About the New Comedy Awards

A revamped, reinvented and supersized BBC New Comedy Awards will be returning to BBC One and BBC Three after 18 years, with support from BBC Radio and BBC Sounds.

It was first established in 1995 running on BBC One from 1995 - 2002 and on BBC Three in 2003, with the final held in Edinburgh every year. In 2004 - 2005 it ran as a radio event on BBC Radio 4 Extra (formerly BBC7) and was replaced in 2005 with two new talent schemes: Show Me The Funny, which placed emphasis on the search for sketch writers and; Witty & Twisted, searching for radio writer-performers.

In 2011, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio Comedy revived the award, putting the spotlight back on seeking out the best new stand-up comedy talent. From 2016, the award comprised of heats and semi-finals on BBC Radio 4 Extra, with the live final broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

Past Winners

2019 - Janine Harouni

2018 - Stephen Buchanan
2017 - Heidi Regan
2016 - Jethro Bradley
2015 - Yuriko Kotani
2014 - Lost Voice Guy
2013 - Steve Bugeja
2012 - Lucy Beaumont
2011 - Angela Barnes
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2005 - Tom Allen
2004 - Andrew Lawrence
2003 - Rhod Gilbert
2002 - Nina Conti
2001 - Alan Carr
2000 - Jason John Whitehead
1999 - Josie Long
1998 - Dan Antopolski
1997 - Paul Foot
1996 - Marcus Brigstocke
1995 - Julian Barratt