The winners have been announced for The Comedians' Choice Awards 2022, the Edinburgh Fringe awards voted for by comedy performers.
The results are:
Best Show
Rob Copland: Mainstream Muck (Gimme Some of That)
Performed at The Banshee Labyrinth at 6:05pm across the festival.
In a nod to how his show is unconventional, Copland supplied this simple statement when asked about how he felt to win: "\m/".
Best Show Shortlist
Ali Brice: I Tried To Be Funny, But You Weren't Looking
Chelsea Birkby: No More Mr Nice Chelsea
Colin Hoult: The Death of Anna Mann
The Delightful Sausage: Nowt but Sea
Elf Lyons: Raven
Luke Rollason: Bowerbird
Siblings: Siblage
Shelf: Hair
Stuart Laws - Putting Zoo
Best Performer
Jordan Gray
Performing in Jordan Gray: Is It a Bird?, Assembly George Square Theatre at 22:25pm.
Sharing the news on social media, Gray said: "This means EVERYTHING to me."
Best Person
Martin Willis
Managing director of show production company Objectively Funny. The company also produces and distributes the Small Book on Mental Health at the festival, to support performers.
Martin Willis says: "It is a massive honour to win an award like this, one that's voted for by people involved in shows here. It means the world to be recognised by a community that I care so dearly about, and I'm incredibly grateful. That being said, it cannot go unmentioned that in the history of this particular award the winner has always been a man. That fact speaks both of the demographics of the voters but also of what we actually see from behind the scenes. For an industry that is historically male-dominated onstage, there is a vast array of brilliant women that have made so much work possible in so many ways - technicians, producers, agents, venue programmers and people that do whatever job needs doing with care and gusto. I would like to accept this award on behalf of the Objectively Funny team that has worked so hard to make excellent things happen at this festival: Ellie Brayne-Wyatt, Maddy Bye, Kathryn Higgins, Olivia Phipps and Lois Walshe."
Museum Of Comedy run
Rob Copland, Jordan Gray and the Best Show shortlist will now be invited to take part in a special Comedians' Choice showcase season at London's Museum Of Comedy in October.
The venue has also helped fund the creation of the trophies, which were custom designed for the competition by John Ward. David Hardcastle from the Museum says: “As always, the Comedians' Choice Awards have produced not just worthy winners but a fantastically talented and varied shortlist. We're looking forward to having as many as possible of them here at the Museum of Comedy for our Comedians' Choice showcase season in October."
As an additional bonus, streaming platform NextUp Comedy will be on hand at a number of the nights at the Museum Of Comedy to record the shows for posterity, with the performer receiving a revenue share from the platform.
More details about The Comedians' Choice Awards
The Comedians' Choice Awards were founded in 2014 to help highlight the amazing work of those at the Fringe who may well otherwise go unrecognised, as judged by those who understand their efforts the best: their peers.
Every comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe is eligible to both cast a vote, and to be voted for.
There is no panel of judges, no industry specialists – only the performers themselves decide whom amongst them is worthy of special recognition at the festival. Voting is conducted during August via an online form administered by British Comedy Guide, with the website also verifying the voting data.
The awards are presented in 3 main categories:
Best Show - Simply, the best comedy show at the Fringe.
Best Performer - The best individual comedy performer seen at the festival.
Best Person - A person who the voter feels should get recognition for their contribution to this year's Fringe. This does not need to be a performer; it can be anyone associated with the comedy industry at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, from reviewers to producers and venue staff.
The trophies are designed and constructed by inventor John Ward.
Previous winners can be seen here:
