The search for Britain's hottest new comedian has brought us to Bangor, the oldest city in Wales and one of the smallest cities in the UK. Our venue is Pontio Theatre, an ultra-cool arts and innovation centre right in the middle of Bangor University’s main arts building, which, for one night only, has been transformed into our very own comedy club.\n\nOur host for the evening is north Wales’s own Kiri Pritchard McLean. The multi-award-winning stand-up comedian, writer and satirist kicks off the night with a bit of local banter before bringing on the five acts.\n\nJudging their performances are former New Comedy Awards alumni, comedian, writer and producer Sikisa, and flying the flag for Wales is Barry Island’s finest, comedian and actor Mike Bubbins. Head judge Josh Pugh completes the trio.\n\nIt’s not going to be easy to pick a winner from Ben Pollard, Sam Williams, Alex Gibbon, Leah Davies and Frankie Monroe, aka Joe Kent-Walters, whose sets are jam packed with jokes and cutting-edge material - but only one can go through to the Grand Final in Glasgow’s prestigious King's Theatre.\n\nThis is the final of six heats taking place across the UK – Bethnal Green, Nottingham, Sunderland, Leith and Ballymena have all played host to this year's comedy showdowns.\n\nThe BBC New Comedy Awards is unearthing a rich and broad range of brand-new comedy stars of the future from all corners of the country.
Source: BBC 1
2024: 7. The Final
The BBC’s big comedy talent search, the New Comedy Awards, has reached its climax. Over a thousand applied, more than 100 went head-to-head at showcases across the country ...
13-11-2024
BBC 1
2024: 6. Northern Heat: Lancaster
Over a thousand applied. One hundred and twenty battled it out in regional showcases. Thirty made it through to the televised heats. In this episode, five cutting-edge comics ...
09-11-2024
BBC 1
2024: 5. Scotland: Paisley
The BBC’s big comedy talent search heads north to Scotland and the iconic Paisley Town Hall, which, following a multi-million-pound revamp, has been transformed into a wor ...
05-11-2024
BBC 1
2024: 4. Northern Irish Heat: Belfast
The BBC’s big comedy talent search heads to Northern Ireland and the capital, Belfast, where five hopefuls will battle it out to book their place in Birmingham for the gra ...
28-10-2024
BBC 1
2024: 3. Southern Heat: Crofton Park
We head to sunny south London and the remarkable Rivoli Ballrooms, a world-famous venue that’s dripping in original vintage décor. Designed by Henley Attwater in 19 ...
21-10-2024
BBC 1
2024: 2. Wales And West - Pontypridd
We’ve travelled to the heart of the south Wales valleys to Pontypridd and Y Muni, a multipurpose, fully accessible live music and comedy venue. Louie McLean, Suri Ashish, ...
21-10-2024
BBC 1
2024: 1. Midlands Heat: Leicester
Over a thousand applied. One hundred battled it out in regional showcases. Thirty made it through to the televised heats. Five budding comedians will perform, but only one can g ...
21-10-2024
BBC 1
2023: 7. The Final
The BBC’s foremost comedy talent search, The New Comedy Awards, has reached its climax. Over 1,000 applied, more than 100 went head-to-head at showcases across the country ...
15-11-2023
BBC 1
2023: Episode 6
The search for Britain's hottest new comedian has brought us to Bangor, the oldest city in Wales and one of the smallest cities in the UK. Our venue is Pontio Theatre, an ultra- ...
13-11-2023
BBC 1
2023: Episode 5
Five hopefuls will battle it out for a place in the BBC One Grand Final at Kings Theatre, Glasgow, where one will be crowned the BBC New Comedian of 2023.\n\nWe head to Nottingh ...
05-11-2023
BBC 1
2024: 6. Northern Heat: Lancaster
Over a thousand applied. One hundred and twenty battled it out in regional showcases. Thirty made it through to the televised heats. In this episode, five cutting-edge comics ...
09-11-2024
BBC 1
2023: Episode 3
The BBC’s big comedy talent search, the New Comedy Awards, is scouring the country to uncover the hottest new stand-ups. We head to Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ir ...
24-10-2023
BBC 1
2024: 7. The Final
The BBC’s big comedy talent search, the New Comedy Awards, has reached its climax. Over a thousand applied, more than 100 went head-to-head at showcases across the country ...
13-11-2024
BBC 1
2023: Episode 5
Five hopefuls will battle it out for a place in the BBC One Grand Final at Kings Theatre, Glasgow, where one will be crowned the BBC New Comedian of 2023.\n\nWe head to Nottingh ...
05-11-2023
BBC 1
2022: 5. Middlesbrough
The New Comedy Awards heads to Middlesbrough, where five hopefuls - Elaine Robertson, Matty Oxley, Vidura Rajapaksa, Chelsea Birkby and Dan Tiernan - battle it out for a place i ...
25-10-2022
BBC 1
2023: 7. The Final
The BBC’s foremost comedy talent search, The New Comedy Awards, has reached its climax. Over 1,000 applied, more than 100 went head-to-head at showcases across the country ...
15-11-2023
BBC 1
2023: Episode 1
It’s been a bumper year for the BBC’s biggest comedy talent search, with over 1200 applying for the coveted title of BBC New Comedian 2023. In this episode, five hop ...
10-10-2023
BBC 1
2022: Episode 2
From over 1,000 entries, 30 fresh new comedians have been selected from across the UK to battle it out over a series of six heats to secure their place in the grand final of the ...
06-10-2022
BBC 1
2023: Episode 2
The BBC New Comedy Awards is a nationwide talent search to find the best new stand-ups. Since they first began in 1995, the prestigious awards have helped launch the careers of ...
17-10-2023
BBC 1
2021: 2. Wolverhampton
Tonight's heat comes from Light House, a cinema, gallery and media hub for Wolverhampton and the surrounding areas. Darren Harriott is our host for the evening, and the five hop ...
20-10-2021
BBC 1