On Friday 21 April, fifteen-year-old student Daniel Reeve was announced as the winner of the national Class Clowns Grand Final held at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The 2017 winner Daniel Reeve from Oakhill College, NSW won over the judges with his musical comedy performance.

Fourteen of the nation’s best schoolyard comedy acts took to the Melbourne Town Hall main stage with their best five-minutes of material, competing in the Class Clowns National Grand Final, for their chance to be crowned the funniest teen in the country.

Having conquered heats and state finals across Australia, these teenage stand-ups, sketch, parody and musical comedy maestros performed in front of a panel of industry experts. Daniel Reeve walks away with a prize of $1500 for himself, a $1000 workshop package for his school, plus the Class Clowns golden trophy.

This year’s runners up were awarded to: Bryn Inglis, Bayside Cristian College, VIC; and Vincent Meyrick, St Johns Grammar, SA. To be commended are the other 11 Class Clown finalists for making it through to the final stage of the competition:

Alana Steward (VCA Secondary School, VIC), Anzel Van-Niekerk (Kalbarri District High School, WA), Bhavika Sharma (Elizabeth College, TAS), Callum Fisher (Magnetic Island, QLD), Demetri Spyropoulos (Ivanhoe Grammar School, VIC), Jaxon Mitchell and Jamie Roberts (Good Shepherd Lutheran College, NT), Kate Wilkins (Danebank Anglican School for Girls, NSW), Lana Pigeon (Alfred Deakin High School, ACT), Mireille-Francoise Renzaho (Northmead Creative & Performing Arts High School, NSW), Sirak Keeghan (University High School, VIC), and Soloman Lancini (The Gap State High School, QLD).

On today’s judging panel for the 22nd anniversary of Class Clowns Grand Final were Catherine Andrews, MICF Associate Director Bridget Bantick, and Australian comedians Ivan Aristeguieta, and Rhys Nicholson.

The excellent day of high caliber teenage comedy was hosted by 2016 Class Clowns Winner Lauren Duong and Australia’s comedy darling Mel Buttle while featuring performances from two Melbourne Comedy Festival favourites Aunty Donna and Josie Long (UK).