Playful set about Nicoresti’s life as a trans woman wins main award, with Ayoade Bamgboye named best newcomer
The Edinburgh comedy award, the annual “Oscar of comedy” given to the best show at the fringe, has been won by Sam Nicoresti for Baby Doomer, which is based around a humiliating experience in a department store changing room.
The Birmingham standup becomes the first transgender winner of the prestigious award after near-misses for Jordan Gray in 2022 – and Eddie Izzard 34 years ago. Nicoresti pockets £10,000 in prize money and, on accepting the award, joked they had promised their partner the win a year ago to help pay for their upcoming wedding.
At a ceremony hosted very amusingly by last year’s winner Amy Gledhill, the best newcomer prize, worth £5,000, was won by Ayoade Bamgboye, for the show Swings and Roundabouts. The Londoner, who was raised in Nigeria, was in tears on receiving the award, which has in the past launched the careers of acts including Sarah Millican, Harry Hill and The Mighty Boosh. The Victoria Wood award, presented to those who “embody the true spirit of the fringe”, went to Comedy Club 4 Kids, which runs children’s standup shows and workshops, on its 20th anniversary.
