Edinburgh Comedy Awards bag new sponsor

The annual Edinburgh Comedy Awards have announced a new sponsor.

This year’s awards, which take place in the last weekend of the Fringe Festival, will be sponsored by lastminute.com.

For the past six years the awards have been sponsored by Foster’s. For 25 years after the awards’ inception in 1981 they were known as the ‘Perriers’, before a three-year deal was struck with Intelligent Finance.

Before Foster’s came on board in 2010, awards producer Nica Burns backed the ceremony herself having failed to acquire a sponsor.

The set-up and cash prizes will remain unchanged, with the main prize, the Edinburgh Comedy Award, worth £10,000 and the Panel Prize and Best Newcomer Award dishing out £5,000.

Chief executive of lastminute.com Fabio Cannavale said: “We feel very privileged to be able to support, promote and discover the best of British comedy.

“Our customers are increasingly interested in experiencing live comedy – by extending our offering we are providing access to the finest comedy talent at the greatest venues all over the UK.”

The awards will take place on 27 August, with the shortlist announced on 24 August.