Donald Trump impersonator in running for Scottish Comedy Awards honour

Lewis MacLeod has been nominated alongside household names Frankie Boyle, Armando Ianucci, Brian “Limmy” Limond and Des Clarke.

MacLeod, star of radio show Dead Ringers and TV show Newzoids, will be in the running for the best variety act honour at the awards, which are held during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

MacLeod, whose mimicry of President Trump has featured on the BBC’s Daily Politics programme, can also mimic the likes of Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Boris Johnson, Gordon Brown and George Galloway.

MacLeod, who believes he may be related to the American President due to their shared family roots on the Isle of Lewis, will be competing with Colin Cloud, the Lanarkshire “stage mentalist” who reached the final stages of the America’s Got Talent TV show last year.

BBC Scotland’s police comedy Scot Squad leads the race for honours with four nominations, for stars Jack Docherty, Jim Smith and Chris Forbes, as well as best TV show.

Another BBC Scotland show, the neighbourhood sitcom Two Doors Down, is also up for best TV show, along with Frankie Boyle’s New World Order and Mrs Brown’s Boys, while stars Doon Mackichan and Elaine C Smith will also compete in the best actor category.

Love Island host Iain Stirling is up against Frankie Boyle, Larry Dean, Fern Brady and Des Clarke for the best TV or radio comic prize.

The Rose Theatre, a new venue created by Fringe promoters Gilded Balloon in the basement of a former church in Edinburgh’s west end, is in the running to be named Scotland’s best comedy club less than a year after opening its doors.

SCOTTISH COMEDY AWARDS NOMINATIONS 2018

BEST HEADLINER

Mark Nelson

Raymond Mearns

Scott Agnew

Susie McCabe

BEST COMPERE

Jay Lafferty

Joe Heenan

Liam Withnail

Ray Bradshaw

BEST NEWCOMER

Christopher KC

Chris Scott

Susan Riddell

Will Nameeh

BEST VARIETY ACT

Balloonatics

Colin Cloud

Lewis McLeod

Spontaneous Players

The Dolls

BEST ACTOR / ACTRESS

Elaine C Smith

Chris Forbes

Doon Mackichan

Jack Doherty

Jim Smith

BEST TV / RADIO COMEDIAN

Des Clarke

Iain Stirling

Fern Brady

Frankie Boyle

Larry Dean

BEST TOUR SHOW

Colin Cloud

Fern Brady

Larry Dean

Phil Nichol

Ray Bradshaw

BEST TV SHOW

2 Doors Down

Frankie Boyle’s New World Order

Mrs Brown’s Boys

Scot Squad

BEST RADIO SHOW

4 Extra stands Up

Absolutely radio series

Breaking The News

Fags Mags Bags

Julia’s Funny Kind

BEST ONLINE COMEDY

Ashley Storrie Twitter

Limmy’s Twitter

News At 3

Sloss & Humphries Podcast

The Glasgow Trip

BEST COMEDY WRITER

Armando Ianucci

Gregor Sharp / Simon Carlye

Frankie Boyle

Steven Dick

BEST COMEDY CLUB

Breakneck, Aberdeen

