British Comedy Awards
Category: News Release
22 January 2011
Channel 4 has announced its plans to kick off 2011 in style, with a week of programming leading up, and dedicated to British Comedy Awards.
As the UK's premier comedy awards ceremony enters its 21st year, Channel 4 will bring it bang up to date, reinvigorating the brand and reverting to a live broadcast, injecting spontaneity, excitement and edge into the new look awards show, which will be hosted by Jonathan Ross, and will take place (and air) on Saturday 22 January on Channel 4. To accompany Jonathan on the night will be a newly designed award that will be handed over to British Comedy Award winners.
The build up to the live broadcast of the awards ceremony will begin with British Comedy Awards Nominations Show (10pm, Saturday 15 January 2011, C4).The British Comedy Awards Nominations Show launches Channel 4's British Comedy Awards week with the exclusive unveil of all the official nominees in each category of this year's Awards. In the hour long show, viewers will also be treated to some of the greatest comedy clips from 2010 as well as interviews with big comedy names - from Frank Skinner, Miranda Hart, The Inbetweeners and Sarah Millican to Graham Norton and Jack Whitehall.
The Nominations Show also launches a new category which will be voted for by the public - The People's Choice Award for the King or Queen of Comedy 2010. The five nominees will be revealed for the first time along with the opening of the voting lines.
All other awards are shortlisted by the newly formed British Comedy Academy. This is a ‘brotherhood' of the comedy elite in Britain. Former winners of a BCA, along with the country's top comedy producers, writers, broadcasters, agents and performers have collected into a membership of over 200
In the run up to the ceremony, five hour long Comics Choice shows will play across the week, in which Bill Bailey will interview a different leading comedian each night, asking them to choose their personal selections of all time comedy heroes and shows. (10pm, Sunday 16th - Thursday 20 January 2011, C4).
Each night one of the following: Alan Davies (Sunday), Lee Mack (Monday) Jo Brand (Tuesday) Jessica Hynes (Wednesday) and Sean Lock (Thursday) will talk to Bailey about their all time fantasy nominations; from past comedic greats to present day comedy icons, in some of the categories from the British Comedy Awards. So who are their all time heroes? What are their all time favourite shows? Which comedies and comedians inspired each comedian so much that they wish they could hand them an award?
Nerys Evans, Channel 4 Comedy Commissioner Editor for the Awards Ceremony, and The Comic Choice programmes, said,
"We're thrilled to have Bill Bailey hosting a week of programmes, bringing his unique perspective on the industry to a special selection of interviews with some comedy greats, which will provide a worthy build up to the big night on Saturday, hosted by Jonathan, and back to nerve-wrackingly, broadcast live best".
Mike Brosnan, Creative Director of Unique TV, said "At Channel 4, The British Comedy Awards is evolving to represent far more than just an annual TV show, it's becoming a proud champion for all UK comedy talent. This 21st year will be truly special to be a part of with a live show in front of a huge crowd at the Indig02."
The British Comedy Awards produced by Amanda Kean, The British Comedy Awards Nominations Show produced by Sean Doherty and the Comics Choice shows series produced by Gary Chippington, are all Unique Television productions for Channel 4.
The shows are all sponsored by Fosters.
Contacts
Share this content