The National Comedy Awards for Stand Up to Cancer 2023

It may seem like there’s not much to make you raise a smile, let alone a laugh, during this cold, dark night in mid-February.

So if you need a bit of cheering up at the moment, those taking part in this year’s edition of The National Comedy Awards for Stand Up to Cancer should do the trick.

The public have voted, the red carpet is in place, and the UK’s biggest comedy stars want to find out if they’ve scooped a prestigious gong – as well as raising a few giggles along the way.

Channel 4’s comedy game show Taskmaster leads the nominees with seven.

It has been shortlisted for best comedy entertainment show, while hosts Greg Davies and Alex Horne also have nods, as do contestants Fern Brady, Judi Love, Sarah Millican and Munya Chawawa as comedy entertainment personalities.

Ghosts, After Life and Derry Girls are next in the league table, with four nominations apiece, while other hits Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, The Graham Norton Show, Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show, Mock The Week, 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, QI and Would I Lie To You? are also in the running.

Those out to claim an individual comedy lead acting award are Rose Matafeo, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Sharon Horgan, Charlotte Ritchie, Daisy May Cooper, Dylan Llewellyn, Ricky Gervais, Joseph Gilgun, Kiell Smith-Bynoe and Stephen Merchant.

The shortlist for best stand-up show will be announced closer to the ceremony, with votes taking place live during the show.

However, the organisers have already named the three recipients of the comedy breakthrough star awards.

There is Susan Wokoma, who first came to prominence in Chewing Gum in 2015 and has now been cited for starring in the BBC’s Cheaters.

Meanwhile, Jordan Gray was a breakout star of last year’s Edinburgh Fringe with her show about being transgender entitled Is It A Bird?

And finally, 13-year-old child actor Lenny Rush, who received praise for stealing scenes opposite Daisy May Cooper in Am I Being Unreasonable?, will also be handed a trophy.

The National Comedy Awards were relaunched last year after an hiatus of eight years, and the host Tom Allen must have impressed bosses as he has been asked back to front the show live at London’s Roundhouse.

When asked about returning to host, he joked: “How did you get this number? I thought I was unlisted. Is this another prank call?!

“I’m the host of the National Comedy Awards for Stand Up To Cancer, I’m a very big deal, I can’t have people just calling me willy-nilly.

“Now excuse me, I have to prepare a show celebrating the brilliant funny people working on telly, on tour and online.

“Stop that heavy breathing, you should be ashamed of yourself. Good day to you!”

So, as Channel 4 says: “Expect surprises aplenty, more glitz than a Liberace concert, and some typically hilarious acceptance speeches.”

Surely all that should be enough to release those endorphins and raise your spirits.

They do say laughter is the best medicine, after all.