4 March 2007

Luke Toulson wins Hackney Empire Award

Council estate gripes and "ugly air hostesses" take south London charmer to the top

The Hackney Empire's New Act of the Year awards were a shambolically merry affair despite the miserable March weather and even more miserable compère, Arthur Smith.

Fifteen finalists endured four gruelling heats to make the grade, but the biggest 'whoop whoop' must go to south London resident and overall winner Luke Toulson.

Normally part of Perrier-nominated twosome Toulson and Harvey, Toulson proved a confident soloist whose topics ranged from council estate obsession with banning ball games to the increasing ugliness of airplane staff. He walked away with a nice statue, another gig at the Empire and a smile on his face.

Before describing Toulson as "most overwhelmingly the winner", the judges awarded second prize to the acerbic un-PC-powerhouse Liz Carr. Third prize went to Bournemouth punctuation fan Gareth Richards but only after pseudo-magician Christian Lee and reggae health freak Crispin Flintoff were named commendable runners-up.

Previous winners of the competition, now in its twentieth year, include Stewart Lee, Linda Smith and Ardal O'Hanlon. But emptyhanded entrants need not despair: past Hackney Empire losers include Russell Brand, Daniel Kitson, Harry Hill and Simon Amstell.

Luke Toulson wins Hackney Empire Award

Read More

Related Links