British Comedy Awards

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British Comedy Awards
British Comedy Awards 2009.jpg
British Comedy Awards 2009 logo
Awarded forMost popular in Comedy
LocationLondon Palladium (1990)
The London Studios (1991–2009)
indigO2 (2010)
Fountain Studios (2011–2014)
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byMichael Parkinson (1990)
Jonathan Ross (1991–2007, 2009–2014)
Angus Deayton (2008)
First awarded1990
Last awarded2014
Websitehttp://www.britishcomedyawards.com/
Television/radio coverage
Network
  • ITV (1990–2006, 2008–09)
  • Channel 4 (2011–2014)
Produced byMichael Hurll Television
Unique TV / CPL Productions

The British Comedy Awards was an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom between 1990 and 2014, celebrating notable comedians and entertainment performances of the previous year.

History[]

The awards were shown live on ITV in December from 1990 to 2006, after which the broadcast of the British Comedy Awards 2007 was suspended by ITV due to allegations of irregularities and deception in the awarding of the 2005 People's Choice Award and then ongoing related investigations about the 2007 British television phone-in scandal resulting in Ofcom's subsequently fining ITV a record £5.675 million for its misuse of premium-rate telephone lines.[1][2]

After Michael Parkinson presented the inaugural ceremony at the London Palladium in December 1990, the majority of subsequent shows were presented by Jonathan Ross, staged at London Studios, and produced by Michael Hurll Television (MHTV), whose parent company is Unique Communications Group.[1][3][4][5] Ross did not present the 2008 awards, in light of The Russell Brand Show prank calls row[6] and was replaced for that year by Angus Deayton.[7]

The 2007 show occurred on 6 December 2007, but was not televised due to the 2005 controversy and subsequent investigations.[citation needed] The following years ceremony was shown live on 6 December 2008.[3] Compliance for the show was the responsibility of the ITV Compliance Unit of ITV Network Limited (consisting of members from ITV plc, STV Group, UTV Media, and Channel Television Ltd).[8][9][10]

In June 2010, it was announced that awards were to be broadcast on Channel 4 for three years, which was later extended for one more year. Shortly afterwards, the 2010 ceremony was postponed until the 2010 ceremony finally aired in January 2011. In June 2015 Channel 4 announced they would be dropping the ceremony.[11]

Controversies[]

Investigation of alleged irregularities and deception[]

At the 2005 British Comedy Awards show, the wrong show received the People's Choice Award.[12] The award was "mistakenly given" to Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway even though The Catherine Tate Show received the most tabulated votes and should have been declared the winner, and Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (Ant & Dec) were asked to return their 2005 award.[13]

Charged by the awards show with investigating the allegations of irregularities, the independent law firm Olswang summarized its findings as follows: "Robbie Williams was invited to present an award. It was understood that he would be happy [to do so] if the recipients were Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly. In order to ensure his attendance, this assurance was given. But it could not be definitively established that Williams' involvement led to the wrong winner being announced" [italics added].[13]

Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway did however receive the People's Choice Award at the British Comedy Awards 2006.[14]

Phone-in scandal[]

Beginning on 26 July 2007, British tabloid newspapers reported the alleged involvement of the British Comedy Awards in the 2007 British television phone-in scandal. ITV announced that they postponed the British Comedy Awards 2007 due to the voting irregularities. In a statement, the company said: "Pending conclusion of the investigation, broadcast of the British Comedy Awards 2007 will be postponed. ... ITV will not make any further comment regarding this matter until the conclusion of the investigation."[15][16]

It was announced on 21 September 2007 that the British Comedy Awards 2007 would not be screened by ITV1; however, it was not confirmed then that the Awards would still take place in December, and it was not ruled out that they could be screened by another channel.[16] The 2007 awards did take place on 5 December 2007, but that show was not televised. In early May 2008 Ofcom announced its fining and sanctioning ITV plc in a press release.[2]

On 15 August 2008, it was announced that a similar scandal could have been committed in the award ceremony at the 2004 Awards.[17]

Following The Russell Brand Show prank calls row and his 12-week unpaid suspension from all of his BBC shows, Jonathan Ross resigned from presenting the 2008 awards, in agreement with ITV, as he did not want to "take away from the awards themselves or the many talented winners of the awards." Angus Deayton replaced Jonathan Ross as the host of the British Comedy Awards.[6] Ross returned to presenting the awards in 2009.

