The North West Comedy Awards were set up to honour and reward the comedic talents that can be found in North West England

North West England

North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...

. They have been running since 2004 and in their short time have honoured Peter Kay

Peter Kay

Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...

, Rob Brydon

Rob Brydon

Rob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...

, Johnny Vegas

Johnny Vegas

Johnny Vegas is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his angry rants, portly figure, high husky voice and support of St Helens rugby league club. More recently he has moved into dramatic acting.-Early life:He was born in St Helens, Lancashire, the youngest of four children of Laurence...

, Alan Carr

Alan Carr

Alan Carr is an English comedian and television personality. Born in Weymouth, he was raised in Northampton before moving to Manchester during his early 20's....

 & John Bishop

John Bishop (comedian)

John Joseph Bishop is an award-winning comedian.His television debut came on The Panel. As an actor, he has appeared in the E4 teen drama Skins as Mr Fitch, father of twins, Katie and Emily and in the Ken Loach film Route Irish...

. The categories not only recognize Stand Up Comedy, but they also feature local television and radio talent. Annually they handout the Les Dawson

Les Dawson

Leslie "Les" Dawson was a popular English comedian remembered for his deadpan style, curmudgeonly persona and jokes about his mother-in-law and wife.-Life and career:...

 Award which recognizes individuals for their efforts in producing, performing and promoting Stand Up Comedy in the North West of England.

2004 Winners

Presiding as Master of Ceremonies were Patrick McGuinness

Patrick McGuinness

Patrick Joseph "Paddy" McGuinness is an English stand-up comedian, comedy actor, television personality and presenter. Born in Farnworth, Bolton, he is best known for his performances alongside comedian Peter Kay, and as the host of dating programme Take Me Out.-Early life:He attended Mount St....

, Steve Edge

Steve Edge

Steve Edge is an English actor, writer and former stand-up comedian. He is most famous for his work on Phoenix Nights, The Cup, The Visit, Peep Show and the satirical magazine show Star Stories....

 & Archie Kelly of Phoenix Nights fame. Celebrity presenters were Noddy Holder

Noddy Holder

Neville John "Noddy" Holder MBE is an English musician and actor. He was the lead vocalist and guitarist with the rock band Slade....

, Johnny Vegas

Johnny Vegas

Johnny Vegas is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his angry rants, portly figure, high husky voice and support of St Helens rugby league club. More recently he has moved into dramatic acting.-Early life:He was born in St Helens, Lancashire, the youngest of four children of Laurence...

 & Ted Robbins

Ted Robbins

Ted Robbins is an English comedian, actor, broadcaster, radio DJ, radio personality, voice-over artist and television personalityRobbins currently presents a morning show on BBC Radio Lancashire from 9am - 11am on weekdays....

.

The Winners were as follows:

Best Comedy Content In A Radio Show

• BBC GMR'S Michelle Around Midnight

Best Breakthrough Act In Comedy

• Seymour Mace

Best Stand Up on the North West Comedy Circuit

• John Bishop
  John Bishop (comedian)
  John Joseph Bishop is an award-winning comedian.His television debut came on The Panel. As an actor, he has appeared in the E4 teen drama Skins as Mr Fitch, father of twins, Katie and Emily and in the Ken Loach film Route Irish...
  
  

Best Comedic Performance on Film & TV

• Mark Benton
  Mark Benton
  Mark Benton is an English actor, perhaps most famous for his roles as Eddie in Early Doors and Howard in Northern Lights.-Life and career:Benton was born in Guisborough, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England....
  
   for Early Doors
  Early Doors
  Early Doors is a BBC sitcom written by Craig Cash and Phil Mealey who also appear in the series playing best friends Joe and Duffy. The setting is The Grapes, a small public house in Greater Manchester, where daily life revolves around the issues of love, loneliness and blocked urinals...
  
  

Best Comedic Performance in Soap

• Alex Carter
  Alex Carter (British actor)
  Alex Carter is an English actor and radio presenter.Carter got his TV break in 1999 when he was cast as Craig Harrison in 9 episodes of the Sunday evening drama Where the Heart Is. He then had a small walk on role in Coronation Street...
  
   for Hollyoaks
  Hollyoaks
  Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
  
  

Best Comedy Club

• XS Malarkey
  XS Malarkey
  XS Malarkey is an award winning, not for profit comedy club in Fallowfield, Manchester.It is promoted and compered by the comedian and actor Toby Hadoke, and runs every Tuesday night. In 2007, a Guardian article described XS Malarkey as a "great example of how a club should be run"...
  
