The Billy T Award is New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

’s most prestigious comedy award recognizing New Zealand comedians with outstanding potential. It has been presented annually since its inception in 1997 when Cal Wilson

Cal Wilson

Cal Wilson is a New Zealand stand-up comedian and radio and television personality. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia, and is well known in Australia through her appearances on television and radio.-Biography:...

 and Ewen Gilmour shared the award. The Billy T was shared between two comedians up until 2001 when it became a solo award.

The awards are an initiative of the New Zealand Comedy Trust to ‘foster and encourage outstanding New Zealand talent.'

Billy T James

The Billy T Awards were named in honour of one of New Zealand's greatest comedians, the late Billy T James. The winner receives ‘the yellow towel’ in tribute to the towel worn by James in some of his most famous sketches.

Judging

The winner is selected from five nominees performing during the New Zealand International Comedy Festival

New Zealand International Comedy Festival

The New Zealand International Comedy Festival is held annually in Auckland and Wellington with a travelling convoy visiting other parts of New Zealand. It is run by the NZ Comedy Trust. -Main Events:...

. Five judges select a winner based on their proven comedic ability, talent, dedication and potential.

Billy T Award: Winners and Nominees

1997 – Cal Wilson/Ewen Gilmour

Mike King, Brendhan Lovegrove

Brendhan Lovegrove

Brendhan Lovegrove is a New Zealand-based comedian and public speaker. He performs regularly at the Classic comedy bar on the New Zealand comedy circuit, performed in all eight series of TV2's Pulp Comedy and has performed at seven galas at the New Zealand International Comedy...

, Radar, Raybon Kan

Raybon Kan

Raybon Kan is a Masterton, New Zealand-born Han Chinese comedian and newspaper columnist.-Early life and family:Kan's family moved to Wellington, New Zealand soon after his birth, where he began his education at St Mark's Church School and continued through to Wellington College where he was...

1998 – Brendhan Lovegrove/Radar (Andrew Lumsden)/Sugar and Spice (Jonathan Brugh and Jason Hoyte)

Sugar and Spice, Radar, Phillip Patston, Brendhan Lovegrove, Jaq Tweedie

1999 – Philip Patston/The Humourbeasts

The Humourbeasts

The Humourbeasts, composed of Jemaine Clement and Taika Cohen, were a comedy duo from Wellington. They received New Zealand's highest comedy accolade, the Billy T Award, in 1999....

 (Jemaine Clement

Jemaine Clement

Jemaine Clement is a New Zealand comedian, actor and musician, best known as one half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords along with Bret McKenzie.-Early life:...

 and Taika Cohen)

Philip Patston, Paul Ego, Irene Pink, Jon Stubbs, The Humourbeasts

2000 – Mike Loder/ Paul Ego

Jan Maree, Mike Loder, Irene Pink, Paul Ego, Benjamin Crellin

2001 – Jan Maree

Jan Maree, Jeremy Elwood, Rhys Darby

Rhys Darby

Rhys Montague Darby is an actor and stand-up comedian from New Zealand, known for his energetic physical comedy routines, telling stories accompanied with mime and sound effects of things such as machinery and animals...

, Jon Stubbs, Benjamin Crellin

2002 – Dai Henwood

Dai Henwood

Dai Henwood is a New Zealand comedian and interpretive dancer . He is best known for his hosting of several television shows found on C4 but also performs stand up comedy.A little known fact on Dai is that he has spent a year in Northern America as expedition leader for a privatley funded...

Rhys Darby, Tarun Mohanbhai, Benjamin Crellin, Dai Henwood, GARY (Brett O'Gorman, Jamie Bowen and Mick Andrews)

2003 – Justine Smith

Penny Ashton, Justine Smith, Sully O'Sullivan, Benjamin Crellin, GARY (Brett O'Gorman, Jamie Bowen and Mick Andrews)

2004 – Ben Hurley

Ben Hurley

Ben Hurley is a stand up comedian from New Zealand. Hurley started his comedy career in Wellington as resident host of The Wellington Comedy Club. After winning the Billy T Award he moved to London and worked on the comedy circuit there between 2005 and 2008...

Cohen Holloway, Ezequiel Balmori, Jamie Bowen, Penny Ashton, Ben Hurley

2005 – Sam Wills

Sam Wills

Sam Wills is a 32 year old professional New Zealand prop-comic currently residing in London. On stage he performs as "The boy with tape on his face" or as one half of the two person act "Spitroast" or simply as Sam Wills...

Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Darren Jardine, James Nokise, Jo Randerson, Sam Wills

2006 – Cori Gonzalez-Macuer

Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, James Nokise, Jerome Chandrahasen, Cameron Blair, Gish (Justin Hansen)

2007 – Mrs Peacock (Jarrod Baker and Dave Smith)

Alex Hawley, Jamie Bowen, Grant Lobban, Mrs Peacock

2008 – Steve Wrigley

Steve Wrigley

Steve Wrigley is a New Zealand comedian. He has worked at many different events and shows, notably ZM radio station, New Zealand Comedy Festivals, The Improvisors, and is a regular cast member on the comedy newspanel show 7 Days....

Steve Wrigley, Simon McKinney, Grant Lobban, The Lonesome Buckwhips, Jim Brown

2009 - Chris Brain

Chris Brain, Jim Brown, James Keating, Vaughan Kin, Dave Wiggins

2010 - Rhys Mathewson

Rhys Mathewson, Jarred Fell, Clayton Carrick-Leslie, Vaughan King, TJ McDonald

2011 - Nick Gibb

Nick Gibb, Joseph Harper, Urzila Carlson, Nick Rado, Cameron Murray

2012 - TBC

Tom Furniss, Guy Williams, Rose Matafeo, Tevita Manukia, TJ McDonald

Controversy

2003 – Mike Loader was blacklisted from the 2004 festival after sending fake congratulatory letters to nominees Sully O’Sullivan and Penny Ashton.

2003 – The number of times a comedian could be nominated was capped at four after Benjamin Crellin was nominated for the fourth time in 2003. It was notable because he criticised major a New Zealand arts funding body for their choices during his set. One member of the Judging panel was part of said funding body.

2005 – Philip Patston (winner 1999) who is gay and disabled, volunteered to give up his award in response to the rhetoric and policies of the National Party

New Zealand National Party

The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...

 under Don Brash

Don Brash

Donald "Don" Thomas Brash , a New Zealand politician, was Leader of the Opposition, parliamentary leader of the National Party from 28 October 2003 to 27 November 2006 and the leader of the ACT Party for 28th April 2011 - 26 November 2011...

.

Trivia

• Rhys Mathewson is the youngest recipient of the award at age 19.
• Every nominated duo has gone on to win the award.
• Benjamin Crellin (2000 - 2003) and Jamie Bowen (2002 - 2004, 2007) share the record for most nominations (four).