Nicola Mantalios has won this year’s Funny Women stage award in the guise of her alter-ego Zoe.

The Newcastle-based comic was previously a finalist in the Laughing Horse and the So You Think You’re Funny? competitions as long ago as 2011,  adopting her weird character two years later.

Chinese comic Maple Zuo and Madeleine Brettingham, who won this year’s So You Think You’re Funny?, were named runners-up at the final at London’s Bloomsbury Theatre. 

The other finalists were Kate Hammer, Kay Nicholson, Rachel Galvo, Samantha Day, Shalaka Kurup, Sharifa Butterfly and Sophie Garrad. 

The competition is open to female or non-binary acts with under five years of agency representation, if any.

In other categories, Ana Basu won the writing award; Rosalie Minnitt won the shorts award for her Regency alter-ego Clementine;  Alice Etches won the content creator award; and Jessica Toomey of Manchester’s Frog and Bucket club and the Live Comedy Association won the industry award.

Funny Women founder Lynne Parker said: 'This has been an exceptional year for new talent.

'I feel as excited as I did back in 2003 when we ran the first ever awards. The landscape has changed and evolved due to more equality and diversity in entertainment, and working with [the sponsors] BBC Studios Funny Parts ensures that the comedy industry has never looked so good!’