...and £10,000

TV viewers tonight saw Josh Widdicombe won £10,000 in FHM's Stand-Up Hero competition.

This year’s competition was aired ITV4, in a show hosted by Brendon Burns.

A total of 273 comedians, ranging from newcomers to established circuit acts, entered the competition, with 25 taking part in five televised heats ahead of the final.

Judge Ronni Ancona said of 26-year-old Widdicombe: ‘Josh I though was hysterical, he really made me laugh. Extremely well-structured, lovely stage persona and a nice consistency within the material.’

Fellow judge John Thomson added: ‘You’re laughing at him, but you’re laughing along with him. He’s got that kind of Woody Allen quality.’

And Jo Caulfield added: ‘really, really good jokes, and so well constructed. He knew what he wanted to talk about and got straight into it.’

Widdicombe, took up comedy in 2008, winning the So You Think You're Funny final at Edinburgh soon afterwards. He is also this year’s Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year.

Other finalists were Henry Ginsberg, Liam Mullone, Nathan Caton and Andrew Watts. Click here for Chortle’s review of the night.

Published: 7 Dec 2010