Winners[]

1990[]

  • Best new TV comedy: Drop the Dead Donkey
  • Top TV comedy actor: David Jason
  • Top TV comedy actress: Jean Boht
  • Top TV comedy newcomer: Pauline Quirke
  • Top British film actor: Griff Rhys Jones
  • Top British film actress: Pauline Collins
  • Top live stand up: Victoria Wood
  • Top British TV comedy: A Bit of a Do
  • Top ITV/C4 sitcom: A Bit of a Do
  • Top BBC sitcom: Only Fools and Horses
  • Top US sitcom: Cheers
  • Top entertainment performer: Rowan Atkinson
  • Top variety act: Russ Abbot
  • Top comedy film: Shirley Valentine
  • Top radio comedy: Victor Lewis-Smith
  • Best stage comedy newcomer: Mike Doyle
  • WGGB Award For Top Comedy Writer: David Nobbs
  • Lifetime achievement award for stage: Norman Wisdom
  • Lifetime achievement award for radio: Roy Hudd
  • Lifetime achievement award for film comedy: Peter Rogers (Carry On films producer)
  • Lifetime achievement award: Ronnie Barker

1991[]

1992[]

  • Best new TV comedy: Bottom
  • Best TV comedy actor: David Jason (The Darling Buds of May)
  • Best TV comedy actress: Stephanie Cole (Waiting For God)
  • Best TV comedy newcomer: Alan Cumming (Bernard and the Genie)
  • Top TV comedy personality: Paul Merton
  • Top variety performer: Les Dawson
  • Best sitcom: One Foot in the Grave
  • Best ITV comedy: Men Behaving Badly
  • Best BBC sitcom: One Foot in the Grave
  • Best C4 sitcom: Desmonds
  • Best TV comedy drama: Murder Most Horrid
  • Best C4 personality: Chris Evans
  • Best comedy film: Hear My Song
  • Top comedy club performer: Jo Brand
  • WGGB Award For Top Comedy Writer: David Renwick
  • Lifetime Achievement: Eric Sykes

1993[]

  • Best new TV comedy: Absolutely Fabulous
  • Best comedy actor: Rik Mayall (Rik Mayall Presents)
  • Best comedy actress: Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous)
  • Top TV comedy newcomer: Steve Coogan
  • Top C4 entertainment presenter: Chris Evans
  • Best radio comedy: Knowing Me, Knowing You
  • Top variety entertainer: Ken Dodd
  • Best entertainment series: Barrymore
  • Best BBC sitcom: One Foot in the Grave
  • Best ITV sitcom: Watching
  • Best C4 sitcom: Drop The Dead Donkey
  • Best TV comedy drama: The Snapper
  • Top TV personality: Joanna Lumley
  • Top female performer: Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French
  • Best comedy film: Groundhog Day
  • Top stand-up: Eddie Izzard
  • WGGB Award For Top Comedy Writer: Richard Curtis
  • Lifetime achievement award: Ken Dodd

1994[]

1995[]

1996[]

1997[]

