Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2024 judging panel revealed
- Edinburgh Comedy Awards judging panel for 2024: Nana Hughes, Dominic Cavendish, Liz Daramola, Georgia Keating, Dominic Maxwell, Anya Ryan, Darren Smith
- Plus public panellists Sam Anderson, Jake Helliwell, Beth Moon
The judges for the 2024 Edinburgh Comedy Awards has been announced.
This year's panel will comprise of:
Nana Hughes: Head of Scripted Comedy at ITV (Panel Chair)
Dominic Cavendish: Theatre critic at The Daily Telegraph
Liz Daramola: Creator in Residence at Baby Cow Productions
Georgia Keating: Producer at BBC Studios Comedy & Entertainment
Dominic Maxwell: Comedy & theatre critic for The Times and The Sunday Times
Anya Ryan: Comedy & theatre critic at The Guardian, The Times, Time Out, The Stage
Darren Smith: Creative Director at DLT Entertainment Ltd
Sam Anderson: Public panellist
Jake Helliwell: Public panellist
Beth Moon: Public panellist
This will be the 42nd year of the awards. Joining Nica Burns CBE, the long serving Awards Director, in sponsoring the awards will be Donald Taffner Jr. (of DLT Entertainment) and The Victoria Wood Foundation.
The producers explain: "Donald, alongside Nica, continues a long-running commitment to supporting live comedy by continuing to sponsor the DLT Entertainment Best Newcomer Award and, in honour of his parents, is also sponsoring the Donald and Eleanor Taffner Best Comedy Show.
"The 'spirit of the fringe' panel prize, which was popularly renamed The Victoria Wood Award, celebrates a much-loved comedy genius and continues to be sponsored by The Victoria Wood Foundation."
Nica Burns says: "Comedy has grown to a whopping 39% of the Fringe, showing nearly 20% growth in 20 years. In a year that the economics of taking a show to the Fringe are tougher than ever with accommodation costs going through the roof, comedians continue to make an enormous commitment to the development of their careers at the Fringe with all the possibilities that it offers. With audiences on budgets too, remember that every ticket you buy or every pound you put in the hat counts and is appreciated. Everyone going to the Edinburgh Fringe, whether performing or watching, is in their own way investing in the arts. Dear new government, please take note!"
Donald Taffner Jr. says: "The Edinburgh Comedy Awards play a vital role in the success of the Fringe by not only honouring excellence but also spotlighting the comedy industry as a whole. We look forward to our involvement with the awards again while also honouring my parents who founded our company 61 years ago and always enjoyed helping people advance their careers in entertainment."
The prize money for Best Comedy Show is £10,000, with £5,000 each for the DLT Entertainment Best Newcomer and The Victoria Wood Award winner.
The shortlist will be announced on Wednesday 21st August, with the winners then announced at a ceremony on Saturday 24th August.