Think you’ve got what it takes to be the UK’s new comedy talent? Show us what you’ve got!
The LAFTA Awards are back with the aim, once again, to find and celebrate Britain’s funniest new comedic talent. The event provides a platform for emerging comedians, content creators, and comedic performers to showcase their skills in front of an audience that includes industry professionals, established comedians, and comedy enthusiasts.
The competition is open to stand-up comedians, sketch performers, and viral content creators across the UK.
The competition is open to anyone over the age of 18, who has been performing stand-up comedy for less than two years. You must have at least 5 minutes of self-written, stand-up material.
Previous Lafta “New Talent” finalists include-
- Josh Widdicombe
- James Acaster
- Katherine Ryan
- Pat Monaghan
- Nick Helm
- Daniel Simonsen
To enter, all you need to do is submit a two-minute clip of you performing stand-up comedy.
Send the clip, along with your name and age to [email protected] before 1st May 2025. The comedy clip you send in will be judged on originality, quality, performance, and delivery. And of course, how funny our team finds it.
Our select panel of Loaded judges will narrow the field down to EIGHT finalists who will be notified by 31st May 2025.
The LAFTA Awards final will take place at the iconic Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2025, adding even more excitement and prestige as participants perform at one of the world’s largest arts festivals.
The winner will receive opportunities for national exposure, a cash prize, and mentoring from top industry professionals.
Lafta New Comedy Talent Competition - rules
1. The competition is open to any person aged 18 or over as of 1st July 2025 who is permitted to work and reside in the UK.
2. Applicants for this talent search must meet the following criteria:
- You must not have been performing comedy for more than two years
- You should have at least five minutes of un-broadcasted material that is original and self-written
3. All applicants for the talent search must be a resident and/or permitted to work in the United Kingdom between 1st January 2025 and 1st January 2028.
4. Employees and associates of Loadedworld.com magazine are not permitted to enter
5. All applicants must submit a piece of original content lasting between two and three minutes to [email protected] along with your name, and age.
6. Applications will open on Friday 1st November 2024 at 9am GMT. The latest day for submissions will be midday 1st May 2025.
7. Loadedworld.com reserves the right to extend the closing date as it may deem necessary.
8. Only one application per person will be accepted. The first valid submission will be accepted.
9. Loadedworld.com reserves the right to ask you to verify your eligibility, including your age and identity as well as social media/background checks, and reserves the right to stop the progress of any entrant following these checks.
10. You will receive notification from Loadedworld.com ONLY if you are one of the successful finalists. No correspondence will be entered into regarding your entry.
11. Loadedworld.com reserves the right to notify applicants of further rules during the assessment process.
12. The information you provide will only be used for the purposes of the competition.
13. Only the names of shortlisted, acts will be disclosed to the public. No personal details will be disclosed.
14. The comedy clip you send in will be judged on originality, quality, performance, and delivery. And of course, how funny our team finds it.
15. The successful applicants will be notified by 31st May 2025 at the latest and will then be invited to take to perform five minutes maximum of original material at the Edinburgh Fringe (venue TBC) to a judging panel and live audience.
16. The final will be recorded, and highlights may be broadcast or published on various Loadedworld.com platforms.
17. Attendance at the Final is solely at your own cost and risk.
18. Once all finalists have performed, the judging panel will decide the winner.
19. Loadedworld.com reserves the right to alter and/or cancel the Lafta New Talent Awards or any element of the awards, including any applicable prizes, at its sole discretion and shall have no liability for any loss arising.
20. The winner will receive a trophy, opportunities for national exposure, a cash prize, and mentoring from top industry professionals
21. By entering the Lafta Awards, each applicant warrants that:
- Material submitted or performed is wholly original and does not infringe the rights of any other person or parties;
- No material submitted or performed will be defamatory or obscene or likely to bring the Loadedworld into disrepute;
- All material submitted or performed will be suitable for broadcast on various Loadedworld.com platforms
If these rules are not adhered to it may result in an automatic disqualification.
22. The decisions of the judges and the Loadedworld.com are final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into.
23. You may be asked to agree to further terms and conditions later in the application or production process if you are shortlisted for the final.