Johnny Vegas wins Leicester Legend of Comedy title
- Johnny Vegas was named Legend of Comedy at the Leicester Comedy Festival Awards 2020
- The Best Show title was awarded to Alex Hylton for Get Rich or Die Cryin'
- Best Show: Alex Hylton; Best Joke: Jack Gleadow; Best Debut: Sian Davies
Leicester Comedy Festival has announced Johnny Vegas as its Legend of Comedy award winner for 2020.
In a ceremony streamed online due to the covid-19 lockdown, a range of prizes were given out, primarily recognising the winners' respective contributions to the annual festival, held in February.
Vegas said: "Thank you Leicester Comedy Festival for this Legend of Comedy award. It's a nice way of people saying you are ready to retire but still I'm really humbled. Outside of St Helens no one would know who Johnny Vegas was if it wasn't for you, giving me that big break all those years ago. I'm chuffed to bits; it's a shame we can't all be there and raise a glass and make things messy. But you've made me a very happy man. Cheers!"
Festival director, Geoff Rowe added: "It was fantastic to be able to recognise Johnny Vegas and present him with the Legend of Comedy award. Johnny has been a long-time friend of the festival, since he won the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Competition at the festival in 1997 (pictured). Huge congratulations to him and all the other nominees and winners. We'll see you all again when Leicester Comedy Festival returns in February 2021!"
The festival's other winners for 2020 were as follows:
Best Show - Alex Hylton: Get Rich or Die Cryin'
Best Debut Show - Sian Davies: About Time
Best Musical Show - Friz Frizzle: Heaven Knows I'm Friz Frizzle Now
Best Impro Show - Chris Betts vs The Audience
Best Kids Show - The Extraordinary Time-Travelling Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Best Venue (under 200 capacity) - Black Horse Laughter Loft
Best Venue (over 200 capacity) - De Montfort Hall
Best New Venue - Pied Bull
Liberty Award/Spirit of the Festival - Doorstep Comedy Club
Best Promoter - Furthest From The Sea
Community Award - The Samaritans and LAMP
Contribution to LCF20 - Barry Bulsara for Lesta Ha! Poster
Business of the Year - Eileen Richards Recruitment
Greening The Laughs Award in conjunction with ReFiesta - Grays @ LCB Depot
Student of the Year sponsored by De Montfort University - Liberty Emmerson
Leicestershire Favourite Joke sponsored by Everards Brewery - Jack Gleadow
Lifetime Contribution to the Festival - Mark Olver
Legend of Comedy - Johnny Vegas