The nominees for this years Perrier stand-up comedy awards have been announced.  The comedians battling it out for this years £7,500 price money are as follows:

Chris Addison:

Chris's polite brand of observational comedy has charmed and delighted audiences across the country, winning him hordes of loyal fans. A stunningly gifted performer, Chris began his career by winning the Northwest Comedian of the Year Award 1997, swiftly followed by an appearance in the legendary Comedy Zone at the 1997 Edinburgh Festival, and a Perrier Best Newcomer Award nomination for his debut solo show in Edinburgh the next year.

Reginald D. Hunter:

Reg is that rare combination, an American who has retained his stunning cool and gets his superb stage presence from a natural, easy self confidence, but has an intensely likeable, respectful side which is impossible to ignore either on stage or in person. From the start, Reg was the sort of natural storyteller that audiences would happily listen to for hours, he has now combined this with quality laughs which will stand up to any gag merchant.

Epitaph:

Adrian Wenner and Ethan Sandler bring the unusual show to Edinburgh straight from the Aspen Comedy Festival.  Described by Chortle.co.uk as : "A cunningly constructed narrative that layers laugh upon laugh, keeping a perfect balance between believable characters and the freakishness of their defects."

Jackson's Way:

Presented by Will Adamsdale. A comedy about a motivational speaker whose approach to life celebrates the futility of pointless acts. It's a glimpse of a man on the edge and a satire on the world of self-help and corporate jargon.

Sarah Kendall:

Having already established herself as one of Australia's most exciting and popular new comedy talents she has recently relocated to London and is now set to take the UK comedy industry by storm. Sarah has been widely tipped for big things following the critical success of her solo show Earthling which she performed at the Adelaide and Melbourne Comedy Festivals in 2000.