Sean Lock honoured in Comics' Comic Awards results
- The Comics' Comic Awards 2021, in which comedians are polled, have resulted in an Outstanding Achievement title being posthumously awarded to Sean Lock
- Jo Caulfield, Mark Nelson and Ninia Benjamin jointly won the Circuit Comedian Of The Year title
- Best MC: Paul Smith; Best Independent Promoters: Peter Vincent and Andy White
Sean Lock has posthumously won the Outstanding Achievement title in Comics' Comic Awards 2021, the annual awards in which comedians working in the industry are asked to vote for their peers. The stand-up and writer, who died in August, was labelled "a once-in-an-era genius who inspired a generation of comics and comedy fans."
Elsewhere in the awards, Jo Caulfield, Mark Nelson and Ninia Benjamin jointly shared the title of Circuit Comedian Of The Year, after they polled the same number of votes each.
Jo Caulfield - Circuit Comedian Of The Year
Jo Caulfield jokes: "Firstly, I am lucky that I got this news as I didn't actually read Andy's original email, because, as we all know, anything that's more than four lines is not a gig offer. Every comedian knows an email with more than four lines is someone asking you to do something for no money. As for the award: it must say something about me that I get an award for Best Circuit Comic in a year when the comedy circuit was decimated. You lot are taking the piss, aren't you?"
She added: "Sharing the award with Mark and Ninia shows what a wealth of talent there is on our circuit. I am proud to be part of our family and can't wait to see how much the award fetches on eBay."
Mark Nelson - Circuit Comedian Of The Year
Mark Nelson comments: "Wow, I am genuinely speechless. Honestly stunned by this. To be respected by other comics that I love is genuinely overwhelming. Thank you so much, you have no idea how much this means to me."
Ninia Benjamin - Circuit Comedian Of The Year
Ninia Benjamin says: "Oh my days. My gob has been well and truly smacked. This means even more than many of you can guess cause it comes from my comics. Thank you, Thank you big time. I'm smiling."
Paul Smith - Best MC
Paul Smith, who hosts shows at Hot Water Comedy Club in Liverpool, was voted as Best MC. He reacted: "That's amazing! I don't know what to say I'm so happy with that. Thank you so much. Just want to thank everyone who voted for me, it really means a lot. I love what I do and to be recognised by peers is an honour."
Best Independent Promoter
Club bookers Peter Vincent and Andy White shared the Best Independent Promoter title, having tied on votes.
Vincent, who runs nights in the North East of England, comments: "I'd like to thank everyone who has voted for me, in what has been a very difficult year for live comedy. I'd also like to thank the teams at the respective clubs, Lyndsey, Debi and Shaun at Manford's, Charlotte, Dena and everyone at Ten Feet Tall. Without their hard work and support I would never be up for this award."
Meanwhile White, who organises the annual awards, and runs Jesterlarf and Cambridge Comedy Festival, said: "Having been promoting comedy for 20 years this is a humbling honour and so thanks to everyone that voted for me. Obviously given that I run the admin for these awards (for the last 5 years) I'm uneasy winning this award and it looks dodgy but rest assured unless there's hard cash involved such a heist doesn't flick my switch. That said I feel slightly embarrassed winning this and would like to give my award to The Comedy Store which seems a travesty they've never won it before especially as they are the Rolls Royce of comedy and in fact they built the wheels that kick started the entire alternative comedy scene which was and is the roots of where comedy stands today."