The Chortle Awards were set up in 2002 by the comedy website Chortle to honour the best of established stand-up comics currently working in the UK. A panel of reviewers draw up a shortlist, which is presented for public vote at the Chortle website.
2002 Category Winner Nominees Best Touring Comedian Ross Noble Bill Bailey, Rich Hall as Otis Lee Crenshaw, Al Murray Best male circuit comedian Daniel Kitson Boothby Graffoe, Lee Mack, Phil Nichol Best female circuit comedian Jo Enright Gina Yashere, Jo Caulfield, Julia Morris Best open mic Des Clarke Rohan Agalawatta, Steve Williams, Miles Jupp Best compère Lee Mack Simon Bligh, Boothby Graffoe, Lee Hurst Best sketch or character act The League of Gentlemen Graham Fellows for John Shuttleworth and Brian Appleton, Garth Marenghi, Mackenzie Crook Best contribution by a non-performer Malcolm Hay, comedy editor Time Out (nominees: Tommy Sheppard, director of The Stand comedy clubs, Don Ward founder of the Comedy Store, Agraman of The Buzz Club, Manchester People's choice Ross Noble runner-up: Daniel Kitson Comedians' comedians Ross Noble runner-up: Daniel Kitson Outstanding contribution to comedy Spike Milligan Best venues London (large): Up The Creek; London (small): Amused Moose Soho; Scotland: Stand Glasgow; North of England: XS Malarkey in Manchester; Midlands: Just the Tonic; West/Wales: The Glee Club Cardiff; South: Komedia, Brighton London (large): The Comedy Store (runner up); London (small): Loonatics at The Asylum (runner up); Scotland: Stand Edinburgh (runner up); North of England: Last Laugh in Sheffield (runner up); Midlands: The Glee Club Birmingham (runner up); West/Wales: Comedy Cavern, Bath (runner up); South: Sanctum, Hove (runner up)
2003 Category Winner Nominees Best Newcomer Matthew Osborn Greg Davies, Rhod Gilbert Best compère Chris Addison Adam Hills, Dara Ó Briain Breakthrough act Rev Obadiah Steppenwolfe III Hal Cruttenden, Micky Flanagan) Best headliner Dara Ó Briain Jimmy Carr, Phil Nichol Best sketch, variety or character act Garth Marenghi Otis Lee Crenshaw, Rev Obadiah Steppenwolfe III Best full-length solo show Daniel Kitson: Something Jimmy Carr: Bare-Faced Ambition, Dave Gorman: Dave Gorman's Better World Best contribution by a non-performer Karen Koren of Edinburgh's Gilded Balloon People's choice Ross Noble Comedians' comedians Daniel Kitson Outstanding contribution to comedy Billy Connolly Best venues London (large): The Comedy Store, London (small): Amused Moose Soho, Scotland: Stand Glasgow, North of England: XS Malarkey, Manchester, Midlands: Just The Tonic, West/Wales: The Glee Club Cardiff, South: Komedia, Brighton
2004 Category Winner Nominees Best Newcomer Waen Shepherd as Gary Le Strange Stuart Hudson, Tom Wrigglesworth Best Compère Adam Hills Stephen K Amos, Jo Caulfield Breakthrough act Alex Horne Lucy Porter, Will Smith Best headliner Dara Ó Briain Adam Hills, Reginald D Hunter Best sketch, variety or character act Justin Edwards as Jeremy Lion Flight Of The Conchords, Oram and Meeten Award for innovation Dave Gorman Alfie Joey for his Mini Cabaret, Howard Read Best full-length solo show Dave Gorman Dave Gorman's Googlewhack Adventure Demetri Martin: If I..., Dara Ó Briain: I Am Not An Animal Best contribution by a non-performer Hannah Chambers of Comedy Cafe Management Agraman The Buzz Manchester, Simon Randall Ha Bloody Ha/Headliners London People's choice Daniel Kitson Comedians' comedians Daniel Kitson Outstanding contribution to comedy Lloyd Langford Best venues London (large): Comedy Store, London (small): Amused Moose, North of England: XS Malarkey Manchester, South of England: Komedia Brighton, East/Midlands: The Glee Club Birmingham, West of England/Wales: Comedy Cavern Bath, Scotland: The Stand Edinburgh
