Pegg wins Guild Comedy Award

Simon Pegg won the Writers' Guild Ronnie Barker Award at the British Comedy Awards last night.

Peep Show (written by Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong) was named Best TV Comedy, while Gavin & Stacey (written by Ruth Jones and James Corden) took the award for Best New British Television Comedy.

Update (7.12.07): A first-hand account from Guild TV Comittee Chair, Gail Renard:

Once again the WGGB was proud to be associated with the British Comedy Awards, which glittered like newly whitened teeth despite not being aired live by ITV this year. The Guild reps on the Brit Com panel were Jonathan Harvey, Simon Brett and myself, and we judged our fellow writers as we would ourselves be judged… only they won awards.

The Guild gave its prestigious Writer Of The Year Award to Simon Pegg who, with his various co-writers (Jessica Stevenson, Edgar Wright, Nick Frost, Michael Ian Black et al) has produced many hit TV shows and films. Pegg’s range has been impressive. From the C4 series Spaced to Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz, Pegg’s brought a lot of joy with both his writing and performing. I’m sure the WGA strike t-shirt we also gave him was the icing on the cake.

The Best TV Comedy Award was won deservedly by Peep Show, and its writers, Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong; officers, gentlemen and staunch Guild members. It’s hard enough to create an original, laugh-out-loud comedy series, but to sustain it over 4 years with continued excellence, as Peep Show has done, is a tribute to its entire team.

Gavin And Stacey's James Corden and Ruth Jones won three awards between them, and if that doesn’t count as a good night out, I don’t know what does.

As ever the Guild wants to thank Michael Hurll, exec producer and creator of the Brit Coms. In his incredible comedy career, Michael’s produced everyone from Jack Benny to the Two Ronnies. All of us in comedy owe him a great debt. He definitely deserves his own British Comedy Award.