The nominations have been announced for the annual Edinburgh Comedy Awards.
Among the comedians in the running for Best Show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe are Ania Magliano, Kieran Hodgson and Ahir Shah.
In the Best Newcomer category, you’ll find rising stars Dan Tiernan, Louise Young, and Paddy Young.
The nominees for Best Show include Shah for his love letter to immigration Ends, Ian Smith with Crushing, and Phil Ellis for his suitably titled Excellent Comedy Show.
Emmanuel Sonubi also gained his second consecutive nomination for Curriculum Vitae, after earning a Best Newcomer nod last year. Hodgson is another return nominee, picking up his fourth nomination for Big in Scotland.
Janine Harouni, currently performing weeks from her due date, was also recognised for Man’oushe. Speaking to The Independent at the start of the run, Harouni said of performing pregnant: “The only time I don’t feel pregnant is when I’m doing the show. I think the adrenaline kicks in. I feel as light as a feather, and then the moment I come off stage, I’m having Braxton Hicks contractions or something.”
Meanwhile, in the newcomer category, Paddy Young is nominated for Hungry, Horny, Scared, which The Independent gave four stars, alongside Tiernan for Going Under and Lindsey Santoro for Pink Tinge.
There are two clowning shows among the list: Estonian comic Julia Masli’s wacky agony aunt hour ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, and newcomer Bill O’Neill’s The Amazing Banana Brothers, about two siblings trying to stage the world’s greatest banana pratfall.
Paddy Young is up for Best Newcomer— (Kat Gollock)
Winners will be announced on Saturday (26 August). Eight leading industry professionals, and two passionate comedy fans representing the public, watched 500 shows to select this year’s nominees.
The prize money for Best Comedy Show is £10,000, with £5,000 each for the Best Newcomer and the Panel Prize winner.
See the full list of nominees below.
Sky Best Comedy Show
Ahir Shah: Ends @ Monkey Barrel Comedy – Monkey Barrel 3
Ania Magliano: I Can’t Believe You’ve Done This @ Pleasance Courtyard – Beyond
Emmanuel Sonubi: Curriculum Vitae @ Underbelly – Dairy Room
Ian Smith: Crushing @ Monkey Barrel Comedy – Monkey Barrel 1
Janine Harouni: Man’oushe @ Pleasance Courtyard – Beneath
Emmanuel Sonubi received his second consecutive nod— (Jiksaw)
Julia Masli: ha ha ha ha ha ha ha @ Monkey Barrel Comedy – Monkey Barrel 4
Kieran Hodgson: Big In Scotland @ Pleasance Courtyard – Beyond
Phil Ellis’s Excellent Comedy Show @ Monkey Barrel Comedy – Hive 2
DLT Entertainment Best Newcomer
Bill O’Neill: The Amazing Banana Brothers @ Pleasance Courtyard – Beside
Dan Tiernan: Going Under @ Monkey Barrel Comedy – Monkey Barrel 2
Lindsey Santoro: Pink Tinge @ Pleasance Courtyard – The Attic
Louise Young: Feral @ Pleasance Courtyard – Bunker One
Martin Urbano: Apology Comeback Tour @ Pleasance Courtyard – Bunker Three
Paddy Young: Hungry, Horny, Scared @ Pleasance Courtyard – Above
Urooj Ashfaq: Oh No! @ Assembly George Square – The Crate
Nica Burns, director of Edinburgh Comedy Awards, said of this year’s nominees: “It’s been a brilliantly vibrant year with a very high standard of comedy across the Fringe.
“Our international, diverse group of shortlisted comedians come from a huge variety of backgrounds and their work embraces every type of comedy from clowning to pure stand-up, with many variations along the way. What they all do is make people laugh.”
