Birmingham comedian Tom Towelling has been announced as the winner of the Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award 2024.
Performing at a packed Glee Club on Thursday 10 October 2024, Tom was presented the award by judging panel representative Steve Bennett, from comedy news website Chortle, and compère James Cook.
Born and raised in the Birmingham suburb of Hall Green, Tom Towelling cut his teeth in various sketch troupes at university before forming a double-act, The Good Kids, with pal Kieran Flynn. Since 2023, Tom’s focused on developing his solo career at nights such as Eric Rushton’s Deep Fried Comedy, in Moseley, Birmingham.
In a stand-out performance, the award’s Judging Panel were impressed by Tom’s showmanship, unpredictability, and some impressive musical segments – including a surprising rendition of the National Anthem!
Collecting his trophy – the festival’s ‘Mug Of Victory’ – Tom said: “I feel ecstatic! It’s been really great to see everyone else tonight, and to see the Birmingham comedy scene really thriving.
“I’m really grateful for the award, I’m so chuffed. Birmingham Comedy Festival has been such a massive part of my comedy journey; it provides an opportunity to take risks and a forum for comedians … it’s been such a gift.”
Discussing his plans, Tom, who works in education, added: “I would like to work this material into an hour long show which I could take around to other festivals then, in a few years, up to The Fringe [in Edinburgh].”
An admirer of John Kearns, Lara Ricote, Daniel Kitson and Natalie Palamides, Tom sees his comedy as playful. “I like to think of what I do as ‘playing’.”
Meanwhile, Dom Bant (from Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham, and now a resident of Coleshill), was praised for his confidence and strength of material and Commended by Judges. Describing himself as a “38-year-old pole dancer,” the deadpan comic’s set explored his relationship with his child, pondered signs for swingers, and looked at his favourite TV advert.
Dom’s Commendation was only the third issued by the Judging Panel in the Breaking Talent Award’s ten year history.
Also competing for the award were three other West Midlands acts.
Rich Spalding (a University Of Birmingham graduate from Kidderminster, now living in London), declared he was a cautious man and “late bloomer” who touched on his relationship with billionaires; Gareth Williams (from Shropshire, now resident in Birmingham) voiced concerns about turning 30 and recalled incidents with pets, as well as the challenges of quitting smoking; and Lin Smith (from Worcester) confessed to being “a terrible lesbian” and pondered the challenges of corporate days out.
A spokesperson for Birmingham Comedy Festival said: “It’s tough to select a winner when the standard of acts coming out of the region is so high, and also so varied. But the judges agreed that Tom’s approach to comedy was exciting, unexpected, buzzing with energy, and showed great potential, making him a worthy winner.
“We can’t wait to see how Tom develops.
“The Judging Panel also recognised that Dom had a lot to offer too. Delivering a nicely constructed 10 minute set with some unexpected turns, they were keen to ensure he was recognised with a Commendation.”
A collaboration between the award-winning arts festival and The Glee Club, the prestigious Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award was set up in 2014 to celebrate emerging comedic talent exclusively from the city and wider West Midlands. Previous winners have included Josh Pugh (Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, Channel 4’s Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice), Celya AB (Live At The Apollo), and Andrew McBurney (Gary Powndland and Friends), while Lindsey Santoro (NextUp’s Biggest Award In Comedy 2023), Eric Rushton (Channel 4 Sean Lock Comedy Award 2023) and Jack ‘Gary Powndland’ Kirwan were all previous participants. Nominated acts are selected by a panel of comedy professionals based on their performances over the last 12 months.
2024’s event was supported by The Arcadian, with What’s On Magazine and NextUp Comedy – who also streamed the event live. The 2024 Award Judging Panel included The Glee Club’s founder Mark Tughan, live comedy enthusiast Richard Wilford from BBCWM, comedy agent Hannah Martin (Parkas Comedy), Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award 2023 winner Hasan Al-Habib, and a representative from the festival.
The city-wide Birmingham Comedy Festival started on Friday 4 October 2024 and continues until Sunday 13 October 2023. Still to come are appearances from Sarah Millican, Jason Byrne, Richard Blackwood, Slim, George Lewis, Noreen Khan, Shazia Mirza, improv group Jumprov!, Michael Akadiri, and more, including Laurel and Hardy screenings, and the second Birmingham Comedy Festival Free Half-Dayer (Sun 13 Oct), featuring an afternoon of free one hour shows.
For full listings and more information, see: bhamcomfest.co.uk