The new film starring comedian Dave Johns has won the prestigious Palme d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

The veteran comedian plays one of the main characters in I, Daniel Blake, directed by Ken Loach.

This is all very new to Johns. Although he has acted onstage in the past his most recent work in the UK has been supporting Sean Lock on his national tour.

In the film the stand-up from Wallsend plays a middle-aged joiner who needs state welfare after illness. He meets a single mother played by Hayley Squires, who is also dependent on welfare. The story follows them as they negotiate the benefits system. 

Johns, who was formerly a bricklayer, has been a successful comedian for over two decades. In recent years he has also appeared in a number of hit plays in the theatre. He was in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, Twelve Angry Men and also The Odd Couple with Bill Bailey and Alan Davies. 

The film was scripted by Paul Laverty and shot in and around Newcastle last year. It will be released in the UK later this year.

Veteran director Loach previously won a Palme D'Or at Cannes for 2008’s The Wind That Shakes the Barley.

Johns flew out to Cannes today for the awards. After missing out on the Best Actor prize he wrote on Facebook: "Not going to be a Leicester city for best actor kids this time I'm afraid...but just to be talked about as having a chance was mind blowing. Stunned by the great things that have been said about my performance in the reviews from Cannes for this film, its blown me away."

Blog: Why do comedians make great actors? Read it here.