# Midlands Comedy Awards

The Midlands Comedy Awards are an annual awards ceremony for live comedy performers and comedy clubs based in The Midlands region of England. It also recognises achievement in online comedy. They were founded in 2014 and give out awards in eleven categories every year.

## History

The Midlands Comedy Awards were created by Birmingham-based comedian Jay Shareef in 2014, "to recognise the huge number of hard working and talented people in [the] regional comedy community".

## Rules and eligibility

The finalists for the awards are chosen by comedy clubs and media professionals from the Midlands region, and only comedians and comedy clubs based in either the East Midlands or West Midlands qualify. This means that comedians resident in The Midlands are eligible even if they are originally from elsewhere. The awards include the following counties in their definition of the Midlands region: Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Rutland, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire.
Before Brexit, the awards accepted the definition of East Midlands and West Midlands as the areas represented in the European Parliament by those constituencies.

## Winners
### 2021

Best Act
* Winner – Scott Bennett
* Runner up – Stevie Gray
* Third place – Josh Pugh
Best MC
* Winner – Jon Pearson
* Runner up – Barry Dodds
* Third place – Tommy Tomski
Breakthrough Act
* Winner – Tal Davies
* Runner up – Eric Rushton
* Third place – Kevin Daniel
Best New Act
* Winner – Ricky Balshaw
* Runner up – Josh Reynolds
* Third place – Leanne Easthope
Alternative Act
* Winner – Good Kids
* Runner up – The Boys From The All Night Chemist
* Third place – Richard Dadd
Best Live Show
* Winner – Scott Bennett - Relax
* Runner up – Jon Pearson - What Have You Been Up To?
* Third place – Richard Dadd - Tea With The Devil
Online Comedy
* Winner – Jack Kirwan
* Runner up – Scott Bennett
* Third place – Mary Flanigan
Best Comedy Club
* Winner – Hollywood Comedy Club
* Runner up – The Glee Club
* Third place – Funhouse Comedy
Best Small Club
* Winner – NCF
* Runner up – The Holly Bush
* Third place – RockCentral
Best Open Mic Show
* Winner – The Holly Bush
* Runner up – Canal House (NCF)
* Third place – Kamikaze Club
Outstanding Contribution
* Geoff Rowe (Leicester Comedy Festival)

### 2020

The awards did not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

### 2019

Best Act
* Winner – Scott Bennett
* Runner up – Josh Pugh
Best MC
* Winners (joint) – Chris Oxenbury and Tommy Tomski
* Third Place (joint) – Barry Dodds and James Cook
Rising Star
* Winner – Douglas Carter
* Runner up – Celya AB
Best New Act
* Winner – Lovell Smith
* Runner up – Tal Davies
Alternative Act
* Winners (joint) – Good Kids and Donald Mackerel
* Third Place – Roger Swift
Best Live Show
* Winner – Josh Pugh
* Runners up (joint) – Parapod Live and Thomas Green
Online Comedy
* Winner – Jack Kirwan
* Runner up – Katy Trev
Best Comedy Club
* Winner – The Glee Club
* Runner up – NCF
Best Small Club
* Winner – Ofton Funny
* Runners up (joint) – Cherrybomb Comedy, The Kamikaze Club and The Holly Bush
Best Open Mic Show
* Winner – Useful Idiot
* Runner up – NCF £1 Night

### 2018

Best Act
* Winner – Scott Bennett
* Runner up – Josh Pugh
Best MC
* Winner – Barry Dodds
* Runner up – Jason Neale
Best New Act
* Winner – Douglas Carter
* Runner up – Donald Mackerel
Best Live Show
* Winner – Scott Bennett: Leap Year
* Runner up – Laura Monmoth: LGBTQZX
Best Comedy Club
* Winner – The Glee Club
* Runner up – Funhouse Comedy
Best Small Club
* Winner – NCF
* Runner up – The Holly Bush

