Circuit acts name their 2017 favourites

Ian Stone has been named this year’s Comics’ Comic.

The circuit veteran and regular on Radio 5 Live’s Fighting Talk, took the honour following an online vote from 170 of his circuit colleagues.

He was closely followed by Jo Caulfield, Andy Askins and The  Raymond & Mr Timpkins Revue.

The outstanding achievement award went to long-serving musical and political comic Steve Gribbin.

The stand-up – who has been touring with a show about the state of the rail industry – took the title in a vote of previous Comics’ Comic winners.

One of them, Zoe Lyons, said Gribbin was being honoured ‘for services to comedy and disgruntled train commuters.’

In the best MC category, Laura Lexx triumphed over  Stephen Grant, Andy Robinson and Paul Smith. 

Organisers said there had been ‘a wide splattering of votes which says a lot for how lucky we are that there's so many top notch comedians in this country.’

The best independent promoter award went to Paul and Binty Blair from Liverpool’s Hot Water Comedy Club, with organisers saying they were ‘runaway winners’. 

Last year’s winners were Jeff Innocent forComics’ Comic;   for best compere and Rob Riley, who runs a string of gigs predominantly in the north of England, best independent promoter, with  Noel Faulkner, owner of the Comedy Cafe in East London receiving the outstanding contribution award.

Published: 19 Dec 2017