Award winners recognised for their ‘gift for comedy and how to use it’

Three Scotland comedians were announced as winners at the 42nd annual Edinburgh Comedy Awards for their “gift for comedy and how to use it”.

On Saturday morning, the 2024 winners were announced at the event at Ghillie Dhu, Rutland Place, which was presented by author and presenter Richard Osman and 2023 best comedy show winner Ahir Shah.

Part of the Edinburgh Fringe, this year’s Don and Eleanor Taffner Best Comedy Show winner was Amy Gledhill for her Make Me Look Fitter on the Poster performance.

Amy Gledhill, winner of the Don and Eleanor Taffner Best Comedy Show award at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, at the Ghillie Dhu, Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jane Barlow

Joe Kent-Walters won the DLT (Donald L Taffner) Entertainment Best Newcomer Award for his Frankie Monroe: LIVE!!! show, and The Victoria Wood Award went to Rob Copland for his Gimme (One With Everything) performance.

For the first time in its 43-year history, male comedians were in the minority on the shortlist for the Best Comedy Show and Ms Gledhill is the sixth solo female comedian to win Best Comedy Show.

Nica Burns CBE, director of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, said Ms Gledhill and Mr Kent-Walters both “have a gift for comedy and have honed how best to use it”.

She added: The result: gales of laughter and very happy audiences. Their comedy speaks to everyone – they are both clearly on their way to major stardom. I predict in a few years’ time they will be household names.

Joe Kent-Walters, winner of the DLT Entertainment Best Newcomer Award at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, at the Ghillie Dhu, Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jane Barlow

“Amy Gledhill’s show is joyful, delightful and full of laughter. The panel loved the fact that she blends writing that echoes the genius of Victoria Wood combined with the magical physicality of Julie Walters.

“It is a show packed with jokes and so much heart that everyone in the audience falls utterly in love with her and has a wonderful time.

“Joe Kent-Walters has created the extraordinary character of Frankie Monroe, which is both a love letter and satirisation of a working man’s club MC. His accomplishment is such that it is hard to believe this is Joe’s first Fringe hour.”

She added: “Joe draws on a range of skills including pantomime, musical comedy and stand up to bring you into Frankie’s world.

Rob Copland winner of the Victoria Wood Award at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, at the Ghillie Dhu, Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jane Barlow

“Like many of the greats, everyone who has seen him this year will boast in future years that they saw Joe Kent-Walters’ show the year that he won Best Newcomer.

“Our 2024 winners are great comics who fill the room with jokes and laughter and appeal to all. As shown by our brilliant shortlist the standard of comedy at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe has been extraordinary.”

Nana Hughes, chair of the judging panel, said: “The Edinburgh Festival Fringe offers artists a space to be bold, original and spontaneous. A show can breakthrough and find an audience here.

“Recommendations from strangers in queues for other shows can lead to exciting new discoveries; the phrase ‘have you seen’ being uttered in late night bars, audiences lining pavements outside venues vying for tickets.

“This is the true spirit of the fringe. Our Victoria Wood Award Winner, Rob Copland, seized this spirit with both hands, in a performance which barely pauses for breath and yet ends with 10 minutes of silence.

“In only his second full year at the festival he has established himself as a cult favourite and created a legion of fans for his eccentricity and bravery.”