Comedy.co.uk Awards results 2022
- Don't Hug Me I'm Scared has been named Comedy Of The Year 2022 by voters in the Comedy.co.uk Awards
- TV shows Ghosts, Ellie & Natasia, Would I Lie To You?, Taskmaster and This Is Going To Hurt also won trophies
- In the radio categories, there were wins for Whatever Happened To Baby Jane Austen?, 'Whatever Next?' With Miles Jupp, The Unbelievable Truth and You're Dead To Me
Winners of the Comedy.co.uk Awards 2022 have been announced, recognising the best television and radio of the previous year.
Two rounds of public voting throughout January saw the 379 new productions to air during 2022 whittled down to a shortlist of six in each of ten categories, with voters also asked to pick a single favourite Comedy Of The Year.
In the 17th year of the awards, Channel 4's offbeat adult puppet show Don't Hug Me I'm Scared was the notable winner, picking up both Best New TV Sitcom and the Comedy Of The Year prize.
Elsewhere, Ghosts was named Best Returning TV Sitcom for the second year running, whilst Taskmaster takes the title of Best TV Entertainment Show for a sixth time. Would I Lie To You? won Best TV Panel Show for a sixth year running - its tenth in total.
There were also prizes for TV sketch show Ellie & Natasia, comedy drama This Is Going To Hurt and radio shows Whatever Happened To Baby Jane Austen? (starring French & Saunders), 'Whatever Next?' With Miles Jupp, The Unbelievable Truth and You're Dead To Me.
Best New TV Sitcom & Comedy Of The Year: Don't Hug Me I'm Scared
The Channel 4 comedy, made by Blink Industries, launched its much-anticipated six episode series in September.
Creators Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling quip of their wins: "Trophies are important to us and we have two of them."
Best Returning TV Sitcom: Ghosts
BBC One sitcom Ghosts, made by Monumental Pictures, returned for fourth series and Christmas special in 2022. The show is created by and stars Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond, and also features in leading roles Charlotte Ritchie, Kiell Smith-Bynoe, Lolly Adefope and Katy Wix.
The Ghosts say: "Last year's award was touching enough, but to be the returning Returning Sitcom winner is doubly special. Huge thanks to everyone who voted for Ghosts. Thomas in particular was thrilled to hear that his work has 'finally found the plaudits it so richly deserves'."
Best Radio Sitcom: Whatever Happened To Baby Jane Austen?
Starring Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, this Radio 4 comedy by CPL Productions focuses on two sisters who have avoided each other for decades but are forced together once more.
Writer David Quantick says: "I am totally delighted that Whatever Happened To Baby Jane Austen? has won this award because the British Comedy Guide is the home of quality comedy appreciation. Thanks to everyone who liked the show and voted for it!"
Best TV Sketch Show: Ellie & Natasia
Starring Natasia Demetriou and Ellie White, this BBC Three sketch show series from Nit TV was broadcast across June and July, following on from a 2019 pilot.
The stars say: "Thank you very very much to British Comedy Guide, our fellow sketch players and nominees, our parents, our agents, the BBC, TFL and ultimately... laughter. Love you all so much, Natasia and Ellie."
Best Radio Sketch Show: 'Whatever Next?' With Miles Jupp
This "free-wheeling, whimsical sketch show slipping between the real and imagined", made by Random Entertainment, broadcast on Radio 4 in September and October.
Writer James Kettle says: "It's wonderful to get an award voted for by the audience and know that you've connected with people out there that genuinely loved our ostentatiously odd, madly heartfelt once-in-a-lifetime show. Extraordinarily enough, Whatever Next was around nine years in the making - it wouldn't have been possible without the belief of Julia and Sioned at Radio 4, a literally stellar ensemble cast, our producer Victoria, exec Jon and script editor Graeme, plus of course the wildly funny, subtle and thoughtful, supportive and inspiring man I've been working alongside for all these years whose name temporarily escapes me."
Miles Jupp adds: "How nice!"
Best TV Panel Show: Would I Lie To You?
Voters picked Series 15 of Zeppotron's BBC One format Would I Lie To You? as the best TV panel show of the year. Host Rob Brydon and team captain Lee Mack filmed an acceptance video.
David Mitchell, who couldn't join them on camera, added: "It is genuinely heart-warming that we've won a British Comedy Guide Award for the 10th time. It's an extremely gratifying constant in a world of worrying change. Thank you so much."
Best Radio Panel Show: The Unbelievable Truth
Random Entertainment's panel game built on truth and lies returned to Radio 4 for Series 27 and 28 in 2022. Host David Mitchell filmed an acceptance video as he prepared to record the next series.
Best TV Entertainment Show: Taskmaster
Avalon's hit challenge show broadcast two series (13 and 14), a Champion Of Champions special and a New Year's Treat last year. Greg Davies and Alex Horne linked up on a video call to discuss their latest win.
Best Radio Entertainment Show: You're Dead To Me
History-based Radio 4 and podcast format You're Dead To Me, which is made by Muddy Knees Media and The Athletic, triumphed in this category again.
Host Greg Jenner says: "Huge thanks to the readers of British Comedy Guide for once again voting for us! We're thrilled to win this lovely award, even though - as a history podcast - it's a highly dubious legal fudge to claim we're a Radio Entertainment show. In fact, this photo is basically a crime. Nonetheless, I'm not giving the trophy back.
"Joking aside, YDTM is a vast undertaking that takes 8 months to make, so - before you send the Fraud Squad to my house - please allow me one final shoutout to all our fantastic guests, the brilliant PhD student researchers, the endlessly supportive BBC, and my amazing colleagues Emma, Emmie, Isla, Abi, Steve, Con, and Siefe. The series would be impossible without this amazing gang of talented people. Cheers!"
Best TV Comedy Drama: This Is Going To Hurt
The seven-part hospital-based BBC One comedy drama series, produced by Sister and Terrible Productions, featured a cast list including Ben Whishaw, Ambika Mod, Alex Jennings, Rory Fleck Byrne, Michele Austin, Ashley McGuire and Tom Durant-Pritchard.
Writer Adam Kay says: "As wonderful as it to win awards voted for by the industry, nothing ever beats one voted for by the public. (Of course, I say the opposite at other awards.) Thank you to everyone who voted for This Is Going To Hurt - it was a labour of love, and a love letter to the NHS - I know the brilliant cast and crew who made it all happen will be absolutely thrilled."
Voting for the best of 2023's comedy programmes will open in early January 2024.
For more details and for a history of the awards, see the Comedy.co.uk Awards homepage