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Over a thousand applied. One hundred battled it out in regional showcases. Thirty made it through to the televised heats. Five budding comedians will perform, but only one can go through to the grand final of the 麻豆社 New Comedy Awards 2024.

The search brings the audience to Leicester, a city bursting with art, culture and diversity. The venue is the famous Y Theatre, a bustling live performance venue, which for one night only has been transformed into our very own comedy club.

The host for the evening is the Midlands' own ray of sunshine, Darren Harriott. The multi-award-winning stand-up comedian, writer and self-confessed fashion junkie kicks off the night with a bit of local banter before bringing on the five acts. Judging their performances is comedian, playwright and actor Sukh Kaur Ojla, who is joined by writer and creator of the Bafta award-winning comedy Big Boys, Jack Rooke. Completing the trio is the charismatic comic Babatunde Aleshe, who steps up as head judge 2024.

It鈥檚 not going to be easy to pick a winner from Dane Buckley, Kathy Rivett, Hasan Al-Habib, Sharon Wanjohi and Holly Ludlow, whose sets are jam-packed with jokes and cutting-edge material. But only one can go through to the grand final at Birmingham鈥檚 prestigious Alexandra Theatre.

This is just one of six heats taking place across the UK. Pontypridd, Belfast, Paisley, Brockley and Lancaster all play host to these comedy showdowns.

First established in 1995, these prestigious awards have helped build and nurture the careers of some of Britain鈥檚 most-loved comedians, including Peter Kay, Joe Lycett, Lee Mack, Julian Barratt, Josie Long, Shaparak Khorsandi, Romesh Ranganathan, Alan Carr, Russell Howard, Dan Tiernan, Tom Allen, Lauren Pattison, Anna Thomas and Sarah Millican. Last year鈥檚 winner, Joe Kent-Walters, recently picked up the Best Newcomer at Edinburgh Comedy Awards.

The 麻豆社 New Comedy Awards is unearthing a rich and broad range of brand new comedy stars of the future from all corners of the country.