The Ricky Gervais series After Life is the big winner in this year's Comedy.co.uk Awards. The Netflix show, which has run for two seasons with a third one on the way, won BestReturning Sitcom and the overall top prize, Comedy of the Year.
On winning, Ricky Gervais said: "Lovely award. ‘Best Returning TV Sitcom’ for After Life. Thank you to Comedy.co.uk and everyone who voted. I know what you’re thinking: ‘Rick, that’s a bit specific though, ‘Best Returning TV Sitcom’. You know? Is there a category that takes in all comedy?’ Yeah, there is. I won that too. ‘Comedy Of The Year’. You do the math ... s."
On winning Best Comedy Drama for Inside No. 9 the programme's creators Reece Shearsmith & Steve Pemberton said: "We are delighted that Inside No. 9 has been voted 'Best TV Comedy Drama'. The public are a true barometer of the work, so it's thrilling to win an award voted for by discerning comedy fans. We feel very lucky to still be making the show, and very grateful to the fans that keep watching and enjoying it. Thank you so much!"
On winning Best New TV Sitcom for Staged, David Tennant and Michael Sheen said: "Thank you so much for this beautiful Comedy Guide award. It's wonderful that this award is voted on by the regular folks."
Greg Davies, co-host of Best Entertainment show Taskmaster said: "Thanks for the award, we really appreciate it. In future, please send it directly to me."
The Comedy.co.uk Awards have been running annually since 2006. Recognising the best comic programming across both television and radio, the Comedy.co.uk Awards are unique in being decided upon solely by a public vote. The 357 British comedy programmes to start a new series or air a single special during the 2020 calendar year were automatically included in an initial round of voting at the start of January.
The top six programmes in each category were then subject to a second and final round, with tens of thousands of members of the public casting their votes for the very best broadcast comedies of the previous 12 months.
The Comedy Of The Year winners in previous years have been Green Wing (2006), The IT Crowd (2007), Peep Show (2008), The Thick Of It (2009), Miranda (2010), Horrible Histories (2011), Miranda (2012), Would I Lie To You? (2013), Cabin Pressure (2014), Peter Kay’s Car Share (2015), Red Dwarf (2016), Inside No. 9 (2017 & 2018) and Good Omens (2019).
A full list of 2020 winners is below.
Comedy Of The Year 2020:
After Life
Best New TV Sitcom:
Staged
Best Returning TV Sitcom:
Best TV Sketch Show:
Horrible Histories
Best TV Panel Show:
Would I Lie To You?
Best TV Entertainment Show:
Taskmaster
Best TV Comedy Drama:
Inside No. 9
Best Radio Sitcom:
Michael Spicer: Before Next Door
Best Radio Sketch Show:
Dead Ringers
Best Radio Panel Show:
I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue
Best Radio Entertainment Show:
Joe Lycett’s Obsessions
Watch Ricky Gervais' Acceptance Speech below.
Picture: Netflix
