Midlands Comedy Award winners announced

Duncan Oakley takes top prize

Veteran stand-up Duncan Oakley has been named best act in the Midlands Comedy Awards.

And Barry Dodds scored a double, scooping best MC and the online comedy award for the Parapod podcast he produces with fellow comedian Ray Peacock.

Current UK Pun Champion Masai Graham, who also picked up the Joke of the Fringe award this summer, scooped the breakthrough award, with Leicester-based Alex Hylton coming second.

Nottinghamshire dominated proceedings the ceremony, taking six of the ten awards for clubs and comedians. Nottingham-based Funhouse Comedy secured the trophy for best comedy club trophy, beating the Glee into second place

The Best Live Show gong went to Late Night with Boabby Roaster, a multi-media sketch and standup hour by Damian Hyde, Jack Kirwan and Andrew McBurney, with Alex Hylton once again runner up.

And character comic Paul Palmer, who performs comedy magic as Count Evil, won the alternative act prize, despite having less than twenty gigs to his name.

Birmingham comedian Jay Islaam, who heads the awards committee, commented: ‘Almost 5000 votes were cast to decide the winners. We’ve had a really exciting night… a wonderful celebration of the huge amount of comedy talent across the Midlands.’

The finalists for the Midlands Comedy Awards are chosen by local comedy clubs with the winners chosen by public vote.

FULL RESULTS

Best Act
Winner: Duncan Oakley
Runner-up: Masai Graham
Third place: Scott Bennett

Best MC
Winner: Barry Dodds
Runner-up: Gareth Berliner
Joint third place: Jon Pearson & Wayne Beese

Best Comedy Club
Winner: Funhouse Comedy
Runner-up: The Glee Club
Third place: Fitz of Laughter

Best Small Club
Winner: FAF Comedy
Runner-up: Blue Giraffe
Third place: Fitz of Laughter

Best Live Show
Winner: Late Night with Boabby Roaster
Runner-up: Alex Hylton – I Came, I Saw, I Complained
Third place: Paul Savage, Alexander Bennett – Hell To Play

Breakthrough Act
Winner: Masai Graham
Runner-up: Alex Hylton
Third place: Josh Pugh

Best New Act
Winner: Moses Ali Khan
Runner-up: Sarah Johnson
Third place: Harvey Hawkins

Alternative Act
Winner: Paul Palmer
Runner-up: Andrew McBurney
Third place: Daniel Nicholas

Online Comedy
Winner: The Parapod
Runner-up: Jack Kirwan
Third place: Masai Graham

Best Open Mic Show
Winner: NCF Canal House (Nottingham)
Runner-up: Holly Bush (Black Country)
Third place: Roadhouse Comedy (Birmingham)

Outstanding Contribution
Winner: Bushfest