Deacon scoops student gold

Drama undergraduate Tom Deacon has been named the funniest student comedian in the UK in Chortle’s annual awards.

The 21-year-old, who has just finished his third year at Exeter university, won £2,500 at the final of the Revels Student Comedy Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe.

As part of his prize, he also wins trip to Canada to take part in the Yuk Yuk’s Great Canadian Laugh-Off next year.

Describing his style of comedy, he said: ‘It is fresh and observational, with many whimsical tales. My influence has come from Craig Campbell and Reginald D Hunter, as I’ve bugged them for advice.’

Manchester-based Rodney Marques, a 30-year-old international relations and politics student at Salford, scooped the £500 runner-up prize while Londoner Prince Abdi received a special commendation for his set.

Other finalists were Dave Howarth, Micky Anderson, Bethany Black, Thomas Newmark, Andy Vaughan, Kerry Howard, Ed Gamble performing as romantic novelist Selsdon Krupp, Dean O’Callaghan, Ed Patrick and Dave Steele.

Chortle editor Steve Bennett, who chaired the judges, said: ‘The final produced some cracking acts. There’s several comics here who are assured promising careers in comedy.’

Fellow judges were, Sophie Church, an agent with Chambers Management; Philip Morrow, former Channel 4 commissioner and head of comedy at Thames, who now runs Wild Rover Productions and constant comedy.com; Sarah Mahoney from production company Baby Cow; and Simon Rothstein, from The Sun online

Here is Deacon's winning set.

Published: 15 Aug 2007