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I was delighted that my wonderful comedy course graduate Francesca Martinez (left) was nominated for "Best Show" in the prestigious Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival Awards. I caught-up with Francesca and her superb solo show "What the **** is Normal?" when her tour brought her to Brighton's Komedia last year, and it truly deserved this "Best Show" nomination.

 

Francesca was the first, to coin her phrase "wobbly comedian" to join my comedy course, when I was first teaching stand-up, at London's City Lit. I learnt so much from her about how to make my stand-up comedy classes fully accessible for everyone. She's an extraordinary woman and her appearance on "Russell Howards Good News" saw her leading the way again for her fellow "wobbly comedians." 

My other comedy workshops graduate nominated in Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival Awards for "Best Show," for his new solo show "Rom Com," was my Comic Boom MC the fantastic Romesh Ranganathan. I have never wanted two comedians to win the same award so much in my life! 

 

BBC Producer Steven George popped back into my life with an urgent request for help with his "Comic Relief" gig at the Trinity Theatre. The last time I spoke to Steven we were filming the BBC One documentary "Stand-Up for Comic Relief." Steven was back and he needed a headline act for his gig but we only had forty-eight hours to find one! Musical comedy double act Horse & Louis stepped into the breach, stormed the gig, and a fantastic five thousand pounds was raised for "Comic Relief." Phew!

Meanwhile, one of my stand-up course graduates Brighton's own Rich Perry (left) had a modest triumph when he won the London heat of Chortle's Student Comedy Awards. He represented Brighton's comedians in the capital city and made us all proud. 

And the winner of Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival Awards for "Best Show?" There's just no stopping him at the moment. It was (below) the incredible Romesh Ranganathan. 

  

It would be an understatement to say I'm over the moon for my fantastic graduate Romesh Ranganathan who has just won "Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year" 2013. He's the second of my graduates to win that award, previously won by our Seann Walsh. One of my earliest blogs here was about the sheer excitement of watching Romesh win his "So You Think You're Funny" heat at the Edinburgh Festival. He's come a long way since then but he's just kept on giving me opportunities to leap in the air clapping and cheering. It's a pleasure working with Romesh who is one of my fantastic four regular Comic Boom MC's at Komedia, Brighton. It was an added delightful bonus that Mark Simmons who is also one of my fantastic four Boom MC's was a runner-up in "Leicester Mecury Comedian of the Year" 2013. With the other two of my four Boom MC's comedy course graduate Paul McCaffrey landing BBC3 series "Impractical Jokers" and Paul F Taylor winning the NATY's 2013 it's safe to say that I could not be prouder of my aptly named fantastic four.  

2013 got off to a cracking start with my Brighton stand-up comedy course at Komedia graduate Sam Savage (right) storming the Bloomsbury Theatre and winning the runner-up prize in the prestigious "NATY's." The winner of the "NATY's" 2013 was one of our fantastic four "Comic Boom" MC's wonderful Paul F Taylor (left). They both did me and Komedia Brighton proud and Steve Bennett's Chortle review for them is ace. Click on link below to read review.

http://www.chortle.co.uk/features/2013/01/29/17058/naty_new_act_of_the_year_2013_final

 

 

We were over the moon when two of our fantastic four "Comic Boom" at Komedia Brighton MC's marvellous Mark Simmons (below) and my stand up graduate who's star just keeps on rising Romesh Ranganathan (left) were both nominated for the highly prestigious Leicester Mecury Comedian of the Year.  

I've always had such faith in my fantastic four Boom MC's I'm delighted their stars are all on the rise in the comedy industry. One of the fantastic four my graduate Paul McCaffrey started it by landing BBC3 series "Impractical Jokers." Healthy competition spurring them on or they're all just brilliant...

And I sent my thanks again to Latest 7 for a 5 star rave review for our end of year "Comic Boom." 

Click on link to read that Comic Boom review: http://thelatest.co.uk/brighton/2013/01/02/comic-boom-4/

 

 

 

 

While that was going on one of my newest Komedia comedy course graduates truly alternative Fraser Geesin (left) made my day by sending me his first ever review (click on link below). It's from Steve Bennett at Chortle.  It's a great first review...

http://www.chortle.co.uk/features/2013/01/25/17032/comedy_de_luxe%3A_opening_night

 

And Steve Bennett's "alternative hero" Ingrid Dahle (right) tweeted me her fun first interview with "Such Small Portions" (click on link below) in which, amongst other comedy things, she makes it clear that she is not David Baddiel..... 

http://www.suchsmallportions.com/feature/incoming-ingrid-dahle-not-david-baddiel

 

 

 

To complete this cracking start to 2013 my stellar stand-up course at Komedia Brighon graduate Seann Walsh (left) made us proud all over again when he was named the new "face of Comedy Central!"

