Sponsors and judges named for 563 eligible shows

Edinburgh Comedy Awards producer Nica Burns is partly sponsoring this year’s accolades after Sky TV decided not to renew its backing.

Burns, whose company owns several West End theatres, has twice before stepped up to keep the awards going in the absence of sponsors.

Last year, they were financed by a consortium of sponsors for the first time, with Sky behind the main award, DLT Entertainment backing the newcomer and The Victoria Wood Foundation supporting the panel prize.

DLT Entertainment owner Donald Taffner Jr is this year extending his backing, with the main award being renamed the Donald and Eleanor Taffner Best Comedy Show in honour of his parents.

Burns, pictured above with last year's sponsors' board, said: ’Comedy has grown to a whopping 39 per cent of the Fringe, showing nearly 20 per cent  growth in 20 years.

'In a year that the economics of taking a show to the Fringe are tougher than ever with accommodation costs going through the roof, comedians continue to make an enormous commitment to the development of their careers at the Fringe with all the possibilities that it offers. 

‘With audiences on budgets too, remember that every ticket you buy or every pound you put in the hat counts and is appreciated. 

‘Everyone going to the Edinburgh Fringe, whether performing or watching, is in their own way investing in the arts. Dear new government, please take note!’

Taffner, added: ‘The Edinburgh Comedy Awards play a vital role in the success of the Fringe by not only honouring excellence but also spotlighting the comedy industry as a whole. We look forward to our involvement with the Awards again while also honouring my parents who founded our company 61 years ago and always enjoyed helping people advance their careers in entertainment.’

This year, a total of 563 comedy shows are eligible for the Awards.

The judging panel has also been named. They are:

Nana Hughes: head of scripted comedy at ITV
Dominic Cavendish: theatre critic at The Daily Telegraph
Liz Daramola: creator in residence at Baby Cow Productions
Georgia Keating: producer at BBC Studios Comedy and Entertainment
Dominic Maxwell: comedy & theatre critic for The Times and The Sunday Times
Anya Ryan comedy & theatre critic at The Guardian, The Times, Time Out, The Stage
Darren Smith: creative director at DLT Entertainment Ltd
Sam Anderson: Public panellist
Jake Helliwell: Public panellist
Beth Moon: Public panellist

Past winners of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards have amassed 528 television writing credits, 44 directing credits and more than 1,500 acting credits between them.

Published: 25 Jul 2024