Miranda Hart celebrates Queen of Comedy crown
TV viewers have crowned Miranda Hart the Queen of British Comedy in a public vote.
She picked up three accolades at the British Comedy Awards at a ceremony at the O2 in Greenwich, south-east London, scooping Best New TV Comedy Show, Best Female Comedy Actress and the People’s Choice Award – chosen by viewers.
She said she was “genuinely thrilled” by her success and hinted that her show, which ran on BBC2, might be moving channels.
She said: “I heard BBC1 are interested and that is very nice to know that they think there might be an audience.”
The show, broadcast live on Channel 4, opened with a flurry of gags from host Jonathan Ross.
He took aim at fellow comics and celebrities, branding Eamonn Holmes an “elephant in the room” and describing Simon Amstell’s acting as “so wooden Ray Mears tried to make a canoe out of him”.
There was an Outstanding Contribution To Comedy award for Russell Brand.
The ‘Get Him to the Greek’ actor was due to pick up the Outstanding Contribution to Comedy honour at London’s The O2 but stayed in New York to be with close pal Martino Sclavi, who is said to be in a critical condition after having a brain tumour removed earlier this week.
In a video acceptance speech, Russell said: “I’m really sorry I couldn’t be there. One of my friends is really ill and I couldn’t travel.”
The 35-year-old comic – who is married to singer Katy Perry – later tweeted: “Thanks for my award, you beautiful British b*****ds. Comedy is our best defence against pain. In conjunction with medical expertise.”
The programme’s host, Russell’s friend Jonathan Ross, was disappointed by the star’s absence.
He tweeted: “So sad. Was really looking forward to seeing Russell at the comedy awards.”
Brandalso took the time to poke fun at Ross, his partner in crime in the Sachsgate scandal, saying: “Jonathan, you’re a father figure, what were you thinking?”
Tributes from stars including Adam Sandler, Robert Downey Jr and Noel Gallagher were also shown.
Gallagher said: “He (Brand) has lived his life on the edge and that idea comes across in his work.”
The first award, for Best Male TV Comic, went to Michael McIntyre.
Next up was Best Comedy Panel Show which was won by 'Would I Lie To You'.
Accepting the award, one of the stars of the BBC1 show Lee Mack joked: “We’d just like to thank the creators of 'Call My Bluff' for not suing us.”
Hollywood veteran Goldie Hawn handed out the award for Best TV Comedy Actor to the star of 'The Thick Of It' Peter Capaldi.
The Scottish actor, who plays foul-mouthed spin doctor Malcolm Tucker, said he had got used to the public mistaking him for his famously short-tempered character.
He said: “People often ask me to tell them to f*** off, so I do”.
'Peep Show' stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb gave the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Award to its writers Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong.
Jo Brand won the Best Female TV Comic award, while teen comedy 'The Inbetweeners' won Best Sitcom.
The British Comedy Lifetime Achievement Award went to Roy Clarke, the writer of numerous hit shows including 'Last of the Summer Wine' and 'Open All Hours', and Jo Brand won the Best Female TV Comic award.
Charlie Brooker, the star of the satirical show Newswipe, which won the Best Comedy Entertainment Programme, thanked Sky News which he said provided “about 85%” of his material.
Samantha Spiro picked up the Best Female Comedy Breakthrough Artist for her role in Grandma’s House, set in a dysfunctional household in Jewish north London.
John Bishop won the Best Male Comedy Breakthrough Artist.
Kayvan Novak picked up the Best British Comedy Performance in a film for his role in Chris Morris’ film, 'Four Lions', about inept would-be suicide bombers.
Children’s show 'Horrible Histories' won the award for Best Sketch Show.