  • Best comedy show: The Fast Show
  • Best new TV comedy: The Harry Hill Show
  • Best TV comedy actor: David Jason (Only Fools and Horses)
  • Best TV comedy actress: Dawn French (Vicar of Dibley)
  • Top comedy newcomer: Graham Norton
  • Best C4 sitcom: Father Ted
  • Top BBC1 personality: Caroline Aherne
  • Top ITV personality: Cilla Black
  • Top BBC2/C4 personality: Paul Whitehouse
  • Best radio comedy: People Like Us
  • Best comedy film: The Full Monty
  • Cockburn's funniest comedy moment: Only Fools and Horses
  • Best international comedy: The Larry Sanders show
  • Best BBC sitcom: One Foot in the Grave Christmas Special
  • Best ITV sitcom: Faith in the Future
  • Best Channel 4 sitcom: Father Ted Christmas Special
  • Best BBC comedy drama: The Missing Postman
  • Best ITV comedy drama: Cold Feet
  • Best children's comedy: My Dad's A Boring Nerd
  • Best entertainment programme: An Evening With Lily Savage
  • Top stand-up comic: Jack Dee
  • People's Choice: Only Fools and Horses
  • WGGB achievement award: Ray Galton and Alan Simpson
  • Lifetime achievement award: Stanley Baxter

1998[]

1999[]

2000[]

2001[]

  • Best TV comedy: One Foot in the Grave
  • Best new TV comedy: The Office
  • Best TV comedy actor: Rob Brydon (Human Remains)
  • Best TV comedy actress: Ronni Ancona
  • Best comedy newcomer: Johnny Vegas
  • Best comedy entertainment personality: Frank Skinner
  • Best TV comedy drama: Bob and Rose
  • Best comedy entertainment programme: So Graham Norton
  • Best international comedy TV show: Seinfeld
  • Best radio comedy: Dead Ringers
  • Best comedy film: Best in Show
  • Best live stand-up: Victoria Wood (Award not presented on night)
  • The AOL people's choice: Cold Feet (Voted by viewing audience)
  • Writer of the year: Russell T Davies
  • Lifetime achievement award: David Jason

2002[]

2003[]

2004[]

2005[]

2006[]

2007[]

2008[]

2009[]

  • Best Comedy Entertainment Programme: Harry Hill's TV Burp
  • Best Situation Comedy: Outnumbered
  • Best New British TV Comedy: Psychoville
  • Best Comedy Panel Show: Have I Got News for You
  • Best TV Comedy Drama: Pulling Special
  • Outstanding Contribution to British Comedy: Peter Kay
  • Best Television Comedy Actress: Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd)
  • Best Television Comedy Actor: Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners)
  • Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Harry Hill
  • Ronnie Barker Award: Graham Linehan
  • Best Comedy Film: In the Loop
  • Best Live Standup Performer: Michael McIntyre
  • Best British Comedy: Outnumbered
  • British Lifetime Achievement Award: Terry Wogan
  • Best Male Comedy Newcomer: Charlie Brooker (You Have Been Watching)
  • Best Female Comedy Newcomer: Ramona Marquez (Outnumbered)
  • Best Sketch Show: Harry and Paul

2010[]

  • Best Comedy Entertainment Programme: Newswipe
  • Best Comedy Panel Show: Would I Lie To You?
  • Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Harry Hill
  • Best Male TV Comic: Michael McIntyre
  • Best Female TV Comic: Jo Brand
  • British Comedy Academy Lifetime Achievement Award: Roy Clarke
  • Best New British TV Comedy: Miranda
  • Best Male Comedy Breakthrough Artist: John Bishop
  • Best Female Comedy Breakthrough Artist: Samantha Spiro (Grandma's House)
  • Best Sketch Show: Horrible Histories
  • Best Sitcom: The Inbetweeners
  • Writers' Guild Of Great Britain Award: Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong
  • Best TV Comedy Actor: Peter Capaldi
  • Best TV Comedy Actress: Miranda Hart
  • Best Comedy Performance in a British Film: Kayvan Novak
  • People's Choice Award for the King Or Queen Of Comedy 2010: Miranda Hart

2011[]

