Winners Announced For NZ Comedy Guild Awards 2025

The 25th Annual NZ Comedy Guild Awards were held last night at The Classic comedy club in Tāmaki Makaurau, with watch parties at ‘Good Times Comedy Club’ in Ōtautahi and ‘Circus Bar’ in Pōneke. Over a hundred comedians came together in what NZCG President Daran Lees called “the biggest night of the year for New Zealand Comedy, celebrating the best in the industry as voted for by their peers”.

Top winners of the night were Lesa MacLeod-Whiting with four wins for; The Guy Montgomery Award for Best Female Comedian, The Broadtech & Sennheiser Award for Best MC, Breakthrough Comedian Lower North Island and Best Greenroomer. MacLeod-Whiting said of her success: “I’m honoured to have Guy Montgomery’s permission to continue pursuing a career as a female in comedy” she added “the other awards are nice too”.

Other highlights of the night included Booth the Clown winning the inaugural Best Gender Diverse Comedian Award, and Covert Theatre receiving the coveted NZCG President’s Medal for their contributions to improv comedy in Tāmaki Makaurau, the first time this medal has been awarded in four years.

As well as sponsoring Best Female Comedian, Guy Montgomery took out Best Male Comedian as well as the Kevin Smith Memorial Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement for his recent win as ‘Most Popular New Talent’ at the Logies.

Lees delivered his final speech as President, noting that “given the economic landscape of the last couple of years, it's been amazing to have the ongoing support of our sponsors as it shows the value comedy brings to the New Zealand entertainment landscape. We’re proud to showcase the amazing talent that we have both here in New Zealand and the achievements of New Zealand comics overseas.”

Beloved Ōtautahi venue Good Times Comedy Club and owner Pip Taylor was honoured with the The Corin Healy Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry.

The NZ Comedy Guild was founded in 1999, and the first ‘Guildies’ awards were held on 13 December 2001 at the Silo (now Basement Theatre). There were only 6 awards: Best Achievement by a Male Comedian; Best Achievement by a Female Comedian; Best Tour, Best Show Concept, Best Media Outlet for Comedy; and Best Person to Share a Greenroom With.

A full list of winners are listed below:

Outstanding Contribution to the Industry
Pip Taylor

“The Classic” Best Comedy Venue
Cardboard Comedy Club

NZCG Award for Comic Originality
Ginge and Minge

Best Online Production
The Worst Idea of All Time

Best Comedy Performance on TV
Jack Ansett – Taskmaster NZ

Best Writing For a TV Show
Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee

Best Comedy Show on TV
Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee

Best Live Comedy Show
Femmes & Thems

Cal Wilson Award for Best Improv Group
Bull Rush

The Green Roomer
Lesa MacLeod-Whiting

Best Producer
Comedy Culture - Bridie Thomson and Rebecca Mary Gwendolon

Best Newcomer - Upper North Island
Evie Orpe

Best Newcomer - Lower North Island
Lydia Sainsbury

Best Newcomer - South Island
Ben Vyas

Breakthrough Act - Upper North Island
Hoani Hotene

Breakthrough Act - Lower North Island
Lesa Macleod-Whiting

Breakthrough Act - South Island
Tama Alexander

Best MC
Lesa Macleod-Whiting

Best Gender Diverse Comedian
Booth the Clown

Best Male Comedian
Guy Montgomery

Best Female Comedian
Lesa Macleod-Whiting

The AK Memorial cup for Best Joke
Eating Arse - Joel Vinsen

Kevin Smith Memorial for Outstanding Artistic Achievement
Guy Montgomery - Logie for "Most Popular New Talent"

NZCG President’s Medal
Covert Theatre

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