Amy Gledhill became this year’s winner of the Edinburgh Comedy Award for her show Make Me Look Fit on the Poster, in a ceremony held at the Ghillie Dhu in the West End of town.
It was a northern double whammy, with the prize for Best Newcomer going to Joe Kent-Walters for his show Frankie Monroe LIVE!! – about a club in Rotherham which is also a gateway to hell.
The Panel Prize was awarded to Rob Copland, for Gimme (One With Everything), a show at PBH’s Free Fringe.
Director of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards Nica Burns said: “Our two winners this year share one thing: funny bones. They have a gift for comedy and have honed how best to use it. The result: gales of laughter and very happy audiences. Their comedy speaks to everyone – they are both clearly on their way to major stardom. I predict in a few years’ time they will be household names.
“Amy Gledhill’s show is joyful, delightful and full of laughter. The panel loved the fact that she blends writing that echoes the genius of Victoria Wood combined with the magical physicality of Julie Walters. It is a show packed with jokes and so much heart that everyone in the audience falls utterly in love with her and has a wonderful time.
“Joe Kent-Walters has created the extraordinary character of Frankie Monroe, which is both a love letter and satirisation of a working man’s club MC. His accomplishment is such that it is hard to believe this is Joe’s first Fringe hour. Joe draws on a range of skills including pantomime, musical comedy and stand up to bring you into Frankie’s world. Like many of the greats, everyone who has seen him this year will boast in future years that they saw Joe Kent-Walters’ show the year that he won Best Newcomer.
“Our 2024 winners are great comics who fill the room with jokes and laughter and appeal to all. As shown by our brilliant shortlist the standard of comedy at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe has been extraordinary.”
Nana Hughes, Chair of the judging panel, said: “The Edinburgh Festival Fringe offers artists a space to be bold, original and spontaneous. A show can breakthrough and find an audience here. Recommendations from strangers in queues for other shows can lead to exciting new discoveries; the phrase ‘have you seen’ being uttered in late night bars, audiences lining pavements outside venues vying for tickets. This is the true spirit of the fringe. Our Victoria Wood Award Winner, Rob Copland, seized this spirit with both hands, in a performance which barely pauses for breath and yet ends with 10 minutes of silence. In only his second full year at the festival he has established himself as a cult favourite and created a legion of fans for his eccentricity and bravery.”
This is the first year that non men have dominated the shortlist for the main award. Also nominated were Sarah Keyworth, Reuben Kaye, Natalie Palamides, Chris Cantrill, Catherine Bohart and Josh Glanc.
The nominees for debut show were: Abby Wambaugh, Demi Adejuyigbe, Jack Skipper and Jin Nao Lee.
The awards, still often referred to as the Perrier Awards are now sponsored by Don and Eleanor Taffner, DLT Entertainment and the Victoria Wood Foundation.
