British Comedy Awards 2012 Winners and Losers

Last night live on Channel 4 the nations comedy talent came together to celebrate a year of laughter. However some viewers found the programme rarely raised a smile as the winners, listed here, were announced.

Charlie Brooker won Best Comedy Entertainement Personality

The mouthful of an award title was Charlie’s third British Comedy Award and will sit on his mantelpiece alongside his Best Male Newcomer from 2009, and Best Entertainment Programme for Newswipe in 2010.

Aside from his TV and News Wipes, Charlie also starred in 10 O’clock Live and How TV Ruined Your Life, and he wrote hit TV dramas Dead Set, Touch of Cloth and Black Mirror, series 2 of which will be on Channel 4 next year (2013).

Best Sitcom was Hunderby

Nominated for two British Comedy awards tonight, Hunderby is written by and stars Julia Davis whose previous award-winning show Nighty-Night was described by one critic as ‘an exquisitely vile comic creation’.

Lee Mack took the Best Male Television Comic

Third time lucky for Lee. Lee, who openly confesses he is “deeply, deeply competitive” will be delighted he has beaten fellow ‘Would I Lie to You team’ captain David Mitchell, who was also nominated in this category.

It’s been an incredible year in which he authored his own autobiography – Mack the Life; brought Series 5 of his award-winning sitcom Not Going Out (BBC1) back to our screens with Series 6 already in production; and he also continues as resident team captain on the sixth series of Would I Lie To You? for which he wins this award.

Best Comedy Entertainment Programme was bestowed on the bowing out Harry Hill’s TV Burp

This is TV Burp’s fourth British Comedy Award and it will also be its last. After 11 years, Harry Hill announced that TV Burp will be no more. Nominated for a record seventh year in a row, Harry Hill is also up for Best Male Television Comic and Best Comedy Entertainment Personality.

Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist was Morgana Robinson

Very Important People’s mix of sharp scripts, topical content and fantastic impersonations proved a big hit earlier this year. Morgana’s pokes fun at some of today’s famous faces including Fearne Cotton and Natalie Cassidy.

Rebecca Front took the title of Best Television Comedy Actress

Rebecca Front wins her first British Comedy Award for her part in The Thick Of It. Rebecca has starred in some of the best British comedies of all time and always gives a phenomenal performance. She was previously nominated for a comedy award back in 1994.

Writing Gong for Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer

The masters of chaos comedy, Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer have influenced a whole generation of comedy performers with their bonkers brand of surreal comedy which, since 1991, has won them three previous British Comedy Awards. Tonight they add the prestigious Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Award to their collection.

Best Television Comedy actor was Peter Capaldi

Peter Capaldi was already a hugely well-known actor before the Thick Of It, but his portrayal of political spin-doctor Malcolm Tucker has made him one of comedy’s all-time greatest characters.

He’s also the first sit-com character to have a coined a word which is now in the Oxford English Dictionary with ‘Omnishambles’ – a big word for a man best known for his more-than-liberal use of the four-lettered variety.

Jo Brand won Best Television Female Comedian

This is Jo’s fourth British Comedy Award. Her first, amazingly, was 20 years ago, and her most recent was just last year when she won Best Comedy Actress for Getting On.

A pioneer of the alternative comedy scene, Jo has continued to perform stand-up, is a regular guest and host of panel shows such as QI and Have I Got News For You. She also co-wrote and stared in the award-winning sitcom Getting On.

Best Sketch Show was bestowed upon Cardinal Burns

Cardinal Burns is written by and stars Seb Cardinal and Dustin Demri-Burns who are also nominated for ‘Best Breakthrough Artist’.

They met at Film School in Edinburgh through mutual friends and bonded over making short funny films together.

Seb and Dustin established themselves on the British comedy circuit before making their mark with their critically acclaimed ‘Cardinal Burns’ at the 2009 Edinburgh Festival with their first TV series airing on E4 earlier this year.

Hunderby won Best New Comedy Series

A second British Comedy award for Hunderby; that can only mean one thing – Julia Davis will have to start writing a second series the moment she gets home tonight. OK, maybe she can start tomorrow – she and the cast deserve a little celebration tonight.

Outstanding Achivement to Comedy went to Sacha Baron Cohen

In 1999 Sacha won the British Comedy Award for ‘Best Newcomer’ but tonight collects the biggest award of the night – the Special award for ‘Outstanding Achievement to Comedy. Cohen arrived ‘dressed like Jimmy Savile’ in his character of Ali G. Who observed on the recent news Royal couple Prince William and Kate were expecting a baby, “If a black kid pops out of that Royal Poonani…then ask me a question and I’ll tell no lies.”

Viewers to the award show, broadcast live on Channel 4, however didn’t seem to have much to laugh about. Twitter was as usual abuzz with views.

Publicist Lesley Land observed with a tweet,  “I think outstanding achievement for comedy should go to TOWIE Live” referencing the shambles that was ITV2’s recent un-edited outing for the ‘scripted reality’ series.

While Amy Renault pondered “Should they really be showing all the members of the audience not laughing at Jonathon Ross’ jokes?” Also noted by Victor Ebuwa who tweeted “Jonathan Ross is absolutely KILLING IT on The British Comedy Awards”.

“To anyone still watching #comedyawards, I am listening to Dr Jones by Aqua and picking a scab and still having more fun than you.” Said Saint Nick McKechnie

Callum Watts tweeted “the #comedyawards was absolutely appalling. is the irony of it being completely not funny, what makes it funny?”

While Andrew Griffiths observed, “Sue Perkins & Sarah Millican forgot their gracious loser faces.”

Some highlights were observed however with Dizzy  noting “Ali G pulling out a jimmy Saville joke was just pure genius!”, Connie McCarron  “Ali G in that Jimmy savile tracksuit was hilarious!” and “LOL at Alan Partridge shouting out ”AH-HA” at the #ComedyAwards. Priceless” said Jade-Natalie while ShowbizGeek felt that “Ali G was by far the funniest part of the #comedyawards (only laugh of the night actually).”

Carl Maxim gave a reasonable pondering, “Amazed Boris Johnson didn’t get anything in the #comedyawards. He puts in so much effort and he writes all his own material.”

The TV Critics were however, like many viewers, unimpressed with the offering. Jaci Stephen  stated on the social networking site that the award show was a “Dreadful production” but later added that the “Brilliant Ali G speech [was the] best thing of the night.”

While Kevin O’Sullivan preferred a more scathing attack, “The British Comedy Awards… Christ!” adding, “The whole show was pathetic. Ross, if you can believe it, has a team of gag writers.”