The winners of this year’s ‘Oscars of Comedy’ have been announced at the 45th Edinburgh Comedy Awards ceremony. The awards were hosted by three past Edinburgh Comedy Award winners, including 2024 Best Comedy Show winner Amy Gledhill, alongside Adam Riches (2011) and John Kearns (2014) as Ball and Boe.

 

The most prestigious prizes in the world of comedy, the Edinburgh Comedy Awards have discovered and nurtured generations of comedic talent since their inception in 1981 and have established the careers of some of the greatest comedians of the last 45 years.  

 

The 2025 winners are:

 

Sam Bryant, Chair of this year’s judging panel, and the other judges whittled down the over 500 eligible comedy shows at this year’s Fringe to Wednesday’s shortlist of nominations, identifying eight nominees for The Taffner Family Best Comedy Show and seven nominees for The DLT Entertainment Best Newcomer. The judges also announced today this year’s panel prize, The Victoria Wood Award, presented to those who embody the true ‘spirit of the Fringe.’

 

Nica Burns CBE, Director of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, said: “Our 2025 winners capture the spirit of comedy right now: bold, brilliant, and deeply connected to audiences. In very different ways, they’ve each created shows that feel utterly of this moment, sparking laughter while saying something lasting. Together, they remind us why the Fringe matters, a place where the freshest voices can shine. The future of British comedy is in excellent hands.”

 

“Sam Nicoresti’s Baby Doomer is a masterfully woven, polished and delightfully human show that captures an essential moment with, to paraphrase her words, laughs by the seconds. Packed with relatable set pieces that linger long after, Sam is a fresh, bright voice that we need in 2025.”

 

“Ayoade Bamgboye’s debut hour is electric, constantly keeping you on your toes. What begins as an everyday anecdote about the Co-Op unfolds into a rich, often surreal world, layered with profound emotional depth. She delivers it all with remarkable charisma and presence. Ayoade has a brilliant future ahead of her.”

Sam Bryant, Chair of the judging panel, said: “I know I speak for the whole panel when I say what a massive privilege and joy it’s been to see so much incredible live comedy here. It is paramount that we make sure new young audiences get that live comedy bug too - and that young people keep making the same realisation that all the comedians here made at some point in their lives, that performing comedy is something that could be for them, whatever their backgrounds.

This year’s Victoria Wood Foundation prize is going to an organisation that’s spent the last 20 years dedicated to exactly that idea. Founded right here at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, they run live shows for kids and families across the country, shows in which many previous winners and nominees of these awards have taken part. They also run workshops teaching kids the basics of stand-up comedy, helping their confidence and wellbeing, as well as creating new generations of comedians - in fact, some of the graduates are here this year as performers as well as audience members.

 

This Award will help fund their Community Interest Company, which will create comedy workshops and shows right here in Edinburgh, with a specific remit to increase access for kids from lower-income backgrounds.”

 

Sam Bryant: Director of Original Content and Comedy Commissioner, Audible (Chair)

Josh Buckingham: Executive Producer, Hat Trick Productions

Ashley Davies: Freelance Arts Journalist, Metro, Times Scotland, Scotsman

Shukri Dirie: Development Producer, Scripted, BBC TalentWorks

Tristram Fane Saunders: Freelance Journalist and Comedy Critic, The Telegraph and Editor of The Little Review

Rachael Healy: Arts journalist and critic at The Observer and The Guardian

James Robinson: Executive Producer, BBC Studios Audio

Janet Jackson: Public panellist

Krishna Kapur: Public panellist

Justine Teasdale: Public panellist

 

Please note: two acts were unrepresented at the start of the festival, Creepy Boys and Roger O’Sullivan – agents, you know what to do!

 

The Edinburgh Comedy Awards has a proven history of spotting comedy brilliance. Past winners have amassed 534 television writing credits, 45 directing credits and over 1,500 acting credits, and nominees have 549

writing credits, 72 directing credits and over 1,200 acting credits on screen. Best Newcomer nominee Alex Horne created the BAFTA award-winning TV series Taskmaster, which has had appearances from 40 winners and nominees across its 20 series.

 

Responsible for launching the careers of the UK’s comedy elite, previous award winners include Stephen Fry, Steve Coogan, Lee Evans, Al Murray, Sarah Millican, Omid Djalili, Eddie Izzard, Tim Minchin, The League of Gentlemen, Jenny Eclair and Frank Skinner. Founded in 1981, many award winners and nominees have gone on to have a significant impact on mainstream popular culture, going on to write, direct and act on screen, in some of the most iconic television and film over the last four decades, including Green Wing and Smack The Pony (Victoria Pile), Sherlock (Mark Gatiss), Alan Partridge and Philomena (Steve Coogan), Car Share (Peter Kay), The IT Crowd (Richard Ayoade), Benidorm and No.9 (Steve Pemberton), Doctor Who and her eponymous TV show (Catherine Tate), W1A (Sara Pascoe), Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (Romesh Ranganathan), Sex Education (Hannah Gadsby), Baby Reindeer (Richard Gadd) and Starstruck (Rose Matafeo).

 

Sam Nicoresti picture by Alan Rennie