Bridget Christie wins 2013 Edinburgh Comedy Award
Bridget Christie has won the 2013 Edinburgh Comedy Award.
Christie won the main prize for her feminist show A Bic for Her at The Stand, becoming only the third woman to win the Edinburgh Comedy Award since its inception in 1981.
She was presented her award in Edinburgh today by Alan Partridge star Steve Coogan.
Accepting the award wearing a No More Page Three t-shirt, Christie said: “I’d like to thank all the other female comics who were up here this year but not on the list…
“There are incredible women up here. I hope you don’t mind me accepting this on your behalf.”
Nica Burns, producer of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, said A Bic for Her was “a beautifully written, delightfully delivered show.”
She added: “While high on the laughter count, Bridget Christie’s show about feminism also gives us something to think about.
“An outstanding hour amongst an extremely strong shortlist.”
Seann Walsh, Carl Donnelly, James Acaster, Max & Ivan, Mike Wozniak and Nick Helm were the other nominees.
The other two prizes at today’s ceremony in Edinburgh went to Free Fringe shows.
John Kearns was the surprise Best Newcomer for his free show, Sight Gags for Perverts.
Pulling no punches, Kearns told the packed industry crowd: “There’s a lot of people here I’ve had meetings with and they didn’t want to sign me. Well, fuck them.
“They are all asking for meetings now… well, go fuck yourself!”
Kearns dedicated his award to the Free Fringe movement, adding: “‘I honestly couldn’t do it if it wasn’t for the Free Fringe.
“I wasn’t in the Big 4 programme, so what does that say – it doesn’t matter. I have no representation or PR.”
Adrienne Truscott’s Asking for It: A One-Lady Rape About Comedy Starring Her Pussy and Little Else! won the panel prize.
The panel praised Truscott’s show about the rape joke as “brave, brutal, bold and beautiful.”
Truscott said: “I’ve never done stand-up and I’ve never done a solo show, but I’m a smart girl, so I thought ‘why not do that about rape?’ It’s a huge surprise that it’s gone this well.”
Both Truscott and Kearns take home a £5000 prize.
