Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award
Encyclopedia
The Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award was a competition for comedians. It ran from 1994 to 2002 when it was discontinued due to sponsorship running out. Despite its short lifespan, its winners and finalists boast some of the UK's most notable comedy talent, including Noel Fielding
, Jimmy Carr
, Stephen Merchant
, Frankie Boyle
and Alex Zane
. It attracted over 1,000 entrants each year.
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
Noel Fielding
Noel Fielding is a British artist, comedian and actor. He is known for his roles as Vince Noir in The Mighty Boosh, which he co-writes with comedy partner Julian Barratt, and as team captain on the music panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks.-Stand-up comedy:Noel Fielding performed regularly as a...
, Jimmy Carr
Jimmy Carr
James Anthony Patrick "Jimmy" Carr is an English-Irish comedian and humourist. He is known for his deadpan delivery and dark humour. He is also a writer, actor and presenter of radio and television....
, Stephen Merchant
Stephen Merchant
Stephen James Merchant is an English writer, director, radio presenter, comedian, and actor. He is best known for his collaborations with Ricky Gervais, as the co-writer and co-director of the popular British sitcom The Office, as the co-writer, co-director and a co-star of Extras, and as the...
, Frankie Boyle
Frankie Boyle
Francis Martin Patrick "Frankie" Boyle is a British comedian and writer, well known for his pessimistic, often controversial sense of humour...
and Alex Zane
Alex Zane
Alex Zane is an English television presenter and DJ.-Background:Zane was born in Leeds and attended Boston Spa School before going on to study Medicine at University College London, a course which he left after a year, and then Media and Communications at Goldsmiths College.-Stand-up comedy and...
. It attracted over 1,000 entrants each year.
Winners' prizes
The competition rewarded each year's winner with a lucrative reward that enabled most of them to emarge as professional stand-up comedians. The prize consisted of:- £2,000
- A booking on the university comedy circuit
- Appearances at Just For LaughsJust for LaughsJust for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1983. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world.- Information :...
in MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and the Melbourne Comedy Festival
Competition rules
The competition was open to any performer over the age of 16, who had not performed a paid gig.Heats and finals
The heats and semi-finals were held at comedy clubs located in universities across the UK. The finals were held in Edinburgh during the festival in August.Winners and finalists
1996- Frankie BoyleFrankie BoyleFrancis Martin Patrick "Frankie" Boyle is a British comedian and writer, well known for his pessimistic, often controversial sense of humour...
(Winner)- Noel FieldingNoel FieldingNoel Fielding is a British artist, comedian and actor. He is known for his roles as Vince Noir in The Mighty Boosh, which he co-writes with comedy partner Julian Barratt, and as team captain on the music panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks.-Stand-up comedy:Noel Fielding performed regularly as a...
(Finalist) - Zeron Gibson (Finalist)
- Kat Nilson (Finalis)
- Kim Binstead (Finalist)
- Jimmy Frinton (Finalist)
- Phil Williams (Semi-finalist)
- Noel Fielding
1997
- Paul FootPaul Foot (comedian)Paul Foot is an English comedian. He commands a significant cult following called The Guild of Connoisseurs. Foot is known for his musings, rants, 'disturbances' and apparent aversion to pop culture...
(Winner)- Simon EvansSimon EvansSimon Evans , is an English comedian, born in Luton and currently living in Hove.-Early life:Simon Evans attended Verulam School in St Albans and then studied law at Southampton University, graduating in 1986.-Stand-up comedy:...
(Finalist) - Susan MurraySusan MurraySusan Murray BJ is now a strategist at the International Development Research Centre. She was also a political communications director and formerly a Canadian broadcast journalist. She graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University. Her home community is Ottawa,...
(Finaliist) - Michael Tombs (Finalist)
- Simon Evans
1998
- Marc HaynesMarc HaynesMarc Haynes is an English comedy writer and radio broadcaster.- Biography :Marc Haynes was brought up in London and won the 1998 edition of The Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award for stand-up comedy, the finals of which also featured Stephen Merchant and Dan Antopolski.- Radio :From 2004 to 2007, he...
(Winner)- Stephen MerchantStephen MerchantStephen James Merchant is an English writer, director, radio presenter, comedian, and actor. He is best known for his collaborations with Ricky Gervais, as the co-writer and co-director of the popular British sitcom The Office, as the co-writer, co-director and a co-star of Extras, and as the...
(Finalist) - Dan AntopolskiDan AntopolskiFor the rowing coach and commentator, see Daniel TopolskiDan Antopolski is a British stand-up comic, actor and writer, mostly known for his surreal stand-up.- Stand-up comedy :Shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe include:...
(Finalist) - Geoff Whiting (Finalist)
- Lee Canterbury (Finalist)
- Dougie Dunlop (Finalist)
- Hal Cruttenden (Finalist)
- Stephen Grant
- Stephen Morrison (Finalist)
- Stephen Merchant
1999
- Danny BhoyDanny BhoyDanny Bhoy is an Indian-Scottish comedian who has performed in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada...