  • Best Comedy Entertainment Programme: Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle[21]
  • Best Comedy Panel Show: Shooting Stars
  • Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Graham Norton
  • Best Male TV Comic: Stewart Lee
  • Best Female TV Comic: Victoria Wood
  • British Comedy Academy Lifetime Achievement Award: Have I Got News For You
  • Best New Comedy Programme: Fresh Meat
  • Best Sketch Show: Horrible Histories
  • Best Sitcom: Twenty Twelve
  • Best Comedy Drama: Psychoville
  • British Comedy Academy Outstanding Achievement: The Inbetweeners[22]
  • Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist: Angelos Neil Epithemiou
  • Writers' Guild Of Great Britain Award: Armando Iannucci
  • Best TV Comedy Actor: Darren Boyd
  • Best TV Comedy Actress: Miranda Hart
  • People's Choice Award for the King or Queen of Comedy 2011: Sarah Millican
  • Channel 4 Award for Special Contribution to Comedy: Lee Evans

2012[]

  • Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Charlie Brooker
  • Best Sitcom: Hunderby
  • Best Male Television Comic: Lee Mack
  • Best Comedy Entertainment Programme: Harry Hill's TV Burp
  • Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist: Morgana Robinson
  • Best TV Comedy Actress: Rebecca Front
  • Best New Comedy Programme: Hunderby
  • Best Female Television Comic: Jo Brand
  • Best Sketch Show: Cardinal Burns
  • People's Choice Award for the King or Queen of Comedy 2012: Jack Whitehall
  • Writers' Guild Award: Reeves and Mortimer
  • Best TV Comedy Actor: Peter Capaldi
  • British Comedy Academy Outstanding Achievement Award: Sacha Baron Cohen

2013[]

The 2013 awards were presented at a two-hour ceremony hosted by Jonathan Ross on 12 December and shown live on Channel 4.[23][24]

  • Best Comedy Panel Show: Would I Lie to You?
  • Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Alan Carr
  • Best Sitcom: Getting On
  • Best Male Television Comic: Lee Mack
  • Best Comedy Entertainment Programme: The Graham Norton Show
  • Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist: Adam Hills
  • Best TV Comedy Actress: Miranda Hart
  • Best New Comedy Programme: Plebs
  • Best Female Television Comic: Nina Conti
  • Best Sketch Show: Harry & Paul
  • People's Choice Award for the King or Queen of Comedy 2013: Jack Whitehall
  • Writers' Guild Award: Paul Whitehouse
  • Best TV Comedy Actor: Jack Whitehall
  • British Comedy Academy Outstanding Achievement Award: Steve Coogan
  • British Comedy International Achievement: Will Ferrell

2014[]

See also[]

Ratings[]

Ratings from BARB.[25]

Airdate Viewers
(millions)		 Overnight share
12 December 1998 7.83
18 December 1999 6.59
16 December 2000 7.62
15 December 2001 6.29
14 December 2002 6.05
10 December 2003 7.24
22 December 2004 5.99
14 December 2005 5.61
13 December 2006 5.17
6 December 2008 4.07
12 December 2009 5.02
22 January 2010 2.72
16 December 2011 1.87
12 December 2012 1.98
12 December 2013 1.48
17 December 2014 1.35

