Channel 4 Revives Sean Lock Comedy Award For A Third Year

Channel 4 has confirmed the return of the Sean Lock Comedy Award for a third year, reaffirming its dedication to discovering and supporting the next generation of British comedy stars.

The 2025 final will be held next week in Bradford, aligning with the city's celebrations as the UK City of Culture. The event will be hosted by Amy Gledhill, winner of the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award, and promises an evening showcasing the best emerging comedic voices from across the country.

Created in honour of the late and much-loved Sean Lock, the award celebrates comedians whose work captures his unique wit, creativity, and daring humour—reflecting both his legacy and Channel 4's ongoing commitment to championing bold, original comedy.

The winner of the 2025 Sean Lock Comedy Award will be rewarded with a comprehensive prize package. This includes a £5,000 grant to help them further develop their live work, a script commission from Channel 4’s Comedy team, and paid writing opportunities within Channel 4’s Entertainment and Digital departments.

As part of the award, Channel 4 has worked with several live comedy venues and promoters across the UK to nominate and shortlist a group of standout finalists.

The following finalists have been invited to perform live at a comedy event to celebrate the award in this year’s City of Culture, Bradford:
• Samira Banks
• Emer Maguire
• Paul Hilleard
• Limahl Germain
• Dane Buckley
• Thor Stenhaug
• Tom Towelling
• Sharon Wanjohi
• Sydney May
• Roger O'Sullivan

All the finalists will be paid for their performance and given the opportunity to have two mentoring sessions with Channel 4 comedy commissioners.

www.channel4.com