Accolades now in their 10th year

Al Murray is to present next year’s Chortle Awards, following in the footsteps of Frank Skinner, Jimmy Carr and Dara O Briain.

The awards, celebrating its tenth year in 2011, have become one of the biggest events in the comedy calendar. Previous guests have included everyone from Eddie Izzard and Michael McIntyre to Nicholas Parsons and Tim Brooke-Taylor.

Murray will be handing out more than a dozen prizes to winners, who will be chosen by the thousands of comedy fans who visit the Chortle comedy website in January.

He will be appearing in aid of Camkids, a charity which helps poor children in Cambodia with nutritional, medical and educational support. He is closely associated with the cause, running golf days and ‘compete for the meat’ pub quizzes to raise funds.

The 2011 awards are sponsored by DVD company Universal Pictures, whose current releases include Ricky Gervais’s Science, Ross Noble’s Things, Bill Bailey’s Dandelion Mind; Tim Minchin’s Ready For This, Kevin Bridges: The Story So Far and Billy Connolly Live In London.

The Chortle Awards are the only accolades to honour year-round achievement on the comedy circuit, as well as the best tours, DVDs and TV shows.

Last year, Michael McIntyre scooped two awards for best tour: and the TV and radio award for his Comedy Roadshow. Other winners included Tim Minchin for best music and variety act, Kevin Bridges for best breakthrough act and Armando Iannucci for outstanding contribution to comedy

New this year will be a new internet category, highlighting the funniest videos, podcasts, blogs and Twitter feeds.

A panel of leading comedy critics will draw up the shortlists, which will be announced on the afternoon of January 7. Comedy fans will then have just over a week to vote, with the winners announced at the Central London ceremony on February 7.

Published: 22 Dec 2010