BBC New Comedy Awards 2023 open for entries

Six regional heats to take place in September

Entries have opened for the 2023 BBC New Comedy Awards.

The aspiring comedy stars selected to take part will compete in six regional heats to be televised on BBC Three this autumn, followed by the final on BBC One.

The winner will receive a paid commission to write and perform in a 30-minute audio pilot under the mentorship of a BBC comedy commissioner, plus a trophy and £1,000 cash.

Dan Tiernan, who won last year’s award, said: ‘A year ago I applied for the BBC New Comedy Award and ended up winning the whole thing. It's completely changed my life, so many doors have opened up and I've already had some absolutely incredible opportunities of the back of it.

‘If you're considering applying but are not sure, honestly do it. You never know it could be you this year.’

The award is open to anyone over 17 who has not have been performing paid comedy gigs before January 1, 2020, with at five minutes of original un-broadcast material and entries close on July 9.

Heats will be held in Sunderland, Leith, Ballymena, Bangor (Wales), Nottingham and the London suburbs in September.

This year’s chief judge will be Josh Pugh, who said: ‘I am thrilled to be leading the judging panel for this year’s BBC New Comedy Awards. So many brilliant comedians have won this award over the years and I can’t wait to see the emerging talent that the UK has to offer in this year’s competition.’

He will be joined a different host and panel of judges at each heat.

First established in 1995, the New Comedy Awards have helped launch the careers of comedians such as Peter Kay, Lee Mack, Nina Conti, Russell Howard, Alan Carr, Sarah Millican and, Romesh Ranganathan.

Jon Petrie, the BBC’s director of comedy, said: ‘BBC Comedy is devoted to discovering and nurturing new comedy talent across the UK and the BBC New Comedy Awards is a tried and tested route for us to unearth the stand-up stars of the future. We can’t wait to see what new British comedy talent we discover this year.’

To enter – and check all the terms and conditions – visit www.bbc.co.uk/newcomedyawards.

The final and all six of the televised heats from the 2022 series are available on BBC iPlayer

» Review of the 2022 BBC New Comedy Award final, held in Cardiff

BBC New Comedy Award production credits

Made by: Phil McIntyre Television
Commissioned by: Jon Petrie, BBC director of comedy commissioning
Producer: Lindsay Jex
Executive producer: Lucy Ansbro
Commissioning editor: Navi Lamba

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Published: 30 May 2023