Comedy Award panel announced

They are the industry movers and shakers almost every comedian at the Edinburgh Fringe will want to impress.

Now the names of this year's panel deciding the Edinburgh Comedy Awards has been named.

The awards are produced by Nica Burns and have a new sponsor in lastminute.com this year.

Alice Jones, the arts editor of i newspaper, will chair this year's panel, which comprises:

• Dominic Maxwell, comedy critic for The Times
• Sam Michell, BBC comedy editor
• Susan Provan, artistic director of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
• Laura Riseam, assistant editor for comedy with Channel 4
• Saskia Schuster, ITV commissioning editor
• Claire Smith, journalist with The Scotsman
• Public competition winners Sam Haslam, Jim Johnson and Niki di Palma.

Three awards will be handed out, as usual: Best comedy show with a cash prize of £10,000, best newcomer (£5,000) and Panel Prize (£5,000).

The shortlists are announced on Wednesday August 24 and the winners on Saturday August 27.

Published: 26 Jul 2016