Russell scoops comedy award

Russell Kane has won this year’s Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award – on his third time of being nominated.

He was named the 30th winner of the former Perrier accolade in a lunchtime ceremony today. Here he is collecting the accolade

The 30-year-old previously said that accolades came with their own problems. ‘If this was America they would be saying “this guy's got nominated, he's going to be amazing”,’ he said. ‘Here we are the complete opposite. They say “cocky little ass, give him nothing” and “we paid £12 to get in, make me laugh, if you can!”’

His show, Smokescreens and Castles is about the council house he grew up in and his relationship with his father.

As well as nominations in the previous two years, Kane was nominated for best newcomer in 2006.

This was the first year that the awards had two women on the shortlist – Sarah Millican and Josie Long – which producer Nica Burns said ‘reflects the enormous changes in the comedy landscape’. She added: ‘2010 will be remembered as a vintage year for comedy.'

The best newcomer prize was won by Roisin Conaty, whose acceptance speech is here:

And the winner of the panel prize for the show that best encapsulates the spirit of the Fringe was Bo Burnham, who had also been nominated for the main award. The other name on the main shortlist was Inbetweeners star Greg Davies.

Chairman of the judging panel Stephen Armstrong said they had chosen to honour 20-year-old Burnham for choosing to come to the Fringe rather than staying at home and 'monetising' his vast YouTube audience.

Here is the presentation of that award:

The main award is worth £10,000 while best newcomer and the panel prizes are £5,000.

The judging panel saw 416 shows and attended nearly 1,200 performances over the three weeks.

Burns added: 'I’m sure that many of the nominees will be household names in years to come. What a vintage year for the first Foster’s comedy winners and nominees!'

The winner of the controversial Comedy God poll for the best nominee in the awards' history will be announced tomorrow.

Last year’s main award was won by Tim Key, with Jonny Sweet best newcomer and the panel prize going to free fringe pioneer Peter Buckley Hill.

Published: 28 Aug 2010