Great Yorkshire Fringe begin hunt for new comedy champ

The Great Yorkshire Fringe have announced details of their New Comedian of the Year 2016 competition.

Following in the footsteps of their sold-out 2015 contest, The Great Yorkshire Fringe are preparing to renew their search for a new champion.

Open to up-and-coming comics, heats will take place daily throughout the Fringe, which runs from 5 – 17 July. Heat winners will go on to compete in a grand final on Sunday 31 July.

In 2015 Harrogate’s Tom Taylor was crowned the very first Great Yorkshire Fringe New Comedian of the Year, beating 74 other aspiring comedians.

The competition judges will be made up of professionals currently working in the comedy industry. Past judges have included comedy critics from the Guardian, Independent, Time Out and Chortle, plus industry agents and promoters.

The 2016 winner will receive The Golden Pudding Award, £750, and the opportunity to perform at Leicester Square Theatre. Second place prize will be £500 and third place £250.

The competition is open to any non-professional act who’s been performing for five years or less and entries from character acts, musical acts, and sketch groups are welcome. The only restriction is that all contestants must stick to 5 minutes of original material.

Entries will open on Monday 11 January 2016 and are on a first come first serve basis. Entrants must be available for a heat between Friday 15 and Saturday 30 July 2016 (excluding Mondays 18 and 25), and the final on Sunday 31 July.