Notes[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Ben Dowell (22 October 2007). "News: Media: Comedy Awards Firm Angry at ITV". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c OFCOM (8 May 2008). "Ofcom Fines ITV plc for Misconduct in Viewer Competitions and Voting". OFCOM press release. ofcom.org.uk. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "British Comedy Awards". 2008. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
  4. ^ "Unique Media". Unique Communications Group. uniquecomms.com (About Us). 2008. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
  5. ^ Tim Cooper (8 January 2007). "The Man Who Has Kept Britain Laughing for Half a Century". The Independent. independent.co.uk. Retrieved 13 May 2008. He started the British Comedy Awards and gave Cilla Black 'the bollocking of her life'. As Michael Hurll marks his half-century in broadcasting, he tells Tim Cooper the secrets of keeping stars sweet.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Tara Conlan (31 October 2008). "Jonathan Ross pulls out of hosting British Comedy Awards". The Guardian. guardian.co.uk/media. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
  7. ^ "The British Comedy Awards - The British Comedy Awards - History". www.britishcomedyawards.com. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  8. ^ ITV plc. "Responsible Programming". ITV plc. itvplc.com. Archived from the original on 21 March 2006. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
  9. ^ ITV plc. "Responsibility in the Programme Lifecycle: Broadcast". ITV plc. itvplc.com. Retrieved 12 May 2008.[dead link]
  10. ^ ITV plc. "Responsibility in the Programme Lifecycle: Post Broadcast". ITV plc. itvplc.com. Retrieved 12 May 2008.[dead link]
  11. ^ Solutions, Powder Blue Internet Business. "C4 drops British Comedy Awards". Chortle.
  12. ^ "Past Winners: 2005". People's Choice Awards at the British Comedy Awards. britishcomedyawards.com (official site). 2005. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Ant and Dec Return Comedy Prize". BBC News. bbc.co.uk. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 11 May 2008. Ant and Dec are reportedly appalled at the error over the prize [photo caption]. ... TV presenters Ant and Dec are to return a prize they were awarded at the 2005 British Comedy Awards after ITV revealed that they did not win. ... The Catherine Tate Show collected more votes for the People's Choice Awards, an independent report on the affair says. ... It is thought that presenter Robbie Williams had been given assurances that Ant and Dec were the winners. ... The deception emerged as media watchdog Ofcom fined ITV £5.68m over its use of premium rate phone lines. ... ITV gave details of the incident as part of a statement responding to the record fine.
    Further information: British Comedy Awards 2005 § People's Choice Award
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b "People's Choice Award 2006". British Comedy Awards 2006. britishcomedyawards.com. 2006. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
  15. ^ "ITV Axes British Comedy Awards". Sky News. sky.com. 21 September 2007. Archived from the original on 20 October 2007. Retrieved 11 May 2008. ITV is to drop the British Comedy Awards following the discovery of alleged phone vote irregularities in a previous show.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b "ITV Drops British Comedy Awards". BBC News. bbc.co.uk. 21 September 2007. Retrieved 11 May 2008. ITV will not screen this year's British Comedy Awards after reportedly finding irregularities with phone voting. ... The problem happened during the 2005 awards show, according to the broadcaster, which has called in law firm Olswang to investigate. ... ITV refused to give details and said it would not comment further until the investigation was concluded. ... But the ceremony is still set to go ahead in December and could be aired by another channel.
  17. ^ Conlan, Tara (15 August 2008). "ITV company faces fine over a second British Comedy Awards deception". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 August 2008.
  18. ^ "Ant and Dec Return Comedy Prize". BBC News. bbc.co.uk. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 11 May 2008. Ant and Dec are reportedly appalled at the error over the prize [photo caption]. ... TV presenters Ant and Dec are to return a prize they were awarded at the 2005 British Comedy Awards after ITV revealed that they did not win. ... The Catherine Tate Show collected more votes for the People's Choice Awards, an independent report on the affair says. ... It is thought that presenter Robbie Williams had been given assurances that Ant and Dec were the winners. ... The deception emerged as media watchdog Ofcom fined ITV £5.68m over its use of premium rate phone lines. ... ITV gave details of the incident as part of a statement responding to the record fine.
    Further information: British Comedy Awards 2005 § People's Choice Award
  19. ^ Janine Gibson (18 October 2007). "ITV Call-TV Deception: Deliberate, Routine and Editorial". Guardian Unlimited. blogs.guardian.co.uk (OrganGrinder, MediaGuardian). Retrieved 12 May 2008. Michael Grade promised zero tolerance of viewer deception, but ITV's response to the Deloitte report is not good enough.
  20. ^ "The Winners: 2007". British Comedy Awards. britishcomedyawards.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
  21. ^ "The British Comedy Awards - Past Winners". Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  22. ^ "The Inbetweeners".
  23. ^ "British Comedy Awards: List of winners in full". The Independent. 12 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  24. ^ "Jo Brand wins best sitcom for Getting On at the British Comedy Awards". Guardian. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  25. ^ "Weekly top 30 programmes on TV sets (July 1998 – Sept 2018) | BARB".

External links[]

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