Karen & Katy Koren and the Gilded Balloon are delighted to announce Alana Jackson as the winner of the 37th edition of the iconic So You Think You’re Funny? – the UK’s most prestigious comedy newcomer competition.
Ciara O’Connor and Ayo Adenekan came second and third place respectively, coming out top from an initial 597 applications and entertaining a sold out crowd at this year’s final at Patter House, hosted by former SYTYF? winner Maisie Adam.
Following hilarious heats across the UK, Glaswegian comic Alana Jackson claimed the crown for this year’s competition after a judging panel including special guest judge Sue Perkins (Comedian and TV Star) plus Susan Provan (Director of Melbourne International Comedy Festival), Bruce Dessau (Editor of Beyond the Joke), Arusa Qureshi (Editor of Fest Mag), Julia Chamberlain (So You Think You’re Funny? Producer) as well as Karen and Katy Koren (Artistic Directors of Gilded Balloon) watched 6 minute sets from all 10 finalists, before convening to choose the winner.
Katy and Karen Koren, Artistic Directors of Gilded Balloon and So You Think You’re Funny? said, “Huge congratulations to Alana Jackson – this year’s very deserving winner of So You Think You’re Funny? 2024’s competition was one of our biggest and most competitive ever, with an outstanding 597 applicants this year so it’s an incredible feat for these 10 finalists to have made it this far and performed in front of tonight’s sold out crowd. So You Think You’re Funny? is the UK’s longest running competition of its kind and year on year it’s wonderful to see alumni return to Gilded Balloon for their debut shows including Joshua Bethania, Kathleen Hughes, Nate Kitch and more this year. We’d like to say a huge thank you to every comic who entered the competition this year – it was such a talented crop of comedians and we’re sure this year’s finalists will go on to do big things!”
Celebrity guest judge Sue Perkins said, “This was a very tough decision. I was a small part of the judging process and there were so many talented people for us to choose from. Well done to everyone who put themselves out there tonight. It’s terrifying and they were brilliant!”
Karen & Katy Koren and the So You Think You’re Funny? team would like to offer a huge congratulations to all ten of this year’s finalists (in alphabetical order) – Alana Jackson, Alex Gogart, Ayo Adeneka, Bert Broadbent, Ciara O’Connor, Fab Goualin, Kate Sharp, Laurie Brewster, Paras Patel & Sophia Wren.
