For her debut in Dick Whittington

Comedian Ada Campe has been nominated for an award for her pantomime debut.

The alter-ego of Naomi Paxton played Queen Rat in Dick Whittington at The Theatre Chipping Norton last Christmas

And now she has been shortlisted for best newcomer in the Pantomime  Awards.

She told Chortle: ‘I am so pleased - panto was always on my bucket list for Ada so am totally thrilled.’

Campe faces competition from TV star Vernon Kay, who made his debut in Cinderella at the Wycombe Swan in High Wycombe, as well as Carrie Hope Fletcher for Sleeping Beauty at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury; Finlay McKillop for Rapunzel featuring Puss in Boots at the Webster Memorial Theatre in Arbroath and Gigi Zahir –for Cinderella at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, London.

It is not her first award: In 2018 she won both the Naty – New Act of The Year – and  Old Comedian of the Year.

The Pantomime  Award winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on April 11, which will be hosted by Christopher Biggins – who else? – at the Trafalgar Theatre in London’s West End.

Meanwhile, the ‘best comic’ category will be contested by Adam C Booth for Cinderella at the Grand Opera House, Belfast; Adam Colbeck-Dunn for Cinderella at the Palace Theatre, Newark ; Gavin Jon Wright for Sleeping Beauty at The Gaiety, Ayr; Matt Slack for Dick Whittington at the Birmingham Hippodrome and Ruby Ablett for  Dick Whittington at the Cambridge Arts Theatre,.

Up for best dame are Ben Roddy for Sleeping Beauty, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury; Brian James O’Sullivan for Maw Goose at the Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling; Clive Rowe for Mother Goose at the Hackney Empire, London; JP McCue for Cinderella, at Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa; and Phylip Harries for Robin Hood at the. Theatr Clwyd, Mold.

A full list of nominees  is here.

Published: 13 Mar 2023