Comedians await Edinburgh award

Josie Long, Greg Davies, Sarah Millican, Russell Kane and Bo Burnham are nominated for the Best Comedy Show award

The winner of the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards will be announced later.

There are five acts nominated for the Fringe’s top comedy prize, which is now in its 30th year.

The shortlist includes two women for the first time – Sarah Millican and Josie Long – and the youngest-ever nominee, 20-year-old Bo Burnham.

Also on the list is one of the tallest men in comedy, 6ft 8in Greg Davies, and Russell Kane, who is nominated for the third consecutive year.

The awards, which have been running since 1981, were formerly known as the Perriers and the If.Comeddies.

They have launched the career of most major comedy stars of the past three decades, including Lee Evans, Frank Skinner and Steve Coogan.

“Star” names, who have already had a TV series or can perform in a 500-seat venue under their own name, are not eligible for the award.

The nominations for Best Comedy Show, which has a £10,000 prize, are:

Bo Burnham: Words, Words, WordsGreg Davies: Firing Cheeseballs at a DogJosie Long: Be Honourable!Russell Kane: Smokescreens and CastlesSarah Millican: Chatterbox

The nominations for Best Newcomer are:

An Audience with Imran YusufAsher Treleaven: Secret DoorGareth Richards: Stand Up Between SongsLate Night Gimp Fight!Roisin Conaty: Hero, Warrior, Fireman, LiarThe Boy With The Tape on His Face

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.