2005 Category Winner Nominees Best Newcomer Josie Long Russell Kane, Isy Suttie Best Compère Daniel Kitson Alun Cochrane, Adam Hills Breakthrough act Rhod Gilbert Alun Cochrane, Mark Watson Best headliner Will Smith Chris Addison, Andrew Maxwell People's Choice Daniel Kitson Comics' Comic Andrew Maxwell Best sketch, variety or character act Flight Of The Conchords Jeremy Lion, Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players Award for innovation Mark Watson for his Overambitious 24-Hour Show Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, Wil Hodgson Best full-length solo show Daniel Kitson's Edinburgh show Will Smith: 10 Arguments I Should Have Won, Bill Bailey: Part Troll Best off-stage contribution Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood, of The Underbelly, Edinburgh Lifetime Achievement Award Malcolm Hardee Venue Awards North of England: XS Malarkey, Manchester, South of England: The Komedia, Brighton, Midlands: Just The Tonic, Nottingham, Scotland: The Stand, Edinburgh, West and Wales: The Glee Club, Cardiff, London, large venue: The Comedy Store, London, small venue: Comedy Camp
2006 Category Winner Nominees Best Newcomer James Branch Lee Bannard, Sarah Millican Best Compère Russell Howard Alfie Joey, Andrew Maxwell Best Breakthrough Act Jason Manford Hal Cruttenden, Josie Long Best Headliner Daniel Kitson Alan Carr, Stewart Lee Best sketch, variety or character act Justin Edwards as Jeremy Lion Tim Minchin, We Are Klang Best full-length solo show Daniel Kitson Daniel Kitson’s Edinburgh stand-up show Stewart Lee Stewart Lee: 90s Comedian, Tim Minchin Tim Minchin: Dark Side Award for innovation Robin Ince's Book Club People's Choice Daniel Kitson Comics' Comic Daniel Kitson Best off-stage contribution Malcolm Hay, comedy editor of Time Out Outstanding Contribution to Comedy Stewart Lee Venue Awards Scotland: The Pleasance, The North of England: Funny Magnet, Middlesbrough, Midlands and East: The Funhouse, Derby, Wales and the West: The Glee Club, Cardiff, South of England: Komedia, Brighton, London small: Outside The Box, Kingston, London large: The Comedy Store
2007 Category Winner Nominees Best Newcomer Carl Donnelly Arnab Chanda, Ginger and Black, Pappy's Fun Club Best Breakthrough Act Josie Long Greg Davies, Paul Sinha, Shappi Khorsandi Best Compère Robin Ince Jarred Christmas, Mark Watson, Stephen K Amos Best Headliner Jason Byrne Michael McIntyre, Phil Nichol, Reginald D. Hunter Best Sketch, Variety or Character Act We Are Klang Count Arthur Strong, Jeremy Lion, Joanna Neary Best Full-Length Feature Show The Mighty Boosh Tour Doug Stanhope, Mark Thomas: As Used On The Famous Nelson Mandela, We Are Klang: Klang Bang Award for innovation Free Fringe James Campbell’s Comedy 4 Kids, Maxwell’s Full Mooners, Tim Fitzhigham Best off-stage contribution Free Fringe BAC, Brett Vincent, Alex Rochford and Paul Byrne for Maxwell’s Full Mooners, Toby Hadoke for XS Malarkey Outstanding Contribution to Comedy Linda Smith Venue Awards Scotland: The Stand, Edinburgh, The North: Long Live Comedy, Newcastle, Midlands and East: Spa-Tickes, Leamington Spa, Wales and the West: Glee Club, Cardiff, South: Comedy Cottage, Redhill, London small: The Funny Side Of Covent Garden, London large: The Comedy Store
