Australian comedian Heidi Regan has won this year’s BBC Comedy Award! The London based comedian came to the UK from her native Australia nine years ago.
On winning the award Heidi said: “I feel completely blown away to have won, especially against such great competitors. It’s just amazing – a dream come true.”
Heidi is clearly on a winning streak, having won last year’s So You Think You’re Funny? and in 2010 an Australian Writers Guild award for Best Unproduced Feature Film Script, for a comedy about a killer shark. Heidi says her comedy style is “slightly surreal and silly”.
The BBC Comedy Award final was broadcast live on BBC Radio 4 in the BBC tent at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, hosted by Mark Watson. Heidi was up against five other finalists, Aaron Simmonds, Sikisa, Jacob Hawley, Andy Field and Morgan Rees.
Hugh Dennis and Jenny Eclair, and Radio 4’s Commissioning Editor for Comedy Sioned Wiliam made up the judging panel, Sioned said: “All six finalists were dazzling. We agonised in the judging room and there was a huge amount of love for all of tonight’s performers, but in the end one edged over the line, and this was because of her distinctive material and hugely confident performance.”
Host Mark Watson commented: “It was a high quality final and probably not an easy decision for the judges to make. I thought they went for the person with the most original material, and I was really pleased to see Heidi go through to the final and extra pleased to see her win. The standard overall was high and I think a number of the people we saw today have good prospects in comedy, so a good occasion all round!”
Heidi wins £1,000 and a 15-minute script commission from BBC Studios. All finalists will also be mentored by the BBC Studios comedy team across the year and receive advice, guidance and the chance to write for and appear in slots across the BBC.
Congratulations Heidi!
