2022 Edinburgh Fringe
Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Awards winners 2022
- Best Show: Sam Campbell: Comedy Show
- Best Newcomer: Lara Ricote
- Panel Prize: Best In Class
Winners of the Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2022 have been announced.
In a ceremony hosted by Russell Kane, Nica Burns, the founder and director of the awards, hailed the "best comedy industry in the world", describing 2022 as a "superb year" at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Best Show
Sam Campbell
Sam Campbell: Comedy Show
Australian comedian and actor Sam thanked his production team, promoters, family, and venue, Monkey Barrell.
Nominees: Alfie Brown: Sensitive Man, Colin Hoult: The Death Of Anna Mann, Jordan Gray: Is It A Bird?, Sausage, Egg, Josh Pugh, Chips And Beans, Larry Dean: Fudnut, Lauren Pattison: It Is What It Is, Liz Kingsman: One-Woman Show, Seann Walsh: Is Dead. Happy Now?, The Delightful Sausage: Nowt But Sea
Best Newcomer
Lara Ricote
Lara Ricote: GRL/LATNX/DEF
Mexican-born, US-raised and Netherlands-based Lara described her win as "crazy", adding to audience laughter: "Thank you so, so, so, much... My show isn't that good - I can make a better one, I swear! I appreciate it so much that you are being so kind to me. I am shaking so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Nominees: Amy Gledhill: The Girl Before The Girl You Marry, Emily Wilson: Fixed, Emmanuel Sonubi: Emancipated, Josh Jones: Waste Of Space, Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares?!, Vittorio Angelone: Translations
Panel Prize
Best In Class for championing working class comedians. The award was accepted by creator Sian Davies.
Sian delivered a powerful speech about the costs of the festival, and comedy industry in general, and how she was inspired to establish Best In Class after being asked to pay to appear as part of a showcase bill at the Fringe some years previously.
Best In Class was described by the Awards as "a crowd-funded, profit-sharing initiative that champions working-class comedians from across the UK to access the Fringe. Sponsored by waste grounds, knock-off trainers, Spam, weed, the unions, crap schools, bunking off, failed MOTs, failed GCSEs, bus-stops, pay-day loans, fierce mums, tired dads and empowerment. Previous acts have included BBC Comedy Award finalists and weekend comedy headliners, proving that the arts should be accessible to everyone, no matter what their background."
Nica Burns said in a statement: "This was a truly outstanding, international year. Sam Campbell, winner of the Best Comedy Show award is original, sometimes surreal; his show is full of jokes and often unexpected. He changes gear throughout and takes his audience on a journey of laughter. Lara's debut act at the Festival is an absolute delight. She's completely distinct and very funny. She is a stand-out performer who happens to be hearing impaired.
"We've had the widest representation from across the whole country, from Scotland to Sussex and everywhere in between. The Panel Prize for Best In Class championing and supporting those who cannot afford the cost of performing in Edinburgh has caught the spirit of this year's Fringe."
The judging panel consisted of Cherie Cunningham (Channel Director, Dave), Ashley Davies (Metro), Joe Hullait (Channel 4), Isobel Lewis (The Independent), Dominic Maxwell (The Times), Pete Strauss (BBC Studios) and public panellists Paul Abbey, Jo Kinsella and Monique May Munroe, with Sky's Adnan Ahmed as Chair.
Cunningham says: "We're over the moon at Dave to be supporting and celebrating these amazing comics. The standard was incredibly high this year and we're so pleased to crown such deserving winners. We look forward to seeing Lara and Sam on Dave soon."
The prize money for Best Comedy Show is £10,000, with £5,000 each for the Best Newcomer and the Panel Prize winner.