... as are the Chortle award hosts

Chortle can today announce the winners of the venue categories in our 2026 awards.

And for the first time we have a tie, with the Big Belly Comedy Club and The Bill Murray being jointly named best comedy venue in London.

There was nothing between them, with each attracting exactly 486 votes each.

Today's announcement comes ahead of the Chortle Awards ceremony taking place in London's Comedy Store tomorrow.

The event will be hosted by Peter Serafinowicz – whose long list of screen credits include Shaun Of The Dead, The Gentleman and his comedy alter-ego Brian Butterfield  – and Ronni Ancona, the Big Impression star who’s also a familiar face on TV, including a forthcoming role in EastEnders.

Scroll down for a full list of nominees - but here are the venue winners.

Best comedy venue

London: Joint winners, Big Belly Comedy Club and The Bill Murray
The North:  Fairfield Social Club, Manchester
The South:  The Komedia, Brighton
The West and Wales: The Gaffe, Bristol
Scotland: Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh

Best pro comedy nght

London: Always Be Comedy
The North:  XS Malarkey, Manchester
The South:  Komedia Comedy Club Brighton
The West and Wales: Swindon Old Town Comedy Club

Best comedy format

London: Alternative Comedy Memorial Society 
The North: CroppaChoppa's Slumber Party at Fairfield Social Club
The South: Boast In Show at Komeia Brighton
The West and Wales:  People's Comedy
Scotland: Haters Ball, Edinburgh Fringe

Best open mic night

London: Comedy Bandits
The North: Beat The Frog, Manchester
The South: Little Smash Comedy, Southend
Scotland: Open Comedy, Leith

Where a winner has not been named there were not enough votes to definitely declare a winner.

Chortle Award nominees

Best Newcomer

Ada & Bron
Ayoade Bamgboye
Jessie Nixon
The Sisters Fig
Elouise Eftos
Molly McGuinness

Breakthrough Act

Michelle de Swarte
Luke McQueen
Sam Nicoresti
Toussaint Douglas
Amy Mason

Sketch, variety & improv

David Elms
Catherine Cohen
Alice Cockayne
Rory Marshall
Ada & Bron

Clowning & alternative

Sami Abu-Wardeh
Rosa Garland
Gutter
Jessica Barton
Johnny White Really-Really

Headliner

Christopher MacArthur-Boyd
Tom Ward
Carl Donnelly
Esther Manito
Gbemi Oladipo

Best compere

Paddy Young
Amy Gledhill
Thanyia Moore
Andrew Mensah and Gbemi Oladipo
Amy Annette

Best show

Simon Amstell: I Love It Here
Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer
John Tothill: This Must Be Heaven
Bella Hull: Doctors Hate Her
Ian Smith: Foot Spa Half Empty
Luke McQueen: Comedians' Comedian

Best tour

Michelle De Swarte: The Afters
Nick Mohammed is Mr Swallow: Show Pony
Dara O Briain - Re:Creation
Katherine Ryan: Battleaxe
Stewart Lee vs the Man-Wulf

Best TV comedy

Dreaming Whilst Black
Funboys
Such Brave Girls
Just Act Normal
Last One Laughing UK

Best TV comedian

Nick Mohammed
Rosie Jones
Lou Sanders
Harriet Kemsley
Alan Carr

Best radio comedy

You Heard It Here First
Crybabies Present...
Icklewick FM
Time Of The Week
The Naked Week

Best podcast

Single Ladies In Your Area with Amy Gledhill and Harriet Kemsley
Wisecrack with Edd Hedges
Pappy's Flatshare Slamdown Trusty Hogs
with Catherine Bohart & Helen Bauer
Fin vs History

Social media award

Sam O'Leary
Imogen Andrews and Al Nash
Jake Bhardwaj
Lou Taylor

Book award

The Leopard In My House by Mark Steel
Yardsticks For Failure by Ivo Graham
LA Baby by Tim Key
You'll Like It When You Get There by Rhys James
Don't Make Me Laugh by Julia Raeside

•Click here to make Chorte a 'preferred source' on Google, which means results from this site will appear higher in your search results.

Published: 16 Mar 2026