Dan Nightingale scoops Best MC prize

Dan Nightingale has been named the best compere on the UK comedy circuit.

The Preston comic has won the Best MC prize in the 2015 UK Comedy Awards, this year organised by Gavin Webster.

Nightingale began his comedy career in Newcastle in 2002 and then moved onto Manchester, where he spent ten years and became one of the most recognisable faces on the North West Comedy circuit.

He founded the Frog and Bucket’s ‘Beat the Frog’ amateur night, which quickly became the best new comedy night in the North.

As well as developing his reputation as a top-class circuit headliner and in-demand MC and host, he has also performed regular TV warm up for the likes of Jonathan Ross, John Bishop and Celebrity Juice.

The comic has also become a regular crowd-pleaser and critically acclaimed success at the Edinburgh Fringe, having performed solo shows in 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Webster, who won the Comedian’s Comedian prize in 2014, said: “This one was mighty close and I wasn’t sure who the winner would be until only a couple of hours before midnight.

“A really good effort and lots of votes for Phil Ellis, Jason Cook, Mandy Knight, John Fothergill, JoJo Smith, and Jim Smallman.

“However the front runners always were Danny Mcloughlin, Dan Nightingale, Mark Olver, Matthew Reed, Joe Heenan, Sally-Anne Hayward, Stephen Grant, Mick M Ferry and Roger Monkhouse.

“It swung one way then the other with the two Dans, Roger and Mick getting industrial amounts of votes, Mick finishing behind Roger and Danny who finished joint second.”

“Well done all the people mentioned – you are much respected by your peers and you deserve that respect.

“Big respect to Roger who almost incredibly retained the MC award, to Mick Ferry for coming so close despite being more well known as a comedian rather than a compere and to the great Danny McCloughlin for coming so close once again.

“Well done though to Dan a worthy winner. I’ll see you at a service station in January sometime with your prize!”