  

Best Touring Comedy Production/Show

• Peter Kay
  Peter Kay
  Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
  
   "Mum wants a bungalow" tour

Best Comedic Writing

• Craig Cash
  Craig Cash
  Craig Cash is an English comedy actor, BAFTA award-winning writer and also a director.-Biography:Cash is best known for playing slightly dull and dopey working-class northern men, particularly Dave Best in the hugely successful BBC sitcom The Royle Family, which he co-wrote with Caroline Aherne...
  
   & Phil Mealey
  Phil Mealey
  -Biography:Mealy co-wrote and associate-produced the BBC comedy series Early Doors with Craig Cash. Mealey also acted in the show, playing the character Duffy. Cash and Mealey won two North West Comedy Awards in 2005 for the writing and acting on the show....
  
   for Early Doors
  Early Doors
  Early Doors is a BBC sitcom written by Craig Cash and Phil Mealey who also appear in the series playing best friends Joe and Duffy. The setting is The Grapes, a small public house in Greater Manchester, where daily life revolves around the issues of love, loneliness and blocked urinals...
  
  

Les Dawson Award for services to Comedy

• Agraman (for his efforts to the Buzz Club and beyond

2005 Winners

The Master of ceremonies for the 2005 was comedian and Coronation Streets Bradley Walsh. The gala black tie event was held in Manchester city centre

Manchester City Centre

Manchester city centre is the central business district of Manchester, England. It lies within the Manchester Inner Ring Road, next to the River Irwell...

 at the Hotel Piccadilly. In attendance were Dave Spikey

Dave Spikey

Dave Spikey is an English comedian, actor, writer and film producer, currently residing in Chorley, Lancashire....

 and Johnny Vegas

Johnny Vegas

Johnny Vegas is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his angry rants, portly figure, high husky voice and support of St Helens rugby league club. More recently he has moved into dramatic acting.-Early life:He was born in St Helens, Lancashire, the youngest of four children of Laurence...

 and stars from Coronation Street

Coronation Street

Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...

 and Hollyoaks

Hollyoaks

Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...

.

The family of the late Les Dawson

Les Dawson

Leslie "Les" Dawson was a popular English comedian remembered for his deadpan style, curmudgeonly persona and jokes about his mother-in-law and wife.-Life and career:...

 were also there. Dawson's widow Tracy and his youngest daughter Charlotte were on hand to present the much coveted Les Dawson Award for services to Comedy. Speaking at the event Baby Cow Production's Ric Michael who was also a judge said " the winner of each category shows the range and quality of talent on offer in the North West and long may it continue".

The Winners were:

Best Breakthrough in Comedy

• Keith Carter
  Keith Carter (comedian)
  Keith Carter is an award winning Liverpool-based comedian, writer, and actor, best known for his comic creation Nige, a caricature of a scallie from Merseyside cited by Sir Jeremy Isaacs as being instrumental in helping Liverpool's successful 2007 Capital of Culture bid.Carter has been described as...
  
  

Best Stand up on the North West Circuit

• Alan Carr
  Alan Carr
  Alan Carr is an English comedian and television personality. Born in Weymouth, he was raised in Northampton before moving to Manchester during his early 20's....
  
  

Best Touring Comedy Production/Show

• Rob Brydon
  Rob Brydon
  Rob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...
  
  

Best Comedic Performance in Soap

• Alex Carter
  Alex Carter (British actor)
  Alex Carter is an English actor and radio presenter.Carter got his TV break in 1999 when he was cast as Craig Harrison in 9 episodes of the Sunday evening drama Where the Heart Is. He then had a small walk on role in Coronation Street...
  
   for Hollyoaks
  Hollyoaks
  Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
  
  

Best Comedic Performance on Film & Television

• Entire Cast of Early Doors
  Early Doors
  Early Doors is a BBC sitcom written by Craig Cash and Phil Mealey who also appear in the series playing best friends Joe and Duffy. The setting is The Grapes, a small public house in Greater Manchester, where daily life revolves around the issues of love, loneliness and blocked urinals...
  
  

Best Comedic Writing

• Craig Cash
  Craig Cash
  Craig Cash is an English comedy actor, BAFTA award-winning writer and also a director.-Biography:Cash is best known for playing slightly dull and dopey working-class northern men, particularly Dave Best in the hugely successful BBC sitcom The Royle Family, which he co-wrote with Caroline Aherne...
  
   and Phil Mealey
  Phil Mealey
  -Biography:Mealy co-wrote and associate-produced the BBC comedy series Early Doors with Craig Cash. Mealey also acted in the show, playing the character Duffy. Cash and Mealey won two North West Comedy Awards in 2005 for the writing and acting on the show....
  
   for Early Doors
  Early Doors
  Early Doors is a BBC sitcom written by Craig Cash and Phil Mealey who also appear in the series playing best friends Joe and Duffy. The setting is The Grapes, a small public house in Greater Manchester, where daily life revolves around the issues of love, loneliness and blocked urinals...
  
