The AACTA Award for Best Television Comedy Series is an Australian television award, given at the AACTA Awards (formerly AFI Awards). It has formerly been known as the AFI Award for Best Comedy Series – Sitcom or Sketch; AFI Award for Best Television Comedy Series; and AFI Award for Best Television Comedy Series.
History From 2003 to 2010, the category was presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), the Academy's parent organisation, at the annual Australian Film Institute Awards (known as the AFI Awards). When the AFI launched the Academy in 2011, it changed the annual ceremony to the AACTA Awards, with the current prize being a continuum of the AFI Award for Best Television Comedy Series.
The award was first handed out in 2003 it was called Best Comedy Series – Sitcom or Sketch until 2005, when it was renamed Best Television Comedy Series. In 2013, the Academy announced that because of a lack of funds, due to the loss of Samsung as a naming rights sponsor for the AACTA Awards, some categories were either merged or removed from the 2014 Awards. This included the award for Best Television Comedy Series which was merged with the Best Light Entertainment Television Series prize, under the name Best Television Comedy or Light Entertainment Series. However, AACTA announced that it will split the category, and Best Television Comedy Series will be given as a stand-alone award once again for the 2015 presentation.
Description The AACTA Award for Best Television Comedy Series is accolade given by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), a non-profit organisation whose aim is to "identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television." The award is handed out at the annual AACTA Awards, which rewards achievements in Australian feature film, television, documentaries, and short films.
The AACTA Award for Best Television Comedy Series is given to the producer of the winning production. To be eligible for nomination, the program must be a situation comedy or sketch series, with no less than four substantially scripted episodes, no more than one hour in length. Each episode must contain either a "continuing story with an ongoing plot and characters" or "a series of unrelated sketches."
Most awards Review with Myles Barlow, Utopia, and The Letdown have earned two awards, more than any other program. Selin Yaman and John Safran are the most awarded producers with two wins, and Nicole Minchin, Adam Zwar, Robyn Butler, and Wayne Hope have received the most nominations with four each.
Winners and nominees In the following table, the years listed correspond to the year that the television programme aired on Australian television; the ceremonies are usually held the following year. The television series whose name is emphasised in boldface and highlighted in yellow has won the award. Those that are neither highlighted nor in bold are the nominees. When sorted chronologically, the table always lists the winning program first and then the other nominees. (User must click on the appropriate decades to access the winners and nominees of each year.)
AFI Awards (2003–2010)AACTA Awards (2011–present)
Year Program Producer(s) Network 2003(45th) John Safran's Music Jamboree , John Safran SBS Big Bite Seven Network CNNNN , Mark Fennessy ABC Kath & Kim , Jane Turner, Mark Ruse ABC 2004(46th) Double the Fist ABC Kath & Kim , Jane Turner, Mark Ruse ABC SkitHOUSE , Jodie Crawford-Fish, Rove McManus Network Ten Stories from the Golf , Wayne Hope SBS 2005(47th) John Safran vs God , John Safran SBS Comedy Inc.-The Late Shift David McDonald Nine Network The Chaser Decides ABC We Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the Year ABC 2006(48th) The Chaser's War on Everything Mark Fitzgerald, Julian Morrow, Andy Nehl ABC Comedy Inc.-The Late Shift David McDonald Nine Network Supernova , David G. Taylor, Beryl Vertue, Sue Vertue UKTV 2007(49th) Wilfred SBS The Chaser's War on Everything , Julian Morrow, Jo Wathen ABC The New Inventors , Jo Wathen ABC1 The Sideshow , Pam Swain, Megan Harding ABC 2008(50th) Summer Heights High , Laura Waters ABC Chandon Pictures Movie Extra The Hollowmen , Tom Gleisner, Rob Sitch ABC1 The Librarians , Wayne Hope ABC 2009(51st) Review with Myles Barlow ABC2 Chandon Pictures Movie Extra Lawrence Leung's Choose Your Own Adventure , Andy Nehl ABC1 Very Small Business , Wayne Hope ABC1 2010(52nd) Review with Myles Barlow (series 2) ABC2 Lowdown , Amanda Brotchie, Adam Zwar ABC1 Wilfred (series 2) , Tony Rogers, Adam Zwar, Jason Gann SBS AACTA Awards 2011(1st) Laid ABC1 At Home With Julia Rick Kalowski, Greg Quail and Carol