³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

Best Sitcom

• The IT Crowd
• Outnumbered
• Peep Show

With no Gavin & Stacey in the running, the competition will be keen between two long-standing shows that are deservedly regular award winners, Graham Linehan's The IT Crow and its equally able C4 rival, Peep Show. But the interesting money this year is on Outnumbered, a show which has achieved the rare, er, achievment of being both cool'n'happening and also popular with families.Ìý That and the high quality of its writing and performance (children! Being funny) makes it my recommendation for winner of Best Sitcom.


Best Comedy Panel Show

• Have I Got News For You
• Mock The Week
• QI

In the world of the comedy panel game, where stand-ups crack topicalish gags while a topical, generally rotating host, tries to be a stand-up, it's hard to be different, so these three shows are to be commended. HIGNFY's age and solidity may count against it, so my money's on either the smart QI or the brash Mock The Week. Hard to call, except that Mock The Week's recent newsworthiness may attract voters sympathetic to its recent rough ride. So I'd say them, then.


Best Sketch Show

• Harry & Paul
• The Kevin Bishop Show
• That Mitchell and Webb Look

An interesting selection, with a variety of comic age groups and different styles. Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse are on a winning streak after the 2009 BAFTAs, and Kevin Bishop has a freshness that would appeal to judges if he hadn't been a little over-excited at last year's BCAs and been a bit annoying. So, if we accept no gong for Peep Show, it might be the reliably funny Mitchell and Webb.


Best Television Comedy Drama

• Dead Set
• Psychoville
• Pulling

Dead Set's not the best known show, which can count against you in this awards. Pulling had a great reception and was critically loved before it was, er, pulled.Ìý This is a strange category, a hybrid group for unusual shows. I'm expecting that the gents from The League of Gentlemen will win this, for the acclaimed and popular Psychoville, which ticks plenty of comedy and critical boxes, and has an imagination beyond most comic telly.


Best Comedy Entertainment Programme

• Harry Hill's TV Burp
• Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow
• The Sunday Night Project

I'm obviously hoping that TV Burp, for what I work, will win this, but it has won it before, and Harry is nominated in another category, so it's likely to be between the juggernaut that is Michael McIntyre and the reliable weekend filler, Sunday Night Project. Which will win is somewhat hard to say but again, McIntyre's appearance in another category - and the fact that Alan Carr and Justin Lee Collins are often overlooked, awards-wise - may swing votes for the SNP.


Best New British Television Comedy

• Alan Carr: Chatty Man
• Ladies Of Letters
• Psychoville

A difficult one, as this category includes a chat show, a comedy drama and a charming ITV show based on a Radio Four comedy. My personal vote would be for Ladies of Letters, a show whose script and cast are like nothing else on TV right now but I suspect that Psychoville might have a good night. Alan Carr's inclusion here does, however, stand out, so it could easily be him. Yeah, I'll say Alan Carr.


Best Television Comedy Actor

• Simon Bird (for The Inbetweeners)
• Rob Brydon (for Gavin & Stacey)
• Robert Webb (for Peep Show)

Again a varied category, and an interesting one. All three of these men are very funny but The Inbetweeners' ensemble nature may count against Bird. Robert Webb does deserve a bit of glory - until recently David Mitchell was getting all the awards - but I suspect the ascendant and frankly brilliant Rob Brydon may win in for what is, basically, the best piece of comedy character acting on TV right now.


Best Television Comedy Actress

• Ruth Jones (for Gavin & Stacey)
• Katherine Parkinson (for The IT Crowd)
• Claire Skinner (for Outnumbered)

A good selection, and a harder one as despite the obvious female talent in the UK, comic actresses still don't get enough recognition. Ruth Jones is in with a strong chance, especially as she's a well-respected actor in general, and Katherine Parkinson is an under-rated talent, but I suspect that Clare Skinner - generally ungonged, and riding high in one of the best shows on right now, will win this.


Best Comedy Entertainment Personality

• Alan Carr (for Alan Carr: Chatty Man)
• Harry Hill (for Harry Hill's TV Burp)
• Michael McIntyre (for Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow)

Three men nominated elsewhere, and almost impossible to tell. Harry Hill's won this before, which may count against him. Alan Carr is in with a strong showing, but Michael McIntyre is everywhere this year. Then again he doesn't quite generate the affection with television viewers that Harry does, so I'm going for Harry.


Best Male Comedy Newcomer

• Charlie Brooker (for You Have Been Watching)
• Tyger Drew-Honey (for Outnumbered)
• Daniel Roche (for Outnumbered)

In an unprecedented and perhaps unwise move, two children are in competition against one of the most foulmouthed and angry men I have ever worked with. It also seems rather cruel to pit these two talented kids against each other. Nevertheless I am going for Daniel Roche as the slightly more great of these two young actors.


Best Female Comedy Newcomer

• Tanya Franks (for Pulling)
• Ramona Marquez (for Outnumbered)
• Rebekah Staton (for Pulling)

Again being in Outnumbered is a boon in 2009, but Pulling's popularity and critical respect may well help. It's very hard to say here, so I'm going to be lazy and opt for Ramona.


Best Live Stand-Up Performer.

• Frankie Boyle (Live at the Hackney Empire)
• Stewart Lee (Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle)
• Michael McIntyre (Live at the Apollo)

This one is almosr certainly a shoe-in for Michael McIntyre, although acceptance speeches from the acidic Boyle and the differently acidic Lee would be much more fun. I'd like Stewart to win, and his show was the most original use of stand-up in television, but I suspect the reliable and popular McIntyre will get it.


Best Comedy Film

• Bruno
• The Hangover
• In The Loop

This one, to be cynical, depends on who's in the country. The Hangover was a big brash inventive American bromance comedy. Bruno was a weaker Borat, a film which deservedly cleaned up in its year. But In The Loop contains some of the best writing and acting in British comedy this year so for that reason it should win. Unless some Americans are over on holiday...

is, amongst other things, a comedy writer and journalist. Catch the final episode of his series The Blagger's Guide to Jazz on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 2 next Thursday at 10pm.

So, now we know David's predictions. What are yours? Is anything you would have liked to see nominated missing from the shortlist?