  

Best Comedy Club

• XS Malarkey
  XS Malarkey
  XS Malarkey is an award winning, not for profit comedy club in Fallowfield, Manchester.It is promoted and compered by the comedian and actor Toby Hadoke, and runs every Tuesday night. In 2007, a Guardian article described XS Malarkey as a "great example of how a club should be run"...
  
  

Best Comedy Content in a Radio Show

• Lee Mack
  Lee Mack
  Lee Gordon McKillop is an English stand-up comedian and actor, known by the stage name Lee Mack. He is well known in the United Kingdom for writing and starring in the sitcom Not Going Out, for being a team captain on Would I Lie to You? and for hosting Lee Mack's All Star Cast.-Personal life:Mack...
  
   for The Lee Mack Show

The Les Dawson

Les Dawson

Leslie "Les" Dawson was a popular English comedian remembered for his deadpan style, curmudgeonly persona and jokes about his mother-in-law and wife.-Life and career:...

 Award for services to comedy

• Johnny Vegas
  Johnny Vegas
  Johnny Vegas is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his angry rants, portly figure, high husky voice and support of St Helens rugby league club. More recently he has moved into dramatic acting.-Early life:He was born in St Helens, Lancashire, the youngest of four children of Laurence...
  
  

2006 Winners and Nominees

The awards were presented at the Midlands Hotel Manchester. Host for the evening was Dave Spikey

Dave Spikey

Dave Spikey is an English comedian, actor, writer and film producer, currently residing in Chorley, Lancashire....

.

Best Radio

• Civilisation by Chris Addison
  Chris Addison
  Chris Addison is an English stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is known for his lecture-style comedy shows, two of which he later adapted for BBC Radio 4...
  
   & Carl Cooper (Winner)
  • John Shuttleworth's Open Mind by Graham Fellows
    Graham Fellows
    Graham David Fellows is an English comedy actor and musician, best known for creating the characters of John Shuttleworth and Jilted John.-Early life:...
    
     (Nominee)
  • Nebulous
    Nebulous
    Nebulous is a post apocalyptic science fiction comedy radio show written by Graham Duff and produced by Ted Dowd from Baby Cow Productions; it is directed by Nicholas Briggs. The series premiered in the United Kingdom on BBC Radio 4...
    
     by Graham Duff
    Graham Duff
    -Life and Work:Graham Duff is an English writer, actor and producer. He was born in Blackburn, Lancashire and currently resides in Brighton on the south coast of England. He attended and graduated from the University of Brighton. His work for TV and radio is typified by intricate plotting, large...
    
     (Nominee)
  • The Cavity Within by Jim Poyser (Nominee)

Best Break-through

• Sarah Millican
  Sarah Millican
  Sarah Millican is an English stand-up comedian. Millican won the if.comedy award for Best Newcomer at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.-Career:...
  
   (Winner)
  • Vince Atta (Nominee)
  • Dave Longley (Nominee)
  • Daliso Chaponda (Nominee)

Best Stand-Up

• Jason Manford
  Jason Manford
  Jason John Manford is an English comedian, television presenter and actor.- Early life :Manford was born to an Irish family in Salford, Greater Manchester, a son of Sharon , who is a Catholic and Ian Manford. He grew up in poverty in a terraced house in Manchester...
  
   (Winner)
  • Jim Jeffries
    Jim Jeffries (comedian)
    Geoffery James Nugent, aka Jim Jeffries is an Australian stand-up comedian .-Early life:...
    
     (Nominee)
  • Mick Ferry (Nominee)
  • Steve Hughes
    Steve Hughes
    Steve Hughes is an Australian musician and stand-up comedian.-Music career:In the early 1980s he formed the Sydney thrash metal band Slaughter Lord, who recorded some demos before disbanding. Hughes then joined Mortal Sin in 1989 and stayed with them until 1991...
    
     (Nominee)

Best Comedy Venue

• Frog & Bucket (Winner)
  • XS Malarkey
    XS Malarkey
    XS Malarkey is an award winning, not for profit comedy club in Fallowfield, Manchester.It is promoted and compered by the comedian and actor Toby Hadoke, and runs every Tuesday night. In 2007, a Guardian article described XS Malarkey as a "great example of how a club should be run"...
    
