Comedian Russell Kane has won this year’s prestigious Best Comedy Show on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the Fosters Comedy Awards with his show Smokescreens and Castles. Roisin Conaty was crowned Best Newcomer at today's ceremony in the Spiegeltent in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens.
There were gasps, as well as cheers when Al Murray, a former winner himself, announced the largely unexpected winner, leaving the strongly tipped Bo Burnham to settle for the Panel award and leaving other fancied nominees, Josie Long, Greg Davies, and Sarah Millican empty handed.
Nica Burns the producer of the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards, said: “Following in the footsteps of Al Murray with a hugely popular win on the third consecutive nomination, Russell Kane takes the audience by storm with his boundless energy and enthusiasm. An extremely funny show from a very talented comic.”
Established in 1981, comedy awards formerly known as The Perriers are now in their 30th year, and for the first time are sponsored by drinks manufacturer Fosters.
Last year the winner for Best Comedy Show was Tim Key, and winners in years before that were David O’ Doherty (2008), Brendon Burns (2007), Phil Nichol (2006) and Laura Solon (2005).
Meanwhile the other nominations for the Best Newcomer award included Asher Treleaven, Imran Yusuf, The Boy with Tape on His Face, Gareth Richards, Late Night Gimp Fight and Roisin Conaty.
In 2009 the winner for Best Newcomer was Jonny Sweet, with the winners before that being Sarah Millican (2008, now nominated for the main awards), Tom Basden (2007), Josie Long (2006) and Tim Minchin (2005).
Other notable winners of the Best Comedy Show award in the past have included The League of Gentlemen, Dylan Moran, Lee Evans, Steve Coogan and The Cambridge Footlights (which included Stephen Fry, Hugh Lawrie and Emma Thompson).
STV FRINGE COVERAGE
- Review: Josie Long put honourable intentions to good use at Fringe
- Video preview of Bo's show: see for yourself what the fuss is about
- Interview: Bo Burnham talks to STV about the Edinburgh Fringe and his career
- Review: Bo Burnham's Words, Words, Words
- Plus check out our reviews, interviews and other coverage in our Edinburgh Festivals section
