The Comedy Women in Print Prize (CWIP) has announced that they will be taking their winners’ celebration online. With Covid-19 restrictions still in place, the physical ceremony at the Groucho Club is not currently possible. Instead, a free digital event will be open to audiences worldwide and hosted by CWIP founder, comedian and actress Helen Lederer from her garden at 7.00pm BST on Monday 14th September via YouTube at www.comedywomeninprint.co.uk.

Winners will be announced for each of the three categories – Published Comic Novel, Unpublished Comic Novel and Humorous Graphic Novel – with an additional honorary award presented to CWIP Witty Woman of the Year. In classic CWIP style there will be appearances from celebrity special guests including 2019 CWIP Lifetime Achievement Award winner Jilly Cooper, Maureen Lipman, Emma Kennedy, and Chair of Judges Marian Keyes, with comedy, music, and plenty of other surprises in store. A belated in-person celebration will take place at the Groucho Club on 25th January 2021.

Helen Lederer (pictured), Founder of the CWIP Prize, says:

“I am beyond excited to host this year’s CWIP winners’ with a plate of canapés (for myself) – all part of a high-tech digital extravaganza. We have so many exciting witty women to celebrate! Last year was very glam and we had to turn people away – this year we have inclusive, global partying for everyone online. Win Win!”

THE SHORTLISTS FOR CWIP 2020 ARE:

CWIP Shortlist for Published Comic Novels, judged by Lolly Adefope, Emma Kennedy, Marian Keyes, Pauline McLynn, Joanna Scanlan and Laura Steven, is:

• Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams (Trapeze)

• Big Girl, Small Town by Michelle Gallen (John Murray)

• The Blessed Girl by Angela Makholwa (Bloomsbury)

• The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary (Quercus)

• Reasons to be Cheerful by Nina Stibbe (Penguin Random House)

• The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (Headline)

• Frankissstein by Jeanette Winterson CBE (Jonathan Cape)

CWIP Shortlist for Published Humorous Graphic Novels, new this year, judged by Rachael Ball, Hannah Berry, Jen Brister, Janet Ellis, Dr Nicola Streeten and Paula Wilcox, is:

• Sensible Footwear: A Girl's Guide- A graphic guide to lesbian and queer history 1950-2020 by Kate Charlesworth (Myriad Editions)

• My Husband is a Cultist by Mei Lian Hoe (Self-published)

• Bloodlust and Bonnets by Emily McGovern (Simon & Schuster)

• Was it... Too Much for You? by Danny Noble (Self-published)

• Cassandra Darke by Posy Simmonds (Jonathan Cape)

• Stand in Your Power by Rachael Smith (Self-published)

  CWIP Shortlist for Unpublished Comic Novels, judged by Yomi Adegoke, Fanny Blake, Kate Bradley, Grace Campbell, Kirsty Eyre and Dr Jennifer Young, is:

• The Bird in the River by Zahra Barri

• Tinker, Tailor, Schoolmum, Spy by Faye Brann

• Everything Is Under Control by Annette Gordon

• The Lady's Companion by Janey Preger

• You Can Drop Me Here by Julia Walter

• Second Wife Syndrome by Kathleen Whyman

  CWIP was launched by Helen Lederer in 2019 in response to the lack of exposure for female comedy writing and to celebrate fresh and established talent. It is the UK and Ireland’s only awards to shine a light on witty writing by women.

  The CWIP published winner will receive a cash prize of £3000 from the Author’s Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS). For the unpublished category, recognising rising comic talent, the winner will receive a publishing contract and a £5000 advance from HarperFiction. An unpublished runner- up receives £2000 from the University of Hertfordshire and mentoring from the MA course in Creative Writing. An additional runner-up will receive a place on the online MA in Comedy Writing from Falmouth University – the first of its kind in the country. The graphic novel category winner will also receive a cash prize, to be announced.