Inside No. 9 has been voted “Comedy of the Year” in the 2018 Comedy.co.uk Awards – the first series to retain the title.
Having on the award in 2017, it also retained the prize for “Best TV Comedy Drama”, a prize that it has won continuously since 2014. Inside No. 9 is also just the second series to win “Comedy of the Year” twice, the first being Miranda which won in 2010 and 2012. The awards are entirely decided by two rounds of public voting, first creating the shortlist from all British comedies aired on TV and radio that year, and secondly voting in this final shortlist.
Inside No. 9’s stars Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith said of their victory: “Wow, what a fantastic way to start the week filming Series 5. Having written an episode that highlights how corrupt and meaningless awards are, we’d like to backtrack and say just how important this particular award is to us, and we’re all very moved by it. It’s all down to having the best fans in the business – you stole our hearts. Cheese and Crackers would be over the moon. Sincerely, thanks.”
Elsewhere in the TV categories, Channel 4’s Derry Girls won the prize for “Best New TV Sitcom”, while Friday Night Dinner won “Best Returning TV Sitcom”. The return of Reeves and Mortimer in the form of Vic & Bob’s Big Night Out on BBC Four won “Best TV Sketch Show”, while Would I Lie to You? on BBC One took the “Best TV Panel Show” award. The last TV prize, for “Best TV Entertainment Show”, went to Dave’s Taskmaster.
There were also prizes given in radio comedy. The winners here being Count Arthur Strong’s Radio Show! (“Best Radio Sitcom”), Dead Ringers (“Best Radio Sketch Show”), The Unbelievable Truth (“Best Radio Panel Show”) and Joe Lycett’s Obsessions (“Best Radio Entertainment Show”).
A full list of nominees is on the British Comedy Guide.