Hughes ABC1 Twentysomething Nicole Minchin ABC2 2012(2nd) Lowdown (series 2) Nicole Minchin, Amanda Brotchie and Adam Zwar ABC1 A Moody Christmas Andrew Walker ABC1 Danger 5 Kate Croser and Dario Russo SBS One Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell Peter Beck ABC1 2013(3rd) Please Like Me Todd Abbott ABC2 The Agony of Life Nicole Minchin, Amanda Brotchie and Adam Zwar ABC1 Gruen Nation (series 2) Sophia Zachariou, Jo Wathen, Wil Anderson and Jon Casimir ABC1 Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell Peter Beck and Shaun Micallef ABC1 Upper Middle Bogan Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope ABC1 2014(4th) Utopia Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Michael Hirsh, and Rob Sitch ABC It's a Date Laura Waters, Andrea Denholm, Paul Walton, and Peter Helliar ABC The Moodys Chloe Rickard and Jason Burrows ABC Please Like Me Todd Abbott, Josh Thomas, and Kevin Whyte ABC Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell Peter Beck and Shaun Micallef ABC 2015(5th) Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell Peter Beck and Shaun Micallef ABC Danger 5 (Series 2)Kate Croser and Dario Russo SBS Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane Donna Andrews and Stu ConnollyABC Utopia Michael Hirsh, Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner and Rob Sitch ABC 2016(6th) Upper Middle Bogan Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope, Ben Grogan ABC Black Comedy Kath Shelper, Mark O'Toole ABC The Family Law Sophie Miller, Julie Eckersley, Debbie Lee, Tony Ayres SBS Please Like Me Todd Abbott, Josh Thomas, Lisa Wang, Kevin Whyte ABC 2017(7th) Utopia Michael Hirsh, Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner and Rob Sitch ABC No Activity Chloe Rickard Stan Rosehaven Andrew Walker, Kevin Whyte, Celia Pacquola, Luke McGregor ABC True Story with Hamish & Andy Tim Bartley, Andy Lee, Ryan Shelton, Andrew Walker Nine Network 2018(8th) The Letdown Julian Morrow, Sarah Scheller, Alison Bell ABC Black Comedy Kath Shelper, Mark O'Toole ABC Nanette Kevin Whyte, Kathleen McCarthy, Frank Bruzzese Netflix Rosehaven Andrew Walker, Kevin Whyte, Celia Pacquola, Luke McGregor ABC True Story with Hamish & Andy Tim Bartley, Andy Lee, Ryan Shelton, Andrew Walker Nine Network 2019(9th)The LetdownJulian Morrow, Sarah Scheller, Alison BellABCRosehavenAndrew Walker, Kevin Whyte, Celia Pacquola, Luke McGregorABCFrayedClelia Mountford, Sharon Horgan, Nicole O'Donohue, Kevin WhyteABCSammy JSammy J, Michelle Buxton, Chris McDonaldABCUtopiaMichael Hirsh, Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner and Rob SitchABC 2020(10th)UprightJason Stephens, Helen Bowden, Melissa Kelly, Chris Taylor, Tim MinchinFoxtelAt Home Alone TogetherNick Hayden, Janet Gaeta, Nikita Agzarian, Dan IlicABCBlack ComedyKath Shelper, Mark O'Toole, Nakkiah Lui, David WoodheadABCThe Other GuyAngie Fielder, Polly Staniford, Jude Troy, Alice WillisonStanRosehavenAndrew Walker, Kevin Whyte, Celia Pacquola, Luke McGregorABC 2021(11th)FiskVincent SheehanABCAftertasteRebecca Summerton, Erik Thomson, Matthew Bate, Julie De FinaABCAunty Donna's Big Ol' House of FunSam Lingham, Katherine DaleNetflixFrayedClelia Mountford, Sharon Horgan, Kevin Whyte, Nicole O'DonohueABCPreppersLiz Watts, Sylvia WarmeABCRosehavenAndrew Walker, Celia Pacquola, Luke McGregor, Kevin WhyteABC 2022(12th)Shaun Micallef's Mad as HellPeter Beck, Beth Hart, Shaun MicallefABCAftertasteRebecca Summerton, Matthew Bate, Erik Thomson, Julie De FinaABCFive BedroomsChristine Bartlett, Michael Lucas, Nathan Mayfield, Tracey RobertsonNetwork TenHard QuizChris Walker, Kevin Whyte, Tom Gleeson, John TabbaghABCSpicks and SpecksRachel Millar, Anthony WattABCSummer LoveWayne Hope, Robyn ButlerABC 2023(13th)Colin from AccountsIan Collie, Rob Gibson, Patrick Brammall, Harriet DyerBinge, FoxtelDeadlochKate McCartney, Kate McLennan, Andrew Walker, Kevin WhyteFiskVincent Sheehan, Kitty FlanaganABCGold DiggersUjuk Linda, John-Paul Sarni, Muffy Potter, Kate ButlerABCUprightJason Stephens, Meg O'Connell, Tim Minchin, Helen BowdenFoxtelUtopiaMichael Hirsh, Deb HermanABC 2024(14th)FiskNicole Minchin, Kitty Flanagan, producer, Tom PetersonABCAustinCatherine Nebauer, Joe Weatherstone, Darren Ashton, Ben MillerABCBumpDan Edwards, John Edwards, Claudia Karvan, Kelsey MunroStanColin from AccountsKevin Greene, Ian Collie, Rob GibsonBinge, FoxtelStrifeSteve Hutensky, Jodi Matterson, Asher Keddie, Mia Freedman, Sarah Scheller, Lorelle AdamsonBinge, FoxtelThe OfficeSophia Zachariou, Kylie Washington, Linda MicskoAmazon Prime Video
See also AACTA Awards
References
Further reading