The finalists for the BBC Radio New Comedy Awards have been confirmed. They are Thomas Ward, Lost Voice Guy, Tom Little, Brennan Reece, Hari Sriskantha and Amir Khoshsokhan.

The final will take place next Wednesday, December 17, at the Comedy Store in London and hosted by Patrick Keilty. It will be broadcast live on the Steve Wright in the Afternoon show on Radio 2 between 2pm and 5pm. There will be a public vote to decide on the winner. To register to vote and for more info click here. 

This year’s competition received over 750 entries from across the nation with 80 comedians selected to perform in the regional heats. Listeners were given the chance to hear every moment of the competition heats on BBC Radio 4 Extra, with programmes still available online.

Heats started at the Edinburgh Fringe before moving on to Cardiff, Manchester and London. Following the second semi-final, only six competitors remain. They consist of a writer, a voice-over artist, a full-time stand-up comedian, a support worker, a software developer, and a council worker.

The winning comedian will receive a £1000 prize, plus guidance and the chance for a commission from BBC Radio Comedy.

Former finalists of the competition include Alan Carr, Peter Kay, Lee Mack, Julian Barratt, Marcus Brigstocke, Russell Howard, Rhod Gilbert, David O’Doherty and Shappi Khorsandi.

Last year’s winner Steve Bugeja has gone on to support Russell Kane on tour and is currently developing a pilot for BBC Radio Comedy. Of the competition, he says: “Quite simply it was the best thing that has happened to me in my career so far.” He continues “I now regularly get paid to do the best job in the world and get to play some of the nicest rooms in the country.”

Read a review of last year's final here.