Click on link below to read about that new face and find out about his currently shooting "Comedy Central" series "Seann Walsh World."  

http://www.comedy.co.uk/news/story/000001012/seann_walsh_world_comedy_central_stand_up_series/

I'm taking a moment to look back on 2012, as it coasts gently to a close, with the promise of another exciting new year ahead. I've loved 2012 for all the opportunities it's given me to work with fantastic people and be proud of my fabulous stand up comedy course graduates...

 

Paul McCaffrey's (left) star continued rise in 2012. He started with debut television appearances on "Russell Howard's Good News Extra" and "Comedy Central at the Comedy Store." By the end of the year he was having a right laugh appearing on television every week as one of BBC 3's "Impractical Jokers."  

 

Romesh Ranganathan's (left) star also continued to rise with debut television appearances on "Comedy Central at the Comedy Store," while writing for "Stand Up for the Week" and "Mock the Week." He made his Brighton Comedy Festival Opening Gala debut with old hands Seann Walsh and Simon Evans. It's fair to say that watching a talented trio of my comedy course graduates storm the show in front of 2,000 people at the Brighton Dome Concert Hall was one of my 2012 highlights.  

 

 

I loved being involved with the Brighton Comedy Festival this year and working with the fabulous Heather Ruck. I worked with some great new people in 2012. Teaching stand up comedy workshops in London and Brighton for Nicola Green and Lianne Coop for the BBC New Comedy Awards. Taster comedy workshops as part of the Brighton Festival Fringe Professional Development Programme. And I felt honoured to be a comedy industry panellist for Systke Kamstra at the Comedy International Conference and Steve Bennett at the Chortle Conference in 2012.   

 

 

Graduate and BBC New Comedy Award Winner 2011 Angela Barnes also made her television debut proper in 2012 on "Russell Howard's Good News Extra."

 

 

Francesca Martinez (right) was the last of my comedy course graduates to appear on "Russell Howards Good News Extra" in 2012. One of my highlights this year was catching-up with the wonderful Francesca and her fantastic show, "What the F***k is Normal?" 

 

 

Another highlight was Aidan Goatley's (left) terrific solo show "10 Films with my Dad," which earned 4 and 5 star reviews and sold out at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

I did my little dance of joy when six of my newest comedy course graduates got through to the "So You Think You're Funny" semi-finals at the Edinburgh Fringe Fest. Four of them found agents, including Ingrid Dahle who made it into the Final, gaining an ace Chortle review. She went on to win Brighton Comedy Festival's "Squawker Award" and stormed their closing show "Best of the Fest" at the Brighton Dome Concert Hall.   

 

"London is Funny" managed to snag a top, candid and interesting interview with stellar stand-up comedy course graduate, Brighton's own Seann Walsh. Click on link below to read interview: 

http://www.londonisfunny.com/features/30335/Seann_Walsh_interview_%E2%80%93%C2%A0Brighton_bad_boy_turns_eagle-eyed_comic

I could not have been happier or more excited at the Opening Gala show for Dave's Brighton Comedy Festival. I watched a formidable trio of my risen and rising comedy workshop graduates, Seann Walsh (left) Romesh Ranganathan (top right) and Simon Evans (bottom right) storm the 2,000 seater Dome Concert Hall. Chortle's Steve Bennett gave Romesh an excellent review for what was his Opening Gala debut and dubbed Simon Evans and Seann Walsh the "stand outs" of the night. I was unbelievably proud of them and felt a bit giddy about it for the rest of the festival...

 

 

I had a lot of fun teaching my one-day comedy workshop at Komedia as part of the Brighton Comedy Festival. Terrific bunch of people who put on a great little stand-up show to end the day. I also enjoyed doing a little bit of performance skills coaching with the lovely and talented "May Contain Nuts" group. It was an added treat working with my workshop graduate Angela Barnes (right) again on the night of that beautiful show. Anglela was a superb MC. I was emergency last minute stage manager. We laughed a lot! And we left at the end of it singing Lorainne Bowen's crumble song.   

 

Dave's Brighton Comedy Festival only got more exciting when one of my newest comedy course graduates fast rising Ingrid Dahle (below) won the Festival's first Squawker Award. She earned another ace review from Steve Bennett at Chortle. Ingrid performed her winning stand-up set at the closing show of the Brighton Comedy Festival (below) the Best of the Fest. I was back where I started watching one of my graduates performing on stage at the Dome Concert Hall to close the festival. Ingrid totally nailed it, stormed the gig, and did us all so incredibly proud.