With previous winners and runners-up including Caroline Aherne, Peter Kay, Dave Spikey and Jason Manford to Justin Moorhouse, Chris Addison, Tony Burgess, John Bishop, Dave Gorman and Johnny Vegas, the Comedian of the Year competition - sponsored this year by CityLife - is one of the best “low profile” standup comedy competitions in the UK.

The prize? Well if £1,000 cash for the winner and £250 for the runner-up and £100 for third-placed weren’t enough, there’s the added bonus of publicity, with features in the Manchester Evening News as well as on Manchester’s dedicated TV station, Channel m.

A DVD of the performance will also be given to winners, while there’s also a spot at premier comedy events, including the London Comedy Store (plus some expenses), a spot at The Frog And Bucket and XS Malarkey.

Not to be sniffed at!

Entrance is a little bit more difficult, however - applicants are selected, which means they moust have had some recent experience, and invited to take part in four heats which will take place on September 18 and 25 and October 2 and 9 at Toby Hadoke’s popular XS Malarkey comedy club in Fallowfield.

Expert judges will select two winners from each of these heats who with a wildcard entry voted for by the public will go forward to a star-studded Grand Final held at Manchester’s prestigious Comedy Store on Sunday, October 26.

We’ll keep an eye out on the result of this years competition!

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