Nathan Chin best newcomer

Celia Pacquola has won the biggest prize in Australian live comedy.

The stand-up won the award for the most outstanding show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for Gift Horse, which revolves around her partner giving her an inflatable kayak for her 42nd birthday.

Picking up her award, Pacquola – who is celebrating her 20th year in comedy – joked about how unexpected it was to win for a show based on such a trivial subject, compared to previous shows which tackled weightier topics.

Read a five-star review of her show here.

Also nominated were British comedians Sam Nicoresti, Dan Tiernan and Emmanuel Sonubi (review), plus Mexican-American Lara Ricote (review), Danish-based American Abby Wambaugh and Australians  Frankie McNair (review), Reuben Kay, Cassie Workman (review)  and Kitty Flanagan.

Nathan Chin (review) won the best newcomer award – a category reserved for Australian and New Zealand acts – over fellow nominees Elliot Wood (review), Dana Mitchell (review), Caitlin Duff (review), Jo Gowda, Tarsh Jago (review) and Barney Pollock (review).

 Laura Davis win the  Golden Gibbo award – which honours the memory of the late Lynda Gibson, and looks to recognise independent, local, adventurous shows.

Kitty Flanagan won the people’s choice award for the most tickets sold; Lizzie Hoo won the Pinder Prize, which helps brings shows to the Edinburgh Fringe, Kate Dolan and Nath Valvo shared the director’s choice award and Bron Lewis won a new VicScreen award for a show that has TV or film potential.

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. 

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Published: 18 Apr 2026