### 2017

Best Act
* Winner – Joe Lycett
* Runner up – Luisa Omielan
* Third place – Rob Kemp
Best MC
* Winner – Barry Dodds
* Runner up – Gareth Berliner
* Third place – Stevie Gray
Breakthrough Act
* Winner – Rob Kemp
* Runner up – Pete Teckman
* Third place – Jack Kirwan and Sarah Johnson (joint)
Best New Act
* Winner – Jem Braithwaite
* Runner up – Gina Overton
* Third place – Count Evil
Best Alternative Act
* Winner – Rob Kemp
* Runner up – Jack Kirwan
* Third place – Andrew McBurney
Best Live Show
* Winner – Rob Kemp
* Runner up – Josh Pugh
* Third place – Phil Pagett
Online Comedy
* Winner – Jack Kirwan
* Runner up – Masai Graham
* Third place – Craig Deeley
Best Comedy Club
* Winner – The Glee Club
* Runner up – Funhouse Comedy
* Third place – Laff Attack
Best Small Club
* Winner – Funhouse Comedy
* Runner up – FAF Comedy
* Third place – CAN Comedy and Blue Giraffe (joint)
Best Open Mic Show
* Winner – The Holly Bush (Cradley Heath)
* Runner up – Comedy and Cocktails (Leicester)
* Third place – NCF £1 Comedy Night (Nottingham)
Outstanding Contribution
* Winner – Spiky Mike (Funhouse Comedy)

### 2016

Best Act
* Winner – Duncan Oakley
* Runner up – Masai Graham
* Third place – Scott Bennett
Best MC
* Winner – Barry Dodds
* Runner up – Gareth Berliner
* Third place – Jon Pearson and Wayne Beese (joint)
Best Live Show
* Winner – Late Night with Boabby Roaster
* Runner up – I Came, I Saw, I Complained
* Third place – Hell To Play
Breakthrough Act
* Winner – Masai Graham
* Runner up – Alex Hylton
* Third place – Josh Pugh
Best New Act
* Winner – Moses Ali Khan
* Runner up – Sarah Johnson
* Third place – Harvey Hawkins
Alternative Act
* Winner – Paul Palmer
* Runner up – Andrew McBurney
* Third place – Daniel Nicholas
Online Comedy
* Winner – The Parapod
* Runner up – Jack Kirwan
* Third place – Masai Graham
Best Comedy Club
* Winner – Funhouse Comedy
* Runner up – The Glee Club
* Third place – Fitz of Laughter
Best Small Club
* Winner – FAF Comedy
* Runner up – Blue Giraffe Comedy
* Third place – Fitz of Laughter
Best Open Mic Show
* Winner – NCF Canal House
* Runner up – The Holly Bush
* Third place – Roadhouse Comedy
Outstanding Contribution
* Winner – Bushfest

### 2015

Best Act
* Winner – Tom Binns
* Runner up – Barbara Nice
* Third place – Andy White
Best MC
* Winner – Barry Dodds
* Runner up – Andy Robinson
* Third place – Jason Neale
Best Live Show
* Winner – Scott Bennett
* Runner up – Masai Graham
* Third place – Jon Pearson
Breakthrough Act
* Winner – Lucy Thompson
* Runner up – Masai Graham
* Third place – Patrick Draper
Best New Act
* Winner – Josh Pugh
* Runner up – Stu Woodings
* Third place – Thomas Rackham
Alternative Act
* Winner – Roger Swift
* Runner up – Johnny Sorrow
* Third place – Daniel Nicholas
Online Comedy
* Winner – Masai Graham
* Runner up – Club Smashing
* Third place – Mike O'Callaghan
Best Comedy Club
* Winner – Voodoo Stands Up (Stamford)
* Runner up – CAN Comedy (Black Country)
Best Small Club
* Winner – Funhouse Comedy
* Runner up – FAF Comedy
Best Open Mic Show
* Winner – The Holly Bush (Cradley Heath)
* Runner up – Roadhouse Comedy (Birmingham)
* Third place – NCF Canal House (Nottingham)
Outstanding Contribution
* Winner – Suzanne Rowland

### 2014

Best Act
* Winner – Andy Robinson
* Runner up – Masai Graham
Best Compere
* Winner – Andy Robinson
* Runner up – Dave Dinsdale
Breakthrough Act
* Winner – Hannah Silvester
* Runner up – Daniel Nicholas
Best New Act
* Winner – Tom Christian and Josh Pugh (joint winners)
* Runner up – Lucy Thompson
Best Comedy Club
* Winner – The Glee Club
* Runner up – CAN Comedy
Best Open Mic Show
* Winner – Fowl Humour
* Runner up – The Holly Bush
Outstanding Contribution
* Winner – Roger Swift