Holly Walsh started in stand-up in 2006 when she made the final of So You Think You’re Funny; and two years later she was named best newcomer at the Chortle Awards. She has appeared on several TV and radio panel shows – and as a presenter on CBBC – and in 2012 co-wrote the BBC Three show Dead Boss with Sharon Horgan. In 2010, she injured herself during the annual Worthing International Birdman festival, an experience which formed the basis for her Fringe debut, Hollycopter, for which she was nominated for best newcomer at the 2011 Edinburgh Comedy Awards.
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Who won the 2022 comedy Baftas?
Triumphs for Sophie Willan, Jamie Demetriou, Motherland and Mo Gilligan. Watch the acceptance speeches
Sophie Willan has picked up another Bafta for Alma’s Not Normal.
The comic has won the award for best female performance in a comedy programme for taking the title role, a year after winning a Bafta craft award for writing the pilot.
Willan dedicated her award to her grandmother who brought her up, and who died during filming of the forthcoming second series.
Fellow nominees were Aimee Lou Wood for Sex Education; Aisling Bea for This Way Up; Anjana Vasan for We Are Lady Parts; Natasia Demetriou for Stath Lets Flats and Rose Matafeo for Starstruck.
Jamie Demetriou won best male performance in a comedy programme for Stath Lets Flats.
He said it was ‘mad’ that he won, and congratulated his fellow nominees Joseph Gilgun (for Brassic): Ncuti Gatwa (Sex Education); Samson Kayo (Bloods); Steve Coogan (This Time With Alan Partridge); Tim Renkow (Jerk).
And he got a laugh for appearing emotional and saying: ‘I promised myself I wouldn't sing…’
Motherland won best scripted comedy ahead of Alma's Not Normal, Stath Lets Flats and We Are Lady Parts.
Holly Walsh, one of the writers, thanked the cast, director, editor, crew and producer – and praised the other nominees for all featuring ‘amazing women being funny and stupid and dumb and beautiful and everything you want to see’.
Mo Gilligan won best comedy entertainment show for his Channel 4 programme The Latish Show, beating Graham Norton, Munya Chawawa’s YouTube series Race Around Britain and Romesh Ranganathan’s The Ranganathan.
In an emotional speech, Gilligan said: ‘In 2017, when I got offered this show, my mental health wasn’t in the best place. Channel 4 bought me into this massive building… and they trusted me to be myself and bring black boy joy to screens.'
Gilligan’s sometimes collaborator Big Zuu won two Baftas, for best feature and best entertainment performance for Big Zuu's Big Eats, while Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway won best entertainment show.
In a previous ceremony, Nida Manzoor won a Bafta craft award for comedy writing on We Are Lady Parts, which also won awards for casting and costume awards.
As announced in advance, Sir Billy Connolly received the Bafta fellowship award, the highest accolade the academy can hand out. He sent an acceptance speech from his Florida home saying: ‘I’m very proud to receive this.’
The show was hosted by Richard Ayoade. Here are his opening remarks:
There was also praise for Lee Mack and Chris McCausland’s double act in giving Willan her award.Comments on Twitter included:
‘Lee Mack and Chris McCausland have just pulled off a pure Morecambe and Wise moment with their nominations slot sketch. Belly laughing stuff. Genius.’
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