The search is almost over to find the winner of the prestigious BBC New Comedy Awards 2024. From over 1,000 entries, 30 fresh new comedians from across the UK were whittled down to just six by a judging panel, led by Head Judge Babatunde Aléshé, to compete in the grand final at the iconic Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham.
Presented by writer, comedian and former New Comedy Award winner, Lucy Beaumont, the BBC New Comedy Awards 2024: The Final comes to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Wednesday 13 November 2024 and will feature a special performance by 2023 NCA winner Joe Kent-Walters, AKA Frankie Monroe.
Lucy Beaumont said: “I’m so excited to be hosting the BBC New Comedy Awards 2024. I remember how exciting it is to start out in a comedy career and I’m honored to share the stage with such incredible new talent as they begin, what is sure to be, long careers in the industry.”
Head Judge Babatunde Aléshé (pictured) said “We’ve been all over the place and we’ve seen some exceptional talent. Of the 30 amazing semi-finalists, we’re down to just six. It’s going to be tough to decide who is going to take the crown, but I’m really excited about it.”
Last year’s winner, Joe Kent-Walters AKA Frankie Monroe, added: “It has been such an incredible experience this past year. My life has changed in ways I could only have dreamed of. It’s still such a surreal feeling, it took a while to sink in that I had won. I think the icing on the cake to round it all off will be performing at this year’s grand final and handing the baton on to this year’s winner.”
The search began in Leicester, before visiting Pontypridd, Crofton Park, Belfast, and Paisley, before finishing in Lancaster. Joining award-winning comedian, actor, presenter, and podcaster Babatunde Aléshé on the judging panel for the heats were a star-studded line-up of comics and award-winning industry experts. Together they were able to make the difficult decision of who would move on to the final. Competing in the grand final at Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham will be:
Dane Buckley, who describes himself as an Irish Indian gay comic from a council estate in North West London. He began performing in 2022 after taking part in a comedy course and has since supported the likes of Rosie Jones and Tom Allen on tour, and also appeared on Comedy Central and at Latitude this summer.
Paul Hilleard, who originates from South Wales and resides in Bristol as “there is no comedy scene in the valleys, just people talking into puddles”. Paul was named as a semi-finalist in Leicester Square Theatre’s New Comedian of the Year in 2023.
Writer and performer Maia Tassalini, who came to comedy through theatre and improv, has been performing for eight months. She’s won Gag Race at The Queer Comedy Club and The Blackout at Up the Creek, along with writing and producing her own short film which won best comedy at the London Independent Film Festival in 2023.
LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year Winner 2024, Marty Gleeson sold her MacBook to move from Ireland to London, where she finally made the leap from stand-up comedy fan to performer, with her first gig in Kentish Town. She was a West End New Act of the Year finalist 2022 and Leicester Square New Comedian Finalist 2023.
The last two finalists from the regional heats will be announced during the BBC Three shows on 31 October and 6 November.
Joining Babatunde behind the judge’s desk at the final will be Midlands comic, actor, writer and England Para-footballer, Josh Pugh, plus award-winning stand-up comedian and writer, Shappi Khorsandi.
The winner will receive a paid commission to write and perform their own 30-minute audio pilot under the mentorship of a BBC Comedy Commissioner, plus a trophy and £1,000 cash. In addition, this year’s winner will perform live on the BBC as part of Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day night of TV in March 2025 – a campaign which will also celebrate the charity's 40th anniversary.
Now in its 29th year, the BBC New Comedy Awards have helped launch the careers of so many well-known comedy greats including Peter Kay, Lee Mack, John Oliver, Russell Howard, Alan Carr, Sarah Millican, Josie Long and Joe Lycett.
The BBC New Comedy Awards is unearthing a rich and broad range of brand new comedy stars from across the UK, helping to put British comedy back at the heart of world-class entertainment.
The 2024 regional heats are available to watch on BBC iPlayer. BBC New Comedy Awards 2024: The Final comes to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Wednesday 13 November 2024 at 10:40pm.
