BBC New Comedy Award 2014 entry form

The BBC New Comedy Award 2014 entry form has been launched.

The stand-up competition is one of the most high profile comedy contests in the UK, with the BBC broadcasting the final rounds on the radio and via online videos.

The BBC New Comedy Award initially ran from 1995 to 2005 with Alan Carr, Sarah Millican and Marcus Brigstocke amongst the finalists. The format was resurrected by Radio 2 in 2011, and across the previous three years the contest has been won by Angela Barnes, Lucy Beaumont and Steve Bugeja.

To apply, comedians should upload 5 minutes of material to SoundCloud and send the audio link to the BBC via the official online application form.

The competition is open to those aged 18 or over who have at least seven minutes of un-broadcast material. Contestants must not have been performing regularly on the stand-up circuit for more than five years and must 'demonstrate an appreciation of comedy and a serious commitment to developing as a stand-up comedian'.

Producers will listen to the SoundCloud entries and select which comedians to take part in the heats. The shows will take place between 19th August 2014 and 1st October 2014 at venues in Cardiff, Edinburgh, London and Manchester. There will be ten places available at each venue, and eight heats overall. Judges will pick who proceeds to the next stage.

Highlights from each of the heats will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra, with the semi-finals (recorded in November 2014) broadcast as two programmes with six contenders in each programme.

The final will be broadcast live on Radio 2 on 8th December 2014, with an audience vote deciding who triumphs.

The winner of the BBC Radio New Comedy Award 2014 will receive £1,000 cash and offered a paid commission from BBC Radio Comedy with the opportunity to present to networks across the BBC to consider for broadcast, as well as development advice and guidance from the BBC Comedy department and a chance to appear in other slots across the BBC.

The application form and full terms and conditions can be found on bbc.co.uk/newcomedyaward

All applications with accompanying audio must be received by midnight, 7th July 2014.

In the below video, which features various radio stars, last year's winner Steve Bugeja jokes about how people still don't know how to pronounce his surname:

To view videos from the previous year's contest, see our programme guide