To celebrate the high calibre of female comedy talent at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Funny Women in association with Moschino’s new perfume ‘Funny!’, launched its first annual Funny Women Fringe Award for the female act who most embodied the spirit of the 2007 Fringe.

The winner of the first ever Funny Women Fringe Award was Bridget Christie and her show “The Court of King Charles II” – a look at the 17th century’s deranged royals, incompetent terrorists, mentalist fundamentalists and pointless wags. Bridget lives in London, but originates from Gloucestershire. She was a finalist in the 2004 Funny Women Awards.

The award has been created to recognise women in comedy and to highlight the imbalance of female nominations and winners in the mainstream Edinburgh Fringe awards. Every year increasing numbers of strong female-led shows appear at the Fringe, wide in range and diversity.

Amongst other shows nominated for  the 2007 prize were Jo Neary’s “Little Things”, Mrs Barbara Nice’s “Hiya and Higher”, Zoe Lyons’s “Fight or Flight” and Isy Suttie’s “Love Lost In The British Retail Industry”.

Funny Women has now set a precedent within the awards given away for comedy at the Fringe each year. This carries on the tradition of nurturing and discovering new female talent through the annual Funny Women Awards.

The Funny Women Fringe Award was presented to Bridget at a special celebratory performance of Funny Women at the Fringe at Club Ego, Edinburgh on Saturday 18th August.

Watch this space for 2008 when the categories will include:

Best Newcomer
Best Fringe Act
Best Sketch Group

If you would like your show to be considered for a Funny Women Fringe Award in 2008 please email details to info@funnywomen.com