Tommy Tiernan scoops Edinburgh Festival award

Irish comic Tommy Tiernan is to be presented with a prize for his performance at this year's Edinburgh Fringe.

Tiernan has been awarded the Nokia Orange Comedy Award making him the "Best of the Fest" this year.

He beat off fierce competition from other high profile comic newcomers including Demetri Martin and Reginald D Hunter.

Tiernan will be collecting his award at London's Bloomsbury Theatre on Wednesday, September 24 when he will perform as special guest at the week-long Best of the Fest show.

The Nokia Orange Comedy Award is the prize presented to the most popular comedian at the Best of the Fest show at Edinburgh's Assembly Rooms.

Members of the festival audience choose the winner by voting by text message.

Tiernan also scooped the Nokia Orange Your Call Award for the most popular show from across all of Edinburgh's festivals including Fringe, International, Book and Film.

Out of all the hundreds of thousands of shows and performances on offer in Edinburgh, Tiernan's show Tell me a Story received the majority of vote.

He said: "The great thing about this award is that you know people have enjoyed your show because they have left it and then voted for you - it's a real peoples award, so I am really chuffed with this win."

Other award winners include: Book Festival - Candace Bushnell; International Film Festival - Young Adam, starring Ewan McGregor; International Festival - Wagners Ring Circle.