(Winner)- Karen TaylorKaren Taylor (comedian)Karen Taylor is an English actress and comedian. She is a former finalist in the prestigious Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award and has fronted her own sketch show on BBC Three, entitled Touch Me, I'm Karen Taylor.Taylor studied Theatre Studies at the University of Warwick 1994-1998, where she got to...
(Finalist) - Lawry LewinLawry LewinLawry Lewin, sometimes credited as Lawrence Lewin in Guisborough, Redcar and Cleveland, England is a British television actor best known for playing the role of Rossiter in both parts of the Doctor Who Christmas special, The End of Time.-Biography:It was reported in June 2009 that Lawry had landed...
(Finalist) - Richard MorrisRichard MorrisRichard Morris may refer to:* Richard Morris * Richard Morris * Richard Morris Welsh international footballer who played for Plymouth Argyle...
(Finalist) - Billy Lewis (Finalist)
- Johnny Candon (Finalist)
- Belinda Merriman (Finalist)
- Adrian PoyntonAdrian PoyntonAdrian Poynton is a British screenwriter, playwright, stand up comedian and actor.He is the creator and writer of BBC Three sitcom White Van Man starring Will Mellor, Georgia Moffett and Clive Mantle. It began screening in March 2011 becoming the highest rated launch ever for a sitcom on BBC3...
(Finalist) - Lara Silverstone (Finalist)
- Alex ZaneAlex ZaneAlex Zane is an English television presenter and DJ.-Background:Zane was born in Leeds and attended Boston Spa School before going on to study Medicine at University College London, a course which he left after a year, and then Media and Communications at Goldsmiths College.-Stand-up comedy and...
(Finalist)
- Karen Taylor
2000
- Francesca MartinezFrancesca MartinezFrancesca Martinez is an English stand-up comedienne and actress. She has toured internationally, including sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Festival, the Melbourne Comedy Festival and the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal...
(Winner)- Justin Moorhouse (Finalist)
- Markus Birdman (Finalist)
- Steve DaySteve DaySteve Day is Britain's best known deaf stand-up comedian.-Stand-up comedy:Day was a finalist in the Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award in 2000, and a finalist in the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year in 2002....
(Finalist) - Matt & McKinnon (Finalist)
- Tom Nicholls (Finalist)
- Karl TheobaldKarl TheobaldKarl Theobald is an English comedian and actor, best known as Dr. Martin Dear in Channel 4 sitcom Green Wing, and for his physical comedy style....
(Finalist) - John Jason Whitehead (Finalist)
- Andy ZaltzmanAndy ZaltzmanAndrew "Andy" Zaltzman is a British comedian and author who largely focuses on political material. He has worked extensively with John Oliver; their work together includes Political Animal, The Department and The Bugle.-Early life:...
(Finalist)
2001
- Karl Minns (Winner)
- John BishopJohn Bishop (comedian)John Joseph Bishop is an award-winning comedian.His television debut came on The Panel. As an actor, he has appeared in the E4 teen drama Skins as Mr Fitch, father of twins, Katie and Emily and in the Ken Loach film Route Irish...
(Finalist) - Rohan Agalawatta (Finalist)
- Jarred Christmas (Finalist)
- Des Clarke (Finalist)
- Richie Devlin (Finalist)
- PJ GallagherPJ GallagherPJ Gallagher is an Irish stand-up comedian, perhaps better known for his television show Naked Camera. His various characters in the programme include a mentally unstable taxi driver, ladies man Jake Stevens and a "Dirty Auld One", an old woman who makes sexual comments. PJ's performances on T.V...
(Finalist) - Patrick MonahanPatrick Monahan (comedian)Patrick Monahan is an Irish-Iranian stand-up comedian born to an Irish father and an Iranian mother. He has performed at seven Edinburgh Festival Fringes, including five solo shows, and appeared multiple times on The Paul O'Grady Show...
(Finalist) - Al Pitcher (Finalist)
- Tom PriceTom Price (actor)Tom Price is a British actor, voice over artist and stand up comedian. He is married to TV producer Beth Morrey, who is most noted for being the creator of hit Channel 4 quiz format Wogan's Perfect Recall.-TV and Film Career:...
(Finalist)
- John Bishop
2002
- Mark WatsonMark Watson (comedian)Mark Andrew Watson is an English stand-up comedian and novelist.-Early life:Watson was born in Bristol to Welsh parents and attended Henleaze Junior school and then Bristol Grammar School, where he won the prize of 'Gabbler of the year', before going to Queens' College, Cambridge, where he studied...
(Winner)- Hils BarkerHils BarkerHils Barker is a British comedian and writer. She was a finalist in newcomer competitions So You Think You're Funny and The Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award, and went on to write and perform in two series of comedy show Radio9 for BBC Radio 4....
(Finalist) - James-Bench Capon (Finalist)
- Gary Delaney (Finalist)
- Steve Hall (Finalist)
- Paul Kerensa (Finalist)
- Ria Lina (Finalist)
- Matthew Reed (Finalist)
- Stan Stanley (Finalist)
- Katie Walsh (Finalist)
- Hils Barker