Shows with sparkle

Perrier shortlist out

The shortlist has been announced for this year’s Perrier award.

In line for the £7,500 prize for the best comedy show on the Edinburgh Fringe are

The list avoids the usual controversy by containing a female comic for the second time in two years. Laura Solon, whose show is being produced by TV company Brown Eyed Boy, only arrived midway through the festival. She would also have been eligible for best newcomer, as would Jason Manford.

The shortlist for the best newcomer is

The winners will be announced shortly after midnight on Saturday,

Earlier in the week, newspaper reports had claimed the judging panel would be hard-pressed to find enough good shows, and claiming political agendas were killing off the comedy.

However, Perrier hit back claiming the comments were ‘misquoted and taken out of context'.

Panel chairman John Pidgeon, head of BBC radio comedy, said before the nominees were announced: ‘This year is exciting because it is so wide open. There is no obvious front runner.’

Also on the panel his year are Stephen Armstrong (Comedy Critic, The Sunday Times), Vanessa Haynes ( Head of Comedy Development, Celador), Emma King (Time Out Winner - London), Ruby Kuraishe (Editor, Factual Entertainment, Channel 4), Paul Maguire ( The Times winner- Regions), Sarah Mahoney (Head of Programming & Development, Paramount Comedy), Sarah Niblock (edfringe.com Winner- Scotland), Ian Shuttleworth (Comedy & Theatre Critic, Financial Times) and Graham Smith (Commissioning Editor, Comedy, Five).

Published: 24 Aug 2005