The Stand Out Young Comedian of the Year Competition takes place as part of the Liverpool Comedy Festival each summer and is sponsored by the Liverpool Echo and 02. The Competition showcases the talents of the best new young comedians from across the North West. The winner is given a cash prize and an o2 mobile phone.
Stand Out Competition 2009
This years competition was another roaring success with the semi-finalists being whittled down to 10 acts, one of which was a female double-act, who performed to the 200 plus crowd at the Concert Room in St Georges Hall.
The judging panel for the competition included Director of The Comedy Trust, Gillian Miller, Jane Haase from the Liverpool Echo, Gary Millar from Liverpool City Council, Stephanie Power from BBC Radio 4 and 5 Live and David Salt from o2.
First place for the 14-16 year old actegory went to 14-year-old Danny Leslie from Hesketh Fletcher School in Atherton, Manchester. For the 16-18 year old category, first place went to 16-year-old Liam Fieldstead from St Wilfrids High School in Bootle; runners-up prizes were awarded to Scott Morrison, also aged 14, from Govan High School in Glasgow and 16-year-olds Robyn Nevin and Alicia Brockenbrow also from St Wilfrid's High School in Bootle.
Plantation Productions from Glasgow were awarded the School of the Year Award and 15-year-old Maricort pupil Andrew Birchall was handed the Special Achievement Award.
''Not only is Stand Out a great initiative to introduce kids into the world of performing and writing comedy it is also a brilliant avenue for them to direct their talents knowing that there is an end result - the opportunity to perform in a final on one of the most famous stages in the country the Royal Court. Hosting the final this year was a great honour and the standard of all the entrants was exceptionally high - so much so I am sure we will be seeing Stand Out graduates on the UK circuit in the near future pushing fossils like me to make sure we are at the top of our game to keep up!''
Comedian and Patron of The Comedy Trust, John Bishop Well done to everyone involved!
Stand Out Young Comedian of the Year 2002 -2008
Matt Challenor from Gatacre Comprehensive, Nathan McMullen from Woodchurch high school, Joe Nunnery from Maricourt High school, Andrew Crawford from Whitby High School, Faye Burnell from King George High School, Dan Shea from Cowley Language College, Conor McKenna and Peter Harris from St Mary's College, Sam Inkson from St Michael's Catholic High School, Danny Leslie from Hesketh Fletcher and Liam Fieldstead from St Wilfrids RC High School have been the 11 winners of the competition so far.
