North West smile Comedy Awards 2005 - The Winners!

The North West smile Comedy Awards announced its winners on Friday night at a star-studded extravaganza at the Hotel Piccadilly in Manchester, hosted by Bradley Walsh.

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Attended by Hollyoaks and Coronation Street actors, as well as comedy favourites Dave Spikey and Johnny Vegas, the black-tie crowd partied until 2AM. The sell-out event was without doubt the highlight of the Manchester smile Comedy Festival, recognising the wealth of comedic talent in the region, both established and up-and-coming.

Since the shortlist was compiled earlier this month a panel of judges including comedy professionals voted on a winner in each category. Judge, Ric Michael, from Baby Cow Productions said: “The winner in each category shows the range and quality of talent on offer in the North West and long may it continue.”

The category of Best Comedic Performance in Soap (sponsored by Ringspun) was the ‘people’s choice’. For the second year running the public voted for Alex Carter, who plays Lee Hunter in Hollyoaks.

The Les Dawson Award for Services to Comedy - which was originally launched in 2003 as part of the Manchester Comedy Festival - went to Johnny Vegas and was presented by his widow, Tracy and their daughter Charlotte, who was a baby when her father died. Johnny has previously been tipped to play the ex-Collyhurst funny man in a planned BBC film about the lives of iconic British comedians. Johnny Vegas said: “Les is the only comic I’ve been compared with and been happy with the comparison, so it’s a real compliment."

Smile’s Director of Operations, Christine Petyt, commented: “Some of the winners are already household names, whilst others are quite literally breaking through and I am sure they will go on to win even greater recognition in the world of comedy. Smile is delighted to be associated with the North West comedy scene and its contribution to the region’s culture.”

Proceeds from the evening will be donated to the charity, Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy, which hopes to establish its first music therapy centre outside of London in England’s North West.