'Little bits' route takes O'Doherty to top award

DAVID O'Doherty is the surprise winner of UK's most prestigious comedy award, pushing the favourite, Rhod Gilbert, into second place.

The charismatic Irishman scooped the Intelligent Finance Comedy Awards 2008 – and £8,000 prize money – for his show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Nica Burns, director of the awards, described his work as "utterly delightful. An hour with David O'Doherty fills the world with laughter and charm and sends you home on a wave of happiness," she said.

The best newcomer prize of £4,000 went to Sarah Millican, praised by judges as an outstanding stand-up with a charming persona. "She delivers an evening of laughs," said Ms Burns.

And in a move to celebrate the "true spirit of the Fringe", a panel prize of at least £4,000 will be shared among all performers at a party tomorrow.

O'Doherty said he was "absolutely surprised" to be awarded the ultimate prize in comedy – formerly known as the Perrier award – for his show at the Stand Comedy Club.

He said: "It's been a curious year for the Fringe in that it seems a lot of time has been spent talking about split-ups – but that has nothing to do with us. Our job is to explore the dark recesses of our minds and to come up with the best shows we possibly can."

After the ceremony he said: "I just really want the focus to go back to the work, rather than people talking about awards and reviews and how much money everything costs."

O'Doherty said he had spent most of the year touring and had developed a new way of working on his Edinburgh show, "putting little bits in every night".

Sarah Millican, who is playing her first solo show in Edinburgh, in the tiny Pleasance Hut, said: "This is huge." The comic, from the north-east of England, said: "My whole career has been based on the fact I once had an arsehole of a husband. I should be thanking him, but I'm not going to."

Now 33, Millican said her divorce had transformed her life. "That is why I got into comedy. I realised I could do anything I wanted." She said she was glad she had normal jobs before embarking on her new career.

"If I don't work hard I could be back in customer service."

The other acts shortlisted for the main awards this year were Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler, Rhod Gilbert and Russell Kane.

Tommy Sheppard, director of the Stand Comedy Club, said: "We have never been particularly keen on the award but if someone has to win then it's better that it's someone with an individual show at an independent venue."