Category: BBC
Talent; BBC
7; Radio
4
Date: 14.12.2004
Printable version
Last night at The Comedy
Store in London in front of a prestigious panel of guests, 24-year-old
Andrew Lawrence was crowned BBC Talent Stand Up Comedian of
2004.
Six budding comedians made it through to last night's final which will
be broadcast by BBC 7 on Monday 3 January at 11.00pm.
An initial 550 audition tapes were sent in and the best 150 were then
put through their paces in regional heats in Sheffield, Newcastle, Glasgow,
London, Belfast, Liverpool, Birmingham and Cardiff.
The BBC New Comedy Awards have been a launching pad
for many established acts, and Andrew Lawrence joins a list of alumni
that includes Julian Barratt, Marcus Brigstocke, Dan Antopolski and
Nina Conti.
Andrew will also receive a £2,000 cheque, and
all six finalists will win the chance to write for a Radio Comedy show.
Andrew said: "It was a really strong final, all
the acts were really good and it was a tight competition. I'm delighted
and surprised to have won."
The BBC New Comedy Award is one of the most prestigious
new act competitions in the UK.
Following the regional heats, the best 36 acts progressed
to the semi-finals, recorded in London, Manchester and Newcastle, and
broadcast on BBC 7 in November and December.
The winner of each semi-final earned a place in the
final in front of a panel of judges including Perrier nominees Nick
Revell, Chris Addison and Adam Hills; previous BBC New Comedy Award
winner Marcus Brigstocke; owner of The Comedy Store Don Ward; and John
Pidgeon, Editor, BBC Radio Light Entertainment.
Jhon Pidgeon said of Andrew: "I wrote notes about
everyone else, Marcus (Brigstocke) made notes about everyone else, but
neither of us had made notes of Andrew's performance which is telling
of his spellbinding and totally mesmerising performance.
"To have that kind of command over the room at
his age is astonishing."
Don Ward, owner of The Comedy Store, was so impressed
by the six finalists that they have all been offered highly sought after
ten minute slots at the famous club.
The runners-up were James Sherwood and Danielle
Ward.
The other finalists were David Nicholls from
Pembrokeshire, Liam Mulone and Dubliner Jarlath Regan.
The New Comedy Awards, a documentary about the competition
is on BBC Radio 4 on Thursday 30 December at 11.00pm.
The final of the BBC New Comedy Awards is on BBC 7 on Monday 3 January
at 11.00pm.
