So, are we all settled in for the British Comedy Awards 2006? It’s Catherine Tate vs. Tamsin Greig, it’s Extras vs. Peep Show, it’s Gervais vs. Merchant…!

If you’ll be so kind as to follow me over the cut, you can read my comments as I react to all the results (and drunken outbursts) as they’re announced. When you’re there, just keep refreshing the page – and keep your own views coming! 

(In chronological order top-to-bottom)

Pre-show: Just a few minutes to go! How outrageous do we think Jonathan Ross’s suit will be? And just for the record, I’m going to be very biased. If Extras wins anything, I’m afraid I can’t be held accountable for my actions. Go Mitchell and Webb! Let’s see…

The Jonathan Ross Opening Monologue – Well that suit’s not ridiculous at all! Never mind. I’m a big Jonathan Ross fan, and so this opening monologue is always a highlight for me – he’s friendly enough with all the celebs to joke about them, and has a streak which means he always goes that little bit too far. Chris Langham? Chris Tarrant? He didn’t skirt any comedy-related issues. Brilliant! His Russell Brand impression was inevitable, and woeful, but then we expect nothing less. I just wish he’d been even meaner about his big mate Ricky Gervais… ah well, can’t have everything. On with the awards!

Best Comedy Actor: Stephen Merchant – Well that’s ok, I guess. Better than Gervais winning anyway. Merchant was one of the very few things that kept me watching Extras, so I suppose for that he really does deserve this award. But it should have been Mitchell and Webb! Peep Show would be nothing without their unique chemistry. They was robbed. (Expect that phrase to pop up quite a few times tonight…)

Best Comedy Entertainment Programme: Harry Hill’s TV Burp – Forget the winner – look, it’s Jack Black and Kyle Gass! I love Jack Black… he’s a proper star. Ok, to the winner: Harry Hill really deserves this – he’s incredibly talented (he makes You’ve Been Framed watchable after all!) and it’s a wonderful, very underrated show.

Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Harry Hill – Not Ant and Dec?! What’s the world coming to? Well it’s Harry’s night, isn’t it? And quite right too, he’s a great mix of family-favourite and utterly bizarre nutter. Oh, and there’s a 24-foot long python on the loose. Now there’s a line I didn’t expect to write…

Best Comedy Newcomers: Charlotte Church and Russell Brand – Charlotte Church? Well she’s unintentionally funny, I’ll give her that. And as for Russell Brand, his stand-up is wonderful but I’ve never quite ‘got’ him as a tv presenter. Then again, there’s no denying he’s become a massive name this year, and really there was always only one winner. And thank goodness he’s mentioned the animal cruelty…

Best Comedy Actress: Catherine Tate – Unfortunately, for me this wasn’t a strong category. Catherine Tate is in an awful sketch show, Katherine Parkinson’s IT Crowd was hugely disappointing, and I’ve never been a fan of Tamsin Greig. Oh dear.

While we listen to the "mighty" Chris Tarrant, I’ll start a new post…