British comedian Sam Nicoresti has made history as the first transgender individual to receive the prestigious Best Comedy Show award at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Nicoresti’s acclaimed show, “Baby Doomer,” explores themes of life as a trans woman, resonating with audiences and critics alike.
In another landmark achievement, Ayoade Bamgboye won the Best Newcomer award for her show “Swings and Roundabouts,” becoming the first Black woman to claim the prize.
This year marked a departure for the Fringe, as the annual award for the Funniest Joke, a festival mainstay for nearly two decades, was discontinued.
The esteemed Edinburgh Comedy Awards, established in 1981, recognizes outstanding performances and routines and is credited with boosting the careers of numerous comedy icons.
The Victoria Wood award, a panel prize honoring those who embody the “true spirit of the Fringe,” was presented to Comedy Club 4 Kids this year.
Nicoresti, hailing from Birmingham, received the award and a £10,000 prize as part of a shortlist lauded as the “stars of tomorrow.”
The Guardian lauded “Baby Doomer” with a four-star review, describing it as “an ebullient hour with a sky-high joke count.”
Nicoresti expressed elation, stating, “Winning the award sure is swell, I’m super excited and stoked and jazzed. I did this for the queers making weird art, and it’s a privilege to share this moment with the first all female line-up of award winners.”
Bamgboye’s “Swings and Roundabouts,” which explores her move from Nigeria to London, has been hailed as a “thrilling debut.”
Speaking to BBC News, she explained that the show serves as a commentary on suffering, particularly that arising from “the circumstances of your birth and identity.”
She noted that audiences have approached her shows with “wide-eyed” curiosity and “open hearts.”
“The reception has been more and better than I could have dreamed,” she said. “No one is asking you to prove you’re funny, they’re there to have a good time and to listen.
“It’s always important to be doing this craft, throwing my hat into the ring and to be recognised in this way is just the start of something – not just for me but for people who look like me.”
Nica Burns, director of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, emphasized that the winners embody the spirit of contemporary comedy: “bold, brilliant, and deeply connected to audiences.”
She described Sam Nicoresti’s “Baby Doomer” as “a masterfully woven, polished, and delightfully human show that captures an essential moment with, to paraphrase her words, laughs by the seconds.”
“Ayoade Bamgboye’s debut hour is electric, constantly keeping you on your toes.
“What begins as an everyday anecdote about the Co-Op unfolds into a rich, often surreal world, layered with profound emotional depth. She delivers it all with remarkable charisma and presence. Ayoade has a brilliant future ahead of her.”
The Edinburgh Comedy Awards are celebrating their 45th year.
Previous winners include Stephen Fry, Steve Coogan, Lee Evans, Al Murray, Sarah Millican, Omid Djalili, Eddie Izzard, Tim Minchin, The League of Gentlemen, Jenny Eclair, and Frank Skinner.
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