     (Nominee)
  • Rawhide (Nominee)
  • Comedy Store (Nominee)

Writers

• Craig Cash
  Craig Cash
  Craig Cash is an English comedy actor, BAFTA award-winning writer and also a director.-Biography:Cash is best known for playing slightly dull and dopey working-class northern men, particularly Dave Best in the hugely successful BBC sitcom The Royle Family, which he co-wrote with Caroline Aherne...
  
  /Caroline Aherne
  Caroline Aherne
  Caroline Mary Aherne is an English comedian and BAFTA winning writer and actress, best known for Mrs Merton and The Royle Family.- Background :...
  
  /Phil Mealey
  Phil Mealey
  -Biography:Mealy co-wrote and associate-produced the BBC comedy series Early Doors with Craig Cash. Mealey also acted in the show, playing the character Duffy. Cash and Mealey won two North West Comedy Awards in 2005 for the writing and acting on the show....
  
   for The Royle Family
  The Royle Family
  The Royle Family is a popular, BAFTA award-winning television comedy drama produced by Granada Television for the BBC, which ran for three series between 1998 and 2000, and specials from 2006 onwards...
  
   (Winner)
  • Graham Duff
    Graham Duff
    -Life and Work:Graham Duff is an English writer, actor and producer. He was born in Blackburn, Lancashire and currently resides in Brighton on the south coast of England. He attended and graduated from the University of Brighton. His work for TV and radio is typified by intricate plotting, large...
    
     for Ideal
    Ideal (TV series)
    Ideal is a British comedy-drama, or dark comedy originally broadcast on digital channel BBC Three, created by Graham Duff and produced by BBC Comedy North and Baby Cow Productions. It stars Johnny Vegas as small-time cannabis dealer Moz....
    
     (Nominee)
  • Frank Cottrell-Boyce for A Cock and Bull Story
    A Cock and Bull Story
    A Cock and Bull Story is a 2006 British comedy film directed by Michael Winterbottom...
    
     (Nominee)
  • Steve Coogan
    Steve Coogan
    Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
    
    /Neil MacLennan for Saxondale
    Saxondale
    Saxondale is a British television situation comedy programme, starring Steve Coogan and co-written by Steve Coogan and Neil Maclennan. The series is directed by Matt Lipsey and produced by Ted Dowd. Coogan and Henry Normal served as executive producers...
    
     (Nominee)

Best Comedic Performance

• David Threlfall
  David Threlfall
  David Threlfall is an English stage, film and television actor and director best known for playing Frank Gallagher in Channel 4's Manchester-based drama series Shameless. He has also directed several episodes of the show.-Early life:...
  
   for Shameless (Winner)
  • Roy Barraclough
    Roy Barraclough
    Roy Barraclough MBE is a comic actor. He is best known for his role as the shifty, lugubrious landlord of the Rovers Return, Alec Gilroy in the long-running British TV soap Coronation Street where he formed an on-screen partnership with Bet Lynch .- Career :Roy Barraclough...
    
     for Funland
    Funland
    Funland is a comedy / thriller serial, produced by the BBC that was first screened from Sunday 23 October 2005 to Monday 7 November 2005 , on the digital channel BBC Three...
    
     (Nominee)
  • Johnny Vegas
    Johnny Vegas
    Johnny Vegas is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his angry rants, portly figure, high husky voice and support of St Helens rugby league club. More recently he has moved into dramatic acting.-Early life:He was born in St Helens, Lancashire, the youngest of four children of Laurence...
    
     for Ideal
    Ideal (TV series)
    Ideal is a British comedy-drama, or dark comedy originally broadcast on digital channel BBC Three, created by Graham Duff and produced by BBC Comedy North and Baby Cow Productions. It stars Johnny Vegas as small-time cannabis dealer Moz....
    
     (Nominee)
  • Steve Coogan
    Steve Coogan
    Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
    
     for Saxondale
    Saxondale
    Saxondale is a British television situation comedy programme, starring Steve Coogan and co-written by Steve Coogan and Neil Maclennan. The series is directed by Matt Lipsey and produced by Ted Dowd. Coogan and Henry Normal served as executive producers...
    
     (Nominee)

Best Comedic Performance in a Soap

• Anthony Cotton in Coronation Street (Winner)

The Les Dawson

Les Dawson

Leslie "Les" Dawson was a popular English comedian remembered for his deadpan style, curmudgeonly persona and jokes about his mother-in-law and wife.-Life and career:...

 Award for Services to Comedy

• Caroline Aherne
  Caroline Aherne
  Caroline Mary Aherne is an English comedian and BAFTA winning writer and actress, best known for Mrs Merton and The Royle Family.- Background :...
  
  (Winner)

External links

• Official Site for the North West Comedy Awards