A tight 5: November 6

John Cleese, Rebecca Front and Paul Merton have been nominated for top literary awards. Cleese and Merton have been shortlisted in the autobiography/biography category at the Specsavers National Book Awards alongside The Unexpected Professor by John Carey, Napoleon The Great by Andrew Roberts and Please, Mister Postman by Alan Johnson. Front's Curious is up for non-fiction book of the year; while David Walliams has been nominated in the children's category. The awards will be announced on December 26.

ZOE LYONS has been crowned lesbian, bisexual or queer comedian of the year by Planet London. Improv troupe The Short And Girly Show won the the best comedy event at the award ceremony run by the LBQ website.

THE EDINBURGH FRINGE is polling participants as to whether the 'cabaret' category should be renamed 'cabaret and variety' to reflect a wider range of shows.

LLOYD LANGFORD has announced a tour of his latest show, Old Fashioned, about feeling bamboozled by the modern world.He starts his 26-date tour in Reading on January 29 after a couple of warm-up dates. Schedule.

LEE KERN won the £100 prize for the best Correspondents piece in October for his takedown of Dapper Laughs.

Published: 6 Nov 2014