2008 Category Winner Nominees Best Newcomer Holly Walsh Nat Luurtsema, Greg McHugh, Jack Whitehall Best Breakthrough Act Jon Richardson Tom Basden, Lloyd Langford, Terry Saunders Best Compère Stephen Grant Stephen K Amos, Jarred Christmas, Greg Davies Best Headliner Michael McIntyre Rhod Gilbert, Jim Jefferies, Glenn Wool Best Sketch, Variety or Character Act Pappy's Fun Club Fat Tongue, Lee Fenwick as Mick Sergeant, Ugly Kid Best Full-Length Feature Show Stewart Lee: 41st Best Stand-Up Tom Basden Won't Say Anything, Psister Psycho, Terry Saunders: Missed Connection Award for innovation Laughter In Odd Places Arthur Smith for ArthurArt, Gently Progressive Behemoth (Edinburgh show), We Need Answers (Edinburgh show)) Best theatre tour Dara Ó Briain Alan Carr: Tooth Fairy, Al Murray at the London Palladium, Frank Skinner Offstage Contribution Toby Hadoke of XS Malarkey, Manchester Award for artistic integrity Hans Teeuwen Outstanding Contribution to Comedy The I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue team Venue Awards London (large): Comedy Store, London (small) : Falling Down With Laughter, South: Komedia, Midlands/East: Derby Funhouse, Wales and the West: The Glee Club, Cardiff, North: XS Malarkey, Manchester, Scotland: Edinburgh Stand
2009 Category Winner Nominees PIAS Comedy Award for best newcomer Seann Walsh Mike Wozniak, Pippa Evans, Daniel Simonsen Breakthrough Act Sarah Millican Andrew O'Neill, Bridget Christie, Carl Donnelly Best Compère Rufus Hound Dan Nightingale, Alun Cochrane, Stephen Grant Student Comedy Award Joe Lycett FremantleMedia Enterprises Award for Best Headliner Rhod Gilbert Andrew Maxwell, Paul Sinha, Milton Jones Best Sketch, Variety or Character Act Tim Minchin Count Arthur Strong, Pippa Evans, Wilson Dixon Best Full Show Tim Minchin: Ready For This Rhod Gilbert And The Award-Winning Mince Pie, Richard Herring: The Headmaster's Son, David O'Doherty: Let's Comedy Award for innovation Robin Ince for Nine Lessons And Carols For Godless People Best theatre show Russell Howard: Dingledodies Dylan Moran: This Is It, Dara Ó Briain, Frankie Boyle Best Off-Stage Contribution Michael Legge for his blog Award for artistic integrity John Hegley Outstanding Contribution to Comedy The I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue team Best use of stand-up on TV or radio Live At The Apollo Mark Watson Makes the World Substantially Better, 4 Stands Up, Another Case of Milton Jones Best DVD Dara Ó Briain Talks Funny Stewart Lee: 41st Best Stand-up, Tim Minchin: So Fucking Rock, Frank Skinner Stand-Up Venue Awards Scotland: Stand, Edinburgh, The North: XS Malarkey, Manchester, Midlands and The East: Glee, Birmingham, Wales and The West: Glee, Cardiff, The South: Komedia, Brighton, London large venue: Soho Theatre, London small venue: Porthole Comedy Club, Kilburn
2010 Category Winner Nominees Best Newcomer sponsored by Impressive PR Joe Lycett Ivo Graham, Naz Osmanaglu, Gareth Richards Breakthrough Act sponsored by PIAS Kevin Bridges Angelos Epithemiou, Pete Johansson, Seann Walsh Best Headliner Sarah Millican Milton Jones, Andrew Lawrence, Phil Nichol Best Compère Jarred Christmas Dan Atkinson, Jason Cook, Stephen Grant Best Sketch or Character Act Idiots Of Ants Angelos Epithemiou, Colin Hoult, Pajama Men Best Music or Variety Act Tim Minchin Wilson Dixon, Frisky & Mannish, Hans Teeuwen Award for innovation Robin Ince for Nine Lessons And Carols For Godless People Best show Tom Wrigglesworth's Open Return Letter To Richard Branson The Hotel, Kim Noble Will Die, Louis CK, Pajama Men: Last Stand To Reason Off-Stage Contribution Nica Burns Award for artistic integrity Kim Noble Outstanding Contribution to Comedy Armando Iannucci Best Tour Michael McIntyre Simon Amstell: Do Nothing, Russell Brand: Scandalous, Dylan Moran: What It Is TV and radio award Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow The News Quiz, Russell Howard's Good News, Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle Best DVD Rhod Gilbert's Award-Winning Mince Pie Ed Byrne: Different Class, Louis CK: Chewed Up, Dylan Moran: What It Is Venue Awards Scotland - Edinburgh Stand, The North - XS Malarkey, Midlands and the East - Glee Birmingham, Wales and the West - Komedia Bath, The South - Upstairs At The Three And Ten, London large - Tabernacle, London small - Knock 2 Bag at Bar FM
2011