The 2024 New Act Competition featured over 100 long-listed contenders in eleven heats, the winners of which plus one wild card took part in the Grand Final performing eight minutes each, judged by a panel of comedy industry heavyweights.
Here are the results:
First place: Luke Richards
Second place: Vinny Shiu
Third place: Aisha Amanduri
The final took place on Sunday 21st April at The Old Theatre Royal, Bath.
London-based Richards said: "I'm amazed to have won considering who else was in the final, everyone was so good. Thanks Bath Comedy Festival for a brilliant night and a great competition."
He wins the coveted Bath Comedy New Act Of The Year Award, a unique trophy and will also receive guaranteed paid gigs in the forthcoming year.
The finalists who qualified for this year's grand final at The Old Theatre Royal were Monica Hsueh, Joe Kanczes, Vinny Shiu, Maria Fedulova, Tony O'Hara, Caroline Madds, Ollie Fox, Luke Richards, Danny Scott, Dan Coughtrey, Aisha Amanduri and Alex Milner.
Nick Steel, Bath Comedy Festival Director, said: "All twelve aspiring comedians in this year’s final were very strong indeed, and the top three were outstanding. We have definitely found some more future stars tonight, and it’s been a delight to hold the event in this stunning building." He went on to thank the Festival team, the venue staff and the sold out audience.
The final was hosted by festival patron and legendary “grumpy old man” Arthur Smith and last year's winner Mark Flynn also performed while the judges deliberated over their choice.
This year's judges were producer Alan Nixon, producer Mark Robson, comedy trainer and promoter Jill Edwards, Somerset-based promoter Trish Caller and Festival Director Nick Steel.
All the finalists were given a goody bag and praised for their high standard.
Also Bath Comedy Festival Director Nick Steel has bestowed this year’s Bath Plug Award (for outstanding services to comedy) on actor, comedian and author Helen Lederer, during a special celebratory launch of Lederer’s memoir “Not That I’m Bitter” in conversation with celebrated actor Pavel Douglas, at a stunning new venue Upstairs @ Bath Pizza Co.
Nick said: “Every year, Bath Comedy gives a special award to someone, for all round services to comedy. We’ve been pals for over a decade and this has been a long time coming, but – for all the things we’ve heard about today, for championing women in comedy, having been one of the first women in stand-up comedy during the 80s; for so many achievemts, not least for the amazing work creating CWIP (Comedy Women In Print) – it gives me great pleasure to bestow the 2024 Bath Plug Award on Helen Lederer”
CWIP award recipient Becky Rogers happened to be in the audience and addressing the house said: “Helen is my fairy godmother. In creating CWIP, she opened doors for me that I didn't know existed. She is incredibly modest about her achievements but in setting up Comedy Women in Print she really has changed the lives of so many witty women writers.”
(Rebecca Rogers, winner of unpublished prize, CWIP 2021)
L-R Nick Steel, Luke Richards, Arthur Smith. Photo by Kerrianne Gauld
