British Comedy Guide
BBC New Comedy Award. Copyright: BBC
BBC New Comedy Award

BBC New Comedy Award

  • Radio stand-up
  • BBC Radio 4 Extra / BBC Radio 2 / BBC Radio 4
  • 2011 - 2024
  • 78 episodes (12 series)

The BBC's nationwide search to find the best in new stand-up comedy talent. Stars Mark Watson and Patrick Kielty.

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Press clippings Page 6

Vote for your favourite wildcard

Watch the videos of each runner-up performing and then place your vote on the BBC New Comedy Award homepage.

BBC Blogs, 9th October 2012

The wait is almost over...

Producer Lianne Coop is one exhausted lady. She's spent a whopping 67 hours listening to 800 entries, whittling down the swift competition into eight heats with ten performers each.

Frankie Ward, BBC, 6th August 2012

A year in the life of a BBC New Comedy Award winner

Last year's winner, Angela Barnes, talks about how entering the BBC New Comedy Award 2011 transformed her life and career.

Angela Barnes, BBC Blogs, 12th June 2012

We are back! The BBC New Comedy Award 2012

YES! We are BACK - bigger, better and totally over-excited. The BBC New Comedy Award 2012 launched today on Steve Wright's show on Radio 2 - we are now up and running and open for submissions.

Lianne Coop, BBC, 25th May 2012

Radio 2 launches its 2012 search for a stand-up star

BBC Radio 2 has released details about how to enter the BBC Radio 2 New Comedy Award 2012, its annual search for a new stand-up star.

British Comedy Guide, 25th May 2012

Radio 2 New Comedy Award: Winner Q&A

Last Saturday night Angela Barnes won this year's Radio 2 New Comedy Award 2011, fending off strong competition from fellow finalists Joe Lycett, Tez Ilyas, Chris Turner, Mark Restuccia and Pat Cahill.

Steve Saul, BBC Comedy, 24th June 2011

On Saturday, the network took a tip from The X Factor with the live final of its New Comedy Award, presented by Patrick Kielty. Six hundred acts were boiled down to six, voted on by the audience. This being Radio 2, the audience sounded about as edgy as a Parent Teacher Association drinking Merlot, but that came as a relief to one comedian who said, "There's nothing worse than looking at the crowd and thinking I've got things in my medicine cabinet older than you." There was lots of encouraging applause and no one heckled. My favourite was the acerbic Joe Lycett, with his mordantly Frankie Howerd-esque story of a driving lesson in Manchester, but Pat Cahills ingenious rap about having your dog put down was also very good. The winner was Angela Barnes from Maidstone whose weapon was the one-liner ("It's no mistake that the anagram of Maidstone is I am Stoned - that's all there is to do!") and who should fit seamlessly into the throng of talented female comedians on radio and TV.

Jane Thynne, The Independent, 23rd June 2011

Angela Barnes wins BBC New Comedy Award

Angela Barnes, the winner of BBC Radio 2's New Comedy Award, has said she feels "vindicated" by her success, claiming some critics complained she had only made the final because the Corporation needed a female in the line-up.

Matthew Hemley, The Stage, 20th June 2011

Angela Barnes wins BBC New Comedy Award 2011

Angela Barnes, a stand-up comedian from Brighton, has been crowned the winner of the Radio 2 New Comedy Award 2011.

British Comedy Guide, 19th June 2011

Patrick Kielty interview

The New Comedy Awards threw up the strange situation of a semi-finalist from Glasgow having to travel to Bath for his competition, while a crowd of Englishmen were flown north for theirs.
Patrick joked: "That's how the BBC spend your licence fee."

Paul English, The Scotsman, 18th June 2011

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