BRITISH COMEDY AWARDS 2007 CELEBRATES 18 YEARS

The biggest names in comedy and television will gather in London on WEDNESDAY 5TH DECEMBER for the 18th BRITISH COMEDY AWARDS, sponsored by Highland Spring, the UK’s leading producer of bottled water.
As famous for its outrageous moments as its who’s who of comedy winners, Britain’s best-loved – and most watched – awards show will once again be hosted by Jonathan Ross at ITV’s London Studios

This year’s nominations, announced today, pit several rising stars of comedy’s new generation against some of television’s more familiar faces. They also find, for the first time, a double-act competing for the biggest prize.

The Friday Night Project’s two presenters Alan Carr and Justin Lee Collins are jointly nominated for Best Comedy Entertainment Personality against Stephen Fry for QI and Simon Amstell, the former Popworld presenter turned host of Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

Leading the way with seven nominations across five categories is BBC Three’s comedy series Gavin & Stacey, written by – and starring – Ruth Jones and James Corden.

The show is nominated for both Best British Comedy and Best New Television Comedy, while Jones and Corden are each nominated as Best Comedy Newcomers in the male and female categories – along with their co-stars Matthew Horne and Joanna Page.

Ruth Jones is also nominated for Best Television Comedy Actress, not just for Gavin & Stacey but also for her role in Saxondale, in a three-way contest with Catherine Tate and comedy veteran Liz Smith.

The award for Best Television Comedy Actor sees a four-way fight between Jack Dee (for Lead Balloon) and Lee Mack (Not Going Out), and two of the newer faces on TV, David Mitchell (Peep Show) and Kevin Bishop (Star Stories).

Dee is going for a hat-trick of prizes after winning Best TV Personality in 1995 and Best Stage Newcomer in 1991.

The BBC leads the way in the awards, with 18 nominations, and seven for Channel 4 (plus a further two for E4 and More4).

Michael Hurll, executive producer, British Comedy Awards said "As the naughty teenager of British Comedy comes of age this year, we expect the usual outrageous behaviour. In fact, we're banking on it."

Sally Stanley, marketing director of Highland Spring, said: “This is our second year as broadcast and event sponsor of the British Comedy Awards. The UK continues to produce some of the world’s finest comedians and Highland Spring is delighted to support the UK’s premier comedy awards event, which recognises the cream of British comedy talent. As ever, and perhaps especially on the 18th anniversary of the show, I’m sure there will be plenty of entertainment and drama to mark the occasion in style.

THE BRITISH COMEDY AWARDS 2007 NOMINATIONS ALPHABETICAL ORDER

BEST TELEVISION COMEDY ACTOR 2007

DAVID MITCHELL
Peep Show (Objective Productions for Channel 4)

JACK DEE
Lead Balloon (Open Mike for BBC Four)

KEVIN BISHOP
Star Stories (Objective Productions for Channel 4)

LEE MACK
Not Going Out (Avalon for BBC One)

BEST TELEVISION COMEDY ACTRESS 2007

CATHERINE TATE
The Catherine Tate Show (Tiger Aspect for BBC Two)

LIZ SMITH
The Royal Family: The Queen of Sheba (Granada Productions for BBC One)

RUTH JONES
Gavin & Stacey / Saxondale (Baby Cow for BBC Three / Baby Cow for BBC Two)

BEST COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PERSONALITY 2007

ALAN CARR & JUSTIN LEE COLLINS
The Friday Night Project (Princess Productions for Channel 4)

SIMON AMSTELL
Never Mind the Buzzcocks (Talkback Thames for BBC Two)

STEPHEN FRY
QI (Talkback Thames for BBC Two)

BEST MALE COMEDY NEWCOMER 2007

JAMES CORDEN
Gavin & Stacey (Baby Cow for BBC Three)

MATHEW HORNE
Gavin & Stacey (Baby Cow for BBC Three)

MATT BERRY
The IT Crowd (Talkback Thames for Channel 4)

BEST FEMALE COMEDY NEWCOMER 2007

JOANNA PAGE
Gavin & Stacey (Baby Cow for BBC Three)

RUTH JONES
Gavin & Stacey (Baby Cow for BBC Three)

SHARON HORGAN
Rob Brydon’s Annually Retentive / Pulling (Jones the Film for BBC Three / Silver River for BBC Three)

BEST NEW BRITISH TELEVISION COMEDY (Scripted) 2007

GAVIN & STACEY
Baby Cow for BBC Three

LEAD BALLOON
Open Mike for BBC Four

NOT GOING OUT
Avalon for BBC One

BEST TELEVISION COMEDY 2007

GAVIN & STACEY
Baby Cow for BBC Three

PEEP SHOW
Objective Productions for Channel 4

STAR STORIES
Objective Productions for Channel 4

BEST NEW COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME 2007

Al MURRAY HAPPY HOUR
Avalon for ITV1

FONEJACKER
Hat Trick for E4

THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW
So Television for BBC Two

BEST COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME 2007

HARRY HILL’S TV BURP
Avalon Television for ITV1

NEVER MIND THE BUZZCOCKS
Talkback Thames for BBC Two

THE FRIDAY NIGHT PROJECT
Princess Productions for Channel 4

BEST LIVE STAND UP 2007

ALAN CARR

SIMON AMSTELL

BEST INTERNATIONAL COMEDY SHOW 2007

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
HBO Entertainment for More 4

THE OFFICE: AN AMERICAN WORKPLACE
NBC Universal for ITV2

THE SIMPSONS
Twentieth Century Fox for Sky One / Channel 4

BEST COMEDY FILM 2007

BORAT
20th Century Fox

HOT FUZZ
Universal

THE SIMPSONS MOVIE
20th Century Fox

For further information please contact
Dee McCourt 07803 726543 dee@borkowski.co.uk
or Laura Woods on 0207 404 3000 laura@borkowski.co.uk