The annual Leicester Comedy Festival and UK Kids’ Comedy Festival Awards has taken place, honouring the comedians, venues and promoters that make these the largest and most successful comedy and kids festivals in Europe. The VIP awards ceremony took place in Leicester and was hosted by comedian Sikisa.
This year, beloved, British comedian Jenny Eclair was crowned the Legend of Comedy. Jenny, who attended the ceremony, said “I’m beyond chuffed to snatch this Legend of Comedy Award, I genuinely think I deserve it, although saying that, my career will probably now go completely tits up. Seriously, thank you, I’m extremely delighted.”
Afterwards she posted a picture of the award on X, formetly known as Twitter, and wrote: "And the winner is …… on the train home, ( Nana duty in the morning) !
Previous legends have included last year’s winner Arthur Smith as well as Stewart Lee, Jo Brand, Nicholas Parsons, Victoria Wood, Barry Cryer, Rik Mayall, Ken Dodd and Sir Norman Wisdom.
Festival and Programme Director, Charlotte Laidet, said “Congratulations to all nominees and winners, we are so proud to have such amazing acts, venues, promoters and other participants in our festivals. Each year we have the pleasure to organise these awards, as an opportunity to thank everyone in the festival, and to celebrate the range and diversity of the comedy industry. We are also delighted to have our first lifetime contribution strongly linked with the UK Kids’ Comedy Festival, which shows how quickly this sister festival is developing after only 6 years. Finally, it’s been an honour to have Jenny Eclair accepting the Legend of Comedy Award, to recognise and highlight the career of this amazing woman on the comedy industry. We are already looking forward to next year, but in the meantime, please keep supporting live events, festivals, venues & artists as much as you can.”
Other award winners include Joe Kent-Walters: An Audience With Frankie Monroe for the Best Show, Olaf Falafel’s Stupidest Super Stupid Show (Yet) for the Best Kids Show, Susie McCabe for the Best New Show, Jack Skipper for Best Debut Show, Weirdos Comedy Weekender for the Liberty award and Real Ale Classroom for the Best New Venue. Rob Gee was presented with the Chris Maughan Lifetime Contribution award. This year, Leicester Comedy Festival have introduced an Audience Choice Award – where the audiences vote for their favourite show. The inaugural winner of this award is Everyday I’m Jesterin’.
The awards, now in their 18th year, recognised contributions to this year’s Festivals across a host of categories including awards for Best Variety Show, Best Large Venue, Best Small Venue, Student of the Year, which is awarded to DMU students, Best Promoter, Tracey Miller Community Award, and Contribution to Leicester Comedy Festival 2024.
Leicester Comedy Festival 2024 was a triumphant success, bringing live comedy to enthusiastic crowds travelling from all over the country. This year’s festivities saw the highest ever ticket sales – with over 22388 tickets sold directly from the festival’s box office, equating to over a 10 percent increase in sales from 2023
The full list of 2024 award winners are listed below:
- Best Small Venue
- The Black Horse
- Best Large Venue
- The Y theatre
- Best New Venue
- Real Ale Classroom
- Best Kids Show
- Olaf Falafel’s Stupidest Super Stupid Show (Yet)
- Best Variety Show
- David Eagle: Flying Solo
- Best New Show
- Susie McCabe: Work in Progress
- Best Debut Show
- Jack Skipper: Work in Progress
- Best Show
- Joe Kent-Walters: An Audience With Frankie Monroe
- Audience Choice
- Everyday I’m Jesterin’
- Best Poster
- Geoff Alderman: Free Range
- Liberty Award
- Weirdos Comedy Weekender
- Best Promoter
- Jokes On Us
- Tracey Miller Community Award
- All In Leicester
- Student of the Year
- Molly Wilby
- Business Contribution
- The Beautiful Pubs Collective
- Contribution to LCF24
- Ben Robinson
- Chris Maughan Lifetime Contribution Award
- Rob Gee
- Legend of Comedy
- Jenny Eclair
Leicester Comedy Festival & The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival will return from 5th – 23rd February 2025. Both the Gala Preview Show and Kids’ Gala Preview will be on sale soon. For tickets visit www.comedy-festival.co.uk
