Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

The nationwide talent search to find the best new stand-up, sketch and musical comedians was launched in 1995.

It has helped to launch the careers of stars including Peter Kay, Lee Mack, Russell Howard, Josie Long, Tom Allen, Rhod Gilbert, Joe Lycett, Sarah Millican, Marcus Brigstocke, Chris Addison and more.

Thirty acts will contest six regional heats with the Sunderland event first. All of them will be televised. The six winners go forward to the grand final, which will be held later this year and broadcast on BBC One.

Clockwise from top left: Josie Long, Peter Kay, Tom Allen and Lee Mack are all 'graduates' of the BBC’s annual New Comedy Awards.

The head judge at all six heats will be Josh Pugh, a comedian and writer named English Comedian of the Year at the Birmingham Breaking Talent Award.

He is known for his frequent viral hit videos; such as Inventing the Four Cheese Pizza and ****-up in a Brewery.

Josh will be joined at the Fire Station by the host for the evening Josh Jones, who has starred in a string of television shows including 8 Out of 10 Cats. The other judges will be stand-ups Ahir Shah and Amy Gledhill.

The northern heat in the Fire Station, High Street West, takes place on Wednesday, September 13 at 7pm in the Fire Station on High Street West. It is not recommended for the under-18s.

The BBC’s annual New Comedy Awards comes to the Fire Station on Wednesday, September 13. Sunderland Echo image.

Tickets are free, maximum four per order and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis at www.sunderlandculture.org.uk.

The other five heats around the UK are in Edinburgh, Ballymena, London, Nottingham and Bangor in Wales.

BBC New Comedy Awards talent show coming to Sunderland's Fire Station