Record ten nominees for main comedy festival award

British comedians Sam Nicoresti, Dan Tiernan and Emmanuel Sonubi have been nominated for the biggest prize in Australian live comedy.

The trio are in the running for the award for the most outstanding show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

A record ten comics have been shortlisted for the prize, with Mexican-American Lara Ricote (review), Danish-baed American Abby Wambaugh and Australians Celia Pacquloa, Frankie McNair, Reuben Kay, Cassie Workman (review)  and Kitty Flanagan completing the list.

Nicoresti is nominated for her show Baby Doomer, which won the Edinburgh Comedy Award last year, Sonubi for his story of heart failure, Life After Near Death, and Tiernan for a new show, Quartz And All, following two nominations in Edinburgh.

Shortlisted for Melbourne’s best newcomer – a category reserved for Australian and New Zealand acts – are Nathan Chin (review), Elliot Wood (review), Dana Mitchell, Caitlin Duff (review), Jo Gowda, Tarsh J and Barney Pollock (review).

Up for the Golden Gibbo award – which honours the memory of the late Lynda Gibson, and looks to recognise independent, local, adventurous shows – are Sunny Youngsmith: Cabin Pressure;  Andy Balloch: Welcome to Hell; Caitlin Duff: Freidah Will See You Now; Kate Dehnert: Echo; Laura Davis: Swag and  Katrina Mather:  Anything But The Dyson and Other Excellent Monologues.

Last year’s most outstanding award went to Garry Starr for Classic Penguins with Jessica Barton’s Dirty Work earning her the best newcomer prize. 

Winners will be announced on Saturday

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Published: 15 Apr 2026