Matt wins Leicester comp

Matt Blaize (above) has been named comedian of the year the Leicester comedy festival.

Runner-up places in the competition, open to relative newcomers to the comedy scene put forward by clubs around the country, went to Quincy and Bill Wooland,.

Previous winners of the contest, the culmination of the two-week festival, have included Johnny Vegas.

Highlight of this year's festival was a show by 87-year-old Norman Wisdom. Two gigs, by Paul Zenon and Bob Doolally, were cancelled because of poor ticket sales, but organisers say attendance was good overall.

Meanwhile, in London, Greg Davies (right) has been named new act of the year by the Laughing Horse chain of clubs - a title Blaize won last year.

He beat around 200 contestants to take the title, plus the £200 prize money, in what was only his fifth ever gig.

Davies put his success down to a comedy course run by Logan Murray at London's Amused Moose, the club that also backed Blaize in the Leicester competition.

Published: 18 Feb 2002