The comics say…

Entering So You Think You’re Funny was without doubt a huge turning point for me; the incredible opportunities that followed - along with the unwavering support and guidance of the Gilded Balloon - proved to be a huge catalyst for my progression into becoming a professional comedian. I owe them a lot (or at least a pint of Tennents!)

Maisie Adam

SYTYF provides a thrilling arena for new comedians to compete! The organisation strives to not allow gender, nationalist or industry politics crown the winner!

Reg D Hunter

To me, SYTYF was proof that it was possible and a massive wake-up call. When Tommy won it without ever playing the UK circuit, it made me and a lot of young Irish comics believe that they could be proper comedians too. Getting to the final in 2004 gave me confidence. At the time I was struggling to get Irish clubs to give me 7 minutes stage time. On the night I was totally over-awed by the entire experience. I stank the lights out but in a way it was my Apollo Creed moment. I knew I would be back.

Jarlath Regan

It was my first opportunity to go to the festival in 2004, and then I got to go back in 2005 to do my first solo show. It was a really cool opportunity after only doing stand up for a 1 year!

Chris McCausland

Winning SYTYF? was a great experience. Being part of a final like that gave me a lot of confidence. Looking back it seems ridiculous that I won that year, but hey ho.

Miles Jupp

It’s an amazing final to be a part of, because it’s the newest comics playing the biggest venue. Kind of like X-factor for the disaffected. It was very thrilling, even more so now that Wikipedia lists all the finalists ever. So it’s a provable fact that it’s a part of comedy history.

Hils Barker

So You Think You’re Funny meant that someone – apart from my mother – thought I was okay. I think therefore I am…? Not always. The prize money also meant I could go on holiday to San Francisco and lose my virginity, which was handy…and looking back also funny. Or at least he seemed to think so.

Tom Allen

SYTYF was the first competition i entered. I’d been doing stand up for about six months. Getting to the final was probably the most exciting moment of my life. It was the moment when I thought, “I’m not as bad at this as I thought. Bill Bailey was compering. Six years later we’re on the same bill again and I can’t wait.

Rhod Gilbert

I was only 21 when I got into the final of So You Think You’re Funny, and it was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me. Even though I didn’t win, I got to meet Eddie Izzard and make full use of the free bar at the aftershow party so I felt like a winner anyway.

Lucy Porter

For me it was the single most important thing I did in my career, it helped me leap from a lot of the crap in the business and gave me the extra push I needed but it also changed my life forever, in that, whenever I get a TV deal, radio deal, or big live gig these days, Karen Koren emails me and says ‘You got that because of me, and my competition, and don’t you forget it!’. We won’t Karen and that is why we love you…

Jason Byrne

It was literally the trampoline that allowed me to take the pear from the tree of comedy. It allowed me to be certain that I was funny and confirmed what I had known all along!!

Phil Kay

As a young comic starting out winning “So You Think” got me a lot of attention and opened up a few doors for me. It also felt extra special to me as it all took place back home where I grew up. I made the front cover of the Musselburgh News, it was worth it just for that! I also won some cash- £1,000 seemed loads to me at that time. When I returned to London I took Helena, the person who encouraged me to be a stand-up, out for dinner to thank her.

Rhona Cameron

The final was the biggest gig I had ever done. Peter Kay hosted it and Russell Howard, Jimmy Carr, Andy Zaltzman and Josie Long were in the final. Winning it definitely gave me the confidence to keep writing the sort of stupid crappy jokes and songs I still do today.

David O’Doherty