh Comedy Awards since 2016) | ||
| Year | Main prize winner | Main prize nominees |
| 2016 | Richard Gadd – Monkey See Monkey Do | Al Porter – At Large James Acaster – Reset Kieran Hodgson – Maestro Nish Kumar – Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Unless You Shout The Words Real Loud Randy Feltface – Randy Writes A Novel Tom Ballard – The World Keeps Happening Zoe Coombs Marr – Trigger Warning |
| 2017 | Hannah Gadsby – Nanette
John Robins – The Darkness of Robins |
Ahir Shah – Control Elf Lyons – Swan Jordan Brookes – Body of Work Mae Martin – Dope Mat Ewins – Presents Adventureman 7: The Return of Adventureman Sophie Willan – Branded Spencer Jones – The Audition |
| 2018 | Rose Matafeo – Horndog | Ahir Shah – Duffer Alex Edelman – Just For Us Felicity Ward – Busting A Nut Glenn Moore – Glenn Glenn Glenn, How Do You Like It, How Do You Like It Kieran Hodgson – '75 Larry Dean – Bampot |
| Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Awards | ||
| Year | Main prize winner | Main prize nominees |
| 2019 | Jordan Brookes – I've Got Nothing | Darren Harriott – Good Heart Yute Demi Lardner – Ditch Witch 800 Goodbear – Dougal Ivo Graham – The Game of Life Jessica Fostekew – Hench London Hughes – To Catch a D*ck Spencer Jones – The Things We Leave Behind The Delightful Sausage – Ginster's Paradise |
| 2020 | Edinburgh Festival Fringe cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |
| 2021 | Edinburgh Festival Fringe in reduced scope due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |
| 2022 | Sam Campbell – Comedy Show | Alfie Brown – Sensitive Man Colin Hoult – The Death of Anna Mann The Delightful Sausage – Nowt but Sea Jordan Gray – Is It a Bird? Josh Pugh – Sausage, Egg, Josh Pugh, Chips and Beans Larry Dean – Fudnut Lauren Pattison – It Is What It Is Liz Kingsman – One-Woman Show Seann Walsh – Is Dead. Happy Now? |
| Edinburgh Comedy Awards (sponsored by Sky, DLT Entertainment and the Victoria Wood Foundation) | ||
| Year | Main prize winner | Main prize nominees |
| 2023 | Ahir Shah – Ends | Ania Magliano – I Can't Believe You've Done This Emmanuel Sonubi – Curriculum Vitae Ian Smith – Crushing Janine Harouni – Man'oushe Julia Masli – ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Kieran Hodgson – Big in Scotland Phil Ellis – Phil Ellis's Excellent Comedy Show |
| 2024 | Amy Gledhill – Make Me Look Fit on the Poster | Catherine Bohart – Again, With Feelings Chris Cantrill – Easily Swayed Josh Glanc – Family Man Natalie Palamides – WEER Reuben Kaye – Live and Intimidating Sarah Keyworth – My Eyes Are Up Here |
Best Newcomer Award
| Best Newcomer Award | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Winner | Nominees |
| 1992 | Harry Hill – Flies! | |
| 1993 | Dominic Holland – Red Hot Dutch with Dominic | |
| 1994 | Scott Capurro – Risk Gay | |
| 1995 | Tim Vine – The Tim Vine Fiasco | |
| 1996 | Milton Jones – The Head | |
| 1997 | Arj Barker – Arj Barker's Letter to America | |
| 1998 | The Mighty Boosh, with Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding and Rich Fulcher | Chris Addison Jason Byrne Jon Reed Paul Foot |
| 1999 | Ben'n'Arn's Big Top, with Ben Willbond, Arnold Widdowson | Infinite Number of Monkeys, with Tim FitzHigham and James Cary – Sketch Comedy of Hypotheticals The Arthur Dung Show, with Dave Lamb and Jim North Wil Anderson – Wilennium |
| 2000 | Noble and Silver | Andrew Clover – A Man of Substance in a World of Filth Dan Antopolski – Second Coming David O'Doherty – David O'Doherty's The Boy Who Saved Comedy |
| 2001 | Garth Cruickshank & Eddie McCabe - Let's Have a Right Royal Shambles | Andy Zaltzman – Andy Zaltzman versus the Dog of Doom, with John Oliver Cambridge Footlights – Far too Happy, with Edward Jaspers, Tim Key, Day Macaskill, James Morris, Mark Watson and Sophie Winkleman Danny Bhoy |
