Full list of winners

Channel 4’s offbeat, adult puppet comedy Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared has been voted comedy of the year and best new TV sitcom at the 2022 Comedy.co.uk Awards.

Spoofing children’s early-learning programming, the dark sitcom originated as a self-produced web series in 2011 and quickly became a cult hit, arriving on television in the autumn with a six-part series.

Meanwhile, BBC One’s family favourite Ghosts was named best returning TV sitcom for a second year running, Taskmaster picked up its sixth best TV entertainment show title, and Would I Lie To You? was voted best TV panel show – its tenth year with the prize.

New winners include best radio sitcom Whatever Happened To Baby Jane Austen?, which stars Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, and BBC Three’s Ellie & Natasia named best TV sketch show.

Winners of the awards, now in their 17th year, were chosen entirely by public vote  via the British Comedy Guide website.

Here is the full list of winners

Best New TV Sitcom & Comedy Of The Year

Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared (Blink Industries for Channel 4)

Creators Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling joked: ‘Trophies are important to us and we have two of them.’

Best Returning TV Sitcom

Ghosts (Monumental Pictures for BBC One)

In a statement stars and creators Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond said: ‘Last year’s award was touching enough, but to be the returning Returning Sitcom winner is doubly special. Huge thanks to everyone who voted for Ghosts. Thomas in particular was thrilled to hear that his work has finally found the plaudits it so richly deserves.’

Best Radio Sitcom

Whatever Happened To Baby Jane Austen? (CPL Productions for BBC Radio 4)

Writer David Quantick said: ‘I am totally delighted that Whatever Happened To Baby Jane Austen? has won this award because the British Comedy Guide is the home of quality comedy appreciation. Thanks to everyone who liked the show and voted for it!’

Best TV Sketch Show

Ellie & Natasia (Nit TV for BBC Three)

The comedy duo, Ellie White and Natasia Demetriou, said: 'Thank you very very much to British Comedy Guide, our fellow sketch players and nominees, our parents, our agents, the BBC, TFL and ultimately ...laughter. Love you all so much, Natasia and Ellie."

Best Radio Sketch Show

Whatever Next? With Miles Jupp (Random Entertainment for BBC Radio 4)

Writer James Kettle said: ‘It’s wonderful to get an award voted for by the audience and know that you’ve connected with people out there that genuinely loved our ostentatiously odd, madly heartfelt once-in-a-lifetime show.’

He thanked executive and commissioners ‘plus of course the wildly funny, subtle and thoughtful, supportive and inspiring man I’ve been working alongside for all these years whose name temporarily escapes me.’ Miles Jupp added: ‘How nice!’

Best TV Panel Show

Would I Lie To You? (Zeppotron for BBC One)

David Mitchell adds: ‘It is genuinely heart-warming that we’ve won a British Comedy Guide Award for the tenth time. It’s an extremely gratifying constant in a world of worrying change. Thank you so much.’

Best Radio Panel Show

The Unbelievable Truth (Random Entertainment for BBC Radio 4) - Details

Best TV Entertainment Show

Taskmaster (Avalon for Channel 4)

Best Radio Entertainment Show

You’re Dead To Me (Muddy Knees Media and The Athletic for BBC Sounds/BBC Radio 4)

Host Greg Jenner said: ‘Huge thanks to the readers of British Comedy Guide for once again voting for us. We’re thrilled to win this lovely award, even though - as a history podcast - it’s a highly dubious legal fudge to claim we’re a radio entertainment show. Nonetheless, I’m not giving the trophy back.

‘Joking aside, YDTM is a vast undertaking that takes eight months to make, so - before you send the Fraud Squad to my house - please allow me one final shoutout to all our fantastic guests, the brilliant PhD student researchers, the endlessly supportive BBC, and my amazing colleagues Emma, Emmie, Isla, Abi, Steve, Con, and Siefe. The series would be impossible without this amazing gang of talented people. Cheers!’

Best TV Comedy Drama

This Is Going To Hurt (Sister and Terrible Productions for BBC One)

Writer Adam Kay said: ‘As wonderful as it to win awards voted for by the industry, nothing ever beats one voted for by the public. (Of course, I say the opposite at other awards.) Thank you to everyone who voted for This Is Going To Hurt - it was a labour of love, and a love letter to the NHS - I know the brilliant cast and crew who made it all happen will be absolutely thrilled.’

Here's a sketch from double winner Don't Hug Me I'm Scared.

Published: 8 Feb 2023