BBC New Comedy Award

Marcus Brigstocke takes a retrospective look at 20 years of the BBC Radio New Comedy Awards, featuring highlights from this year's final.

Marcus Brigstocke takes a retrospective look at 20 years of the BBC Radio New Comedy Awards, featuring highlights from this year's final, which takes place earlier today at London's Comedy Store and is broadcast live on BBC Radio 2.

Marcus also talks to industry figures that put the awards into context, exploring how long it will be before these promising young talents become established comedy stars. Marcus has personal experience of this and knows that it's a long road to success - he won the award back in 1996, but his character, Giles Wemmbley-Hogg, didn't arrive on Radio 4 until 2002.

Contributors in this programme include industry insiders who have seen new comedians come and go, comics who have had success despite failing to reach any awards final, and a comedian who did well in the competition but gave up nonetheless.