| 2002 | The Consultants – Finger in the Wind | Hal Cruttenden Natalie Haynes Reginald D. Hunter |
| 2003 | Gary Le Strange – Polaroid Suitcase | Alex Horne – Making Fish Laugh with Tim Key Michael McIntyre Miles Jupp – Gentlemen Prefer Brogues |
| 2004 | Wil Hodgson – The Passion Of The Hodgson | Alun Cochrane – My Favourite Words in My Favourite Stories Joanna Neary – Joanna Neary is not feeling herself Sabotage: In Fine Form, aka Shenoah Allen and Mark Shavez |
| 2005 | Tim Minchin – Dark Side | Charlie Pickering – Betterman Mark Watson – 50 years before I die Rhod Gilbert – Rhod Gilbert's 1984 Toulson and Harvey, aka Stephen Harvey and Luke Toulson |
| 2006 | Josie Long – Kindness & Exuberance | Fat Tongue with Sophie Black, Seb Cardinal and Dustin Demri Burns God's Pottery – Concert for Lavert Russell Kane – Russell Kane's Theory of Pretension |
| 2007 | Tom Basden – Won't Say Anything | Jon Richardson – Spatula Pad Micky Flanagan – What Chance Change? Zoe Lyons – Fight or Flight |
| 2008 | Sarah Millican – Sarah Millican's Not Nice | Mike Wozniak Pippa Evans |
| 2009 | Jonny Sweet – Mostly About Arthur | Carl Donnelly – Relax Everyone, It's Carl Donnelly! Jack Whitehall – Nearly Rebellious Kevin Bridges – An Hour to Sing for Your Soul Pete Johansson – Naked Pictures of My Life |
| 2010 | Roisin Conaty – Hero, Warrior, Fireman, Liar | An Audience with Imran Yusuf Asher Treleaven – Secret Door Gareth Richards – Stand Up Between Songs Late Night Gimp Fight! The Boy With Tape on His Face |
| 2011 | Humphrey Ker – Humphrey Ker is Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher | Cariad Lloyd – Lady Cariad's Characters The Chris and Paul Show Hannibal Buress – My Name is Hannibal – The Hannibal Montanabal Experience Josh Widdicombe – If This Show Changes One Life Holly Walsh – Hollycopter Thom Tuck – Thom Tuck Goes Straight-to-DVD Totally Tom |
| 2012 | Daniel Simonsen – Champions | David Trent – Spontaneous Comedian Discover Ben Target Joe Lycett – Some Lycett Hot Sam Fletcher – Good on Paper |
| 2013 | John Kearns – Sight Gags For Perverts | Aisling Bea – C'est La Bea Liam Williams Matt Okine – Being Black & Chicken & S#%t Romesh Ranganathan – Rom Com |
| 2014 | Alex Edelman – Millennial | Dane Baptiste – Citizen Dane Gein's Family Giftshop – Gein's Family Giftshop Volume 1 Lazy Susan – Extreme Humans Lucy Beaumont – We Can Twerk it Out Steen Raskopoulos – I'm Wearing Two Suits Because I Mean Business |
| 2015 | Sofie Hagen – Bubblewrap | Adam Hess – Salmon Daphne – Daphne Do Edinburgh Larry Dean – Out Now! John Henry Falle – The Story Beast Tom Ballard – Taxis & Rainbows & Hatred Tom Parry – Yellow T-shirt |
| 2016 | Scott Gibson – Life After Death | Bilal Zafar – Cakes Brennan Reece – Everglow Jayde Adams – 31 Michelle Wolf – So Brave Nath Valvo – Happy Idiot |
| 2017 | Natalie Palamides – LAID | Chris Washington – Dream Big (Within Reason) Darren Harriott – Defiant Ed Night – Anthem for Doomed Youth Kwame Asante – Open Arms Lauren Pattison – Lady Muck Lucy Pearman – Maid of Cabbage Rob Kemp – The Elvis Dead |
| 2018 | Ciarán Dowd – Don Rodolfo | Maisie Adam – Vague Olga Koch – Fight Sara Barron – For Worse Sarah Keyworth – Dark Horse Sindhu Vee – Sandhog |
| 2019 | Catherine Cohen – The Twist? She's Gorgeous | Crybabies – Danger Brigade Helen Bauer – Little Miss Baby Angel Face Huge Davies – The Carpark Janine Harouni – Stand Up With Janine Harouni (Please Remain Seated) Michael Odewale – #BLACKBEARSMATTER Nigel Ng – Culture Shocked Sophie Duker – Venus |
| 2020 | Edinburgh Festival Fringe cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |
