Comedian Tom Towelling has won this year's Sean Lock Comedy Award at a final at St George’s Hall in this year’s City of Culture, Bradford, hosted by Edinburgh Comedy Award winning comedian Amy Gledhill.
The Sean Lock Comedy Award was established in memory of the much-loved comedian and showcases performers who exemplify Sean’s distinctive comedic spirit and Channel 4’s commitment to boundary-pushing comedy.
Towelling will be given a comprehensive prize package to help kickstart his comedy career. This includes a £5,000 grant to help him further develop his live work, a script commission from Channel 4’s Comedy team and paid writing opportunities within Channel 4’s Entertainment and Digital departments.
Tom brings a wild, anything-can-happen kind of energy. Musical, offbeat and alternative, he has been preforming as a stand-up comedian since 2023 in his hometown of Birmingham. He was formally in the double act Good Kids. He attributes his love of comedy to his numerous aunts and uncles who regaled him with tales at birthdays, weddings, funerals and ‘ceremonies for other Catholic sacraments’ over the years.
Tom commented: “I’m really chuffed and it feels so amazing to win. I'm pretty ecstatic and I feel a little bit emotional. I’m so proud of all the acts and I thought it was a great show. Thanks so much to Channel 4 for hosting.
Sean Lock is an icon for so many comics and non-comics and I'm really proud to have won this award.”
Charlie Perkins, Head of Comedy at Channel 4, said: “Tom ripped the roof off with his wholly original, beautifully curated and wildly varied set tonight, and alongside his imaginative writing we felt such a sense of excitement for his future and the many amazing directions it will inevitably go in. Huge congratulations to him and to all of the Finalists- the future of UK comedy feels brighter than ever.”
As part of the award, Channel 4 has worked with several live comedy venues and promoters across the UK to nominate and shortlist a group of standout finalists.
The nomination panel was David Bleese, Monkey Barrel Comedy, Edinburgh; Dian Cathal, comedian, writer and diversity advocate, Jade Henry from Empire Laughs Back, Belfast; Ryan Taylor, The Pleasance London and Edinburgh; Henry Widdicombe from Little Wander Ltd., Lateef Ogunjobi co-founder of All Jokes Aside; Adam Jaremko from The Glee Clubs, Midlands and North; and Jake Graham, TV producer and founder of Proud of Yourself Comedy, London.
Photo credit: Matt Radcliffe
