The Chuckle brothers and magician Paul Daniels are among the – perhaps unlikely – nominees for this year's Loaded Laftas.
The moustachioed siblings are shortlisted for funniest double act, a category which includes an all-female pairing for the first time, Anna Crilly and Katy Wix, who were part of this year's Comedy Showcase season on E4.
Daniels, who took a comedy magic show to Edinburgh this summer, is up for funniest joke opposite the pun-loving Jimmy Carr, and Tim Vine. The nomination celebrates his groan-raising line: "I said to a fella, 'Is there a B&Q in Henley?' He said, 'No, there's an H, an E, an N, an L, an E and a Y'."
Carr is nominated for his joke about "A couple who get on like a house on fire. They both feel trapped and are slowly suffocating to death," while Vine's recognition is for the simple, but effective: "Conjunctivitus.com – that's a site for sore eyes."
Carr is also up for the funniest man award. Among the competitors for that – and the funniest woman award, a separate category – are Al Murray, Katy Brand, Lee Evans, Morgana Robinson, Leigh Francis and Sarah Millican, who also receives a nod in the funniest joke category.
The best stand-up category will see Alan Carr take on Edinburgh Comedy award winner Russell Kane, Jason Manford, Kevin Bridges and Micky Flanagan.
A number of comic voices to emerge from the Edinburgh fringe in recent years find themselves on the list for best newcomer, including Roisin Conaty, Doc Brown and cabaret-comedians Frisky and Mannish.
Elsewhere Alan Partridge will compete against Harry Hill and Misery Bear for best internet viral show – a new category – and David Hasselhoff, Jedward and Ian Beale all square up for funniest TV personality. The Guardian's Grace Dent is nominated for funniest columnist opposite Caitlin Moran, Gordon Smart and Frankie Boyle.
The winners are chosen via a public online vote, with the poll opening tomorrow on the Loaded website. The winners will be announced in February.