| 2021 | Edinburgh Festival Fringe in reduced scope due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |
| 2022 | Lara Ricote – GRL/LATNX/DEF | Amy Gledhill – The Girl Before The Girl You Marry Emily Wilson – Fixed Emmanuel Sonubi – Emancipated Josh Jones – Waste of Space Leo Reich – Literally Who Cares?! Vittorio Angelone – Translations |
| 2023 | Urooj Ashfaq – Oh No! | Bill O'Neill – The Amazing Banana Brothers Dan Tiernan – Going Under Lindsey Santoro – Pink Tinge Louise Young – Feral Martin Urbano – Apology Comeback Tour Paddy Young – Hungry, Horny, Scared |
| 2024 | Joe Kent-Walters – Joe Kent-Walters is Frankie Monroe: LIVE!!! | Abby Wambaugh – The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows Demi Adejuyigbe – Demi Adejuyigbe Is Going To Do One (1) Backflip Jack Skipper – Skint Jin Hao Li – Swimming in a Submarine |
Panel Prize
| Panel Prize | |
|---|---|
| Year | Winner |
| 2006 | Mark Watson – For his 36 hour show during the festival |
| 2007 | Arthur Smith – Arturart, an exhibition of comedians' artwork |
| 2008 | All the performers – £4000 was put behind the bar in lieu of giving a prize |
| 2009 | Peter Buckley Hill – Peter Buckley Hill Free Fringe |
| 2010 | Bo Burnham – Words, Words, Words |
| 2011 | The Wrestling – Max & Ivan |
| 2012 | The Boy With Tape On His Face – More Tape |
| 2013 | Adrienne Truscott – Adrienne Truscott's Asking For It: A One Lady Rape About Comedy |
| 2014 | Funz and Gamez |
| 2015 | Karen Koren – Head of Gilded Balloon since 1986 |
| 2016 | Iraq Out & Loud: (Heroes of Fringe) – Reading the Chilcot Report in Full |
| 2017 | No Panel Prize awarded, as the Best Show prize was awarded to both John Robins and Hannah Gadsby |
| 2018 | Angela Barnes, Sameena Zehra and Pauline Eyre for the Home Safe Collective – An initiative set up to help vulnerable groups get home safely |
| 2019 | Fringe of Colour |
| 2020 | Edinburgh Festival Fringe cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Edinburgh Festival Fringe in reduced scope due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2022 | Best in Class |
| 2023 | A Show for Gareth Richards |
| 2024 | Rob Copland: Gimme (One With Everything) |
Acts with multiple Best Show nominations
5 nominations
- Al Murray (won in 1999)
- James Acaster (5 nominations in consecutive years)
4 nominations
- Kieran Hodgson
3 nominations
- Ahir Shah (won in 2023)
- Russell Kane (won in 2010)
- Josie Long
- Adam Hills
- Sam Simmons (won in 2015)
2 nominations
- Andrew Maxwell
- Larry Dean
- Merry Mac Fun Show
- Daniel Kitson (won in 2002)
- David O'Doherty (won in 2008)
- Garth Marenghi (won in 2001)
- Jeremy Hardy (won in 1988)
- Jordan Brookes (won in 2019)
- Nick Helm
- Nish Kumar
- Pappy's
- Phil Nichol (won in 2006)
- Rich Hall (won in 2000)
- Sarah Kendall (nominated in 2004 and 2015)
- Seann Walsh
- Simon Fanshawe (won in 1989)
- Spencer Jones
- The Bodgers
- The Delightful Sausage
See also
References
- Brown, Mark (11 July 2019). "TV channel Dave is new Edinburgh comedy awards sponsor". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- "Two women make the shortlist". Chortle. 25 August 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
- "Best Comedy Show". Retrieved 16 June 2022.
- "Edinburgh festival: David O'Doherty wins if.comedy prize". the Guardian. 24 August 2008. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- "Rose Matafeo wins the 2018 Edinburgh Comedy Award". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
- "2019 Edinburgh Comedy Award winners". Retrieved 29 August 2019.
External links
- Edinburgh Comedy Awards (Official Website)
- TV clip of sketch from the Cambridge Footlights 1981 show