Sketch troupe scoop inaugural award

Comedy sketch group Tarot have been announced as winners of the 2025 Next Big Thing award.

The prize, set up by the British Comedy Guide this year, aims to highlight ‘the act most deserving of the public’s attention, as well as the media’s spotlight’.

Tarot – which comprises Adam Drake, Ed Easton and Kath Hughes, with Ben Rowse and Kiri Pritchard-McLean as offstage members – secured the accolade ahead of fellow nominees  Celya AB, Dan Tiernan, Josh Pugh, Katie Norris, Michael Odewale, Olga Koch, Paddy Young, Rachel Fairburn and Rob Copland.

Hughes said of their victory: ‘I didn't expect it in a million years. It's very nice to be in a list with so many other people who are very deserving of winning.’

Pritchard-McLean added: ‘It was really nice to be nominated. We think everyone on the shortlist is fantastic. I genuinely think none of us thought we'd win it, and it’s slightly sunk our reputation as hip underdogs! 

‘We do know sketch is deeply unfashionable, but ultimately, we're our favourite people and we love working together and making each other laugh.’

To find the nominees, British Comedy Guide polled more than 100 professionals from across the live comedy industry. From that longlist, an expert panel then whittled the names down to ten.

Mark Muldoon, Next Big Thing award founder, said: ‘I created this award to draw much-needed attention to the next generation of talent - to highlight those most deserving of megastardom. So I couldn’t be happier with our first ever Next Big Thing winners. I have to thank the judges for choosing fantastically. 

‘For years Tarot have been wowing both audiences and the comedy industry, but sketch acts haven’t been able to get on shows like Taskmaster, Live at the Apollo or Mock The Week, so Tarot have felt a little under-valued for some time. 

‘We want this award to direct the public towards their new favourite comedy act. For a lot of people, that should be Tarot.’

The expert panel  were journalists Ashley Davies, Jay Richardson, Mark Muldoon, Rachael Healy and Tim Harding, plus Edinburgh Comedy Awards judge and talent scout Joanne Rutherford.

Published: 11 Feb 2025