Australian comedian Celia Pacquola has beaten over 100 hopefuls to be named the winner of the Amused Moose Laughter Award 2014 for her show Let Me Know How It All Turns Out.

Pacquola, whose show is currently running at the Gilded Balloon at 8pm, said “I’m really stunned, thrilled and excited. It was very unexpected and I’m looking forward to trying to get my pointy, dangerous Moose through airport security.”

The winner was decided by an industry panel who viewed shows online before seeing the longlisted shows live in Edinburgh. The ‘People’s Choice Award’, based on audience votes at the final, went to Chris Turner. The two share the £5000 prize money for the development of their comedy careers, a commercial standard DVD recording and, of course, a shiny moose trophy each. The runner up was Trygve Wakenshaw’s Kraken.

The other Amused Moose Laughter Award finalists, who all performed ten minutes from their shows at today’s final were: BEASTS, Loretta Maine, Lou Sanders, Pierre Novellie, Ria Lina, Rob Deering and Tom Toal. The Amused Moose Final was hosted by Mark Dolan with a special guest performance from 2013 finalists Jonny & the Baptists. 

A selection of the winners and finalists will perform as part of the Amused Moose Comedy Awards Showcases at the Soho Theatre this October. 

This competition, established in 2011, seeks the best of Edinburgh Fringe comedy shows by performers without a DVD deal.Entry to the Amused Moose Laughter Award, the ‘senior strand’ of the Amused Moose Comedy Awards, is open to all showslisted in the comedy section of the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe website (www.edfringe.com) for at least 15 dates, by performers who do not have a current DVD deal or option.

Information about entering both Awards in 2015 will appear on www.AmusedMoose.com/Awards at the end of 2014.