BBC2's Inside No. 9, written by and starring Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, has been named Comedy Of The Year in the annual Comedy.co.uk Awards. Other winners include Taskmaster, Red Dwarf and Dead Ringers. The anthology series, currently airing on BBC2 on Tuesdays, also won Best TV Comedy Drama.
Shearsmith and Pemberton said on receiving the first of what may be many awards this years: "Our heartfelt thanks to British Comedy Guide for all their support over the years, as well as to the many comedy fans who voted. The phrase 'comedy drama' was often a disguise for a not-particularly-funny comedy, and we're delighted to have added thriller, horror, romance, slapstick and cryptic crossword clues into the mix.
"To win Comedy of the Year is the biggest twist of all (though we did guess it halfway through) and we're genuinely thrilled. Thank you, from Cheese & Crackers." With nice timing the next episode of Inside No. 9 which goes out on January 30 (pictured and previewed here) is entitled And The Winner Is...and is all about awards. "It's practically a behind-the-scenes documentary," said the duo.
Elsewhere Back, starring David Mitchel and Robert Webb and written by Simon Blackwell was named Best New TV Sitcom. The Unbelievable Truth, which Mitchell hosts, won Best Radio Panel Show. And Would I Lie To You? on which he is a team captain, won Best TV Panel Show.
And Red Dwarf, which David Mitchell has not appeared in, picked up the most votes in the Best Returning TV Sitcom category.
Picture: BBC/Sophie Mutevelian
The winners are voted for entirely by public online ballot. Full results below:
Best New TV Sitcom
Back (winner)
GameFace
Quacks
This Country
Tim Vine Travels Through Time
White Gold
Best Returning TV Sitcom
Car Share
Catastrophe
Detectorists
Man Down
Red Dwarf (winner)
The League Of Gentlemen
Best Radio Sitcom
Anansi Boys
Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show!
Ed Reardon's Week
Fags, Mags And Bags
John Finnemore's Double Acts
Tim Vine Travels In Time (winner)
Best TV Sketch Show
French And Saunders
Horrible Histories
The Keith & Paddy Picture Show
Tracey Breaks The News
Tracey Ullman's Show
Vic & Bob's Big Night Out (winner)
Best Radio Sketch Show
Austentatious
Dead Ringers (winner)
Harry And Paul Present: The Gentlemen's Club
John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme
Kevin Eldon Will See You Now
Newsjack
Best TV Panel Show
8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown
Have I Got News For You
Mock The Week
QI
The Big Fat Quiz Of The Year
Would I Lie To You? (winner)
Best Radio Panel Show
Fighting Talk
I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue
Just A Minute
The Museum Of Curiosity
The News Quiz
The Unbelievable Truth (winner)
Best TV Entertainment Show
Dave Gorman: Modern Life Is Goodish
Frankie Boyle's New World Order
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
Taskmaster (winner)
The Graham Norton Show
The Last Leg
Best Radio Entertainment Show
Alexei Sayle's Imaginary Sandwich Bar
Andy Hamilton Sort Of Remembers
Keep Calman Carry On
Mark Steel's In Town
The Infinite Monkey Cage
The Now Show (winner)
Best TV Comedy Drama
Cold Feet
Doc Martin
Eric, Ernie And Me
Inside No. 9 (winner)
Murder On The Blackpool Express
No Offence
