Anna makes finals of comedy contest
A HILARIOUS comedian, praised by judges for her unique style, is following in the footsteps of huge names such as Peter Kay after reaching the final of a major comedy talent search.
The Grand Final of the BBC’S big comedy talent search, The New Comedy Awards, will be screened on BBC One tonight at 11.25pm.
More than 1,000 comics applied, and 30 battled it out in the regional heats, and now six finalists will take to the stage in their bid to win over the judges and be crowned the BBC New Comedian of 2021.
Since it was first launched in 1995, the contest has helped launch the careers of many of the UK’S best-loved comedians – John Bishop, Sarah Millican, Peter Kay, Jason Manford and Joe Lycett, to name a few.
One of the finalists is Anna Thomas, from Burry Port, who won her own heat which was held at Swansea’s Patti Pavilion, after impressing judges Katy
Wix, Ali Shahalom and Mawaan Rizwan.
Explaining what first got her into comedy, the 28 year old said: “I got ill in 2015, I got glandular fever while I was at university, and sort of hit rock bottom. When I was recovering I was doing any job that would take me, jumping from job to job feeling rubbish about myself as I was not really applying myself to anything.
“In that time I was watching loads of comedy because that was my comfort, and listening to comedy podcasts and listening to that and how comedians started, I thought, I have got nothing to lose, why don’t I just give that a go – I love comedy, shall I just try it?
“I saw this comedy course at the Frog and Bucket in Manchester. It was a sixweek course and at the time I was working in Mcdonalds and doing a lot of night shifts. I was doing 10pm until 6am on a Friday, then going to Manchester to do the course – it was a very strange time but it was fantastic.
“After the course, I kept going to Open Mics and just kept doing whatever gigs would have me. I haven’t stopped. Whoever takes me I’ll do it.
“Just getting out there and doing it as much as possible, getting used to having a microphone in my hand and talking to people really helps.”
She entered the New Comedy Awards competition after a friend tagged her on Instagram to tell her of the opportunity.
She said: “The experience was proper lush. It has been a dead nice experience.” Anna now lives in Leyland, near Preston, but still keeps close contact with her family back at home, who could not be prouder of her.
“I’m so lucky,” she added.