...and the prizes have gone up

Entries have opened for the annual comedy writing award handed out in memory of  Reggie Perrin author David Nobbs.

Prizes have again increased this year, now standing at £1,000 for the overall winner – up from £750 last years – while any runners-up will receive £250.

The winner will also get a one-to-one consultation with an established comedy producer or commissioner  on the board of  the David Nobbs Memorial Trust.

Trust chair Mary O’Hara said: ‘The whole board is thrilled that the competition is back for yet another year.

‘Each year the competition attracts an incredible pool of up-and-coming talent, with winners going on to get new commissions and industry representation. I know David would be absolutely delighted that the next generation of British comedy-writing talent is being helped along in this way.’

Organisers of the competition, now in its fifth year, hope the cash prizes will help up-and-coming comedy writers ‘buy time’ to concentrate on their work. Entrants must have a  broadcast credit for their written material and supply a 500-word statement of intent describing their writing career goals.

The 2020 winner Zoë Tomalin, said that securing the prize was ’a big step forward for my career. Since then, I have signed with PBJ Management and my winning script is being developed by a production company.

‘Most importantly, now when I ask to be introduced as "the award-winning writer Zoe Tomalin" people have to respect that instead of wanging on about how I "haven't even won any awards" and how I should "just get on with Uncle Steve's eulogy".’

‘Encouraging younger writers – such as myself – was an integral part of his mission to spread more laughter throughout the world, and I’m proud to have a role in that now, as a patron of David’s Memorial Trust.

Nobbs’s widow Susan added: ‘I know that awarding a bursary to new writers, as a support at the beginning of their chosen career would have definitely appealed to David.

Entries opened today and close on March 11. Full details can be found at the Trust website.

Published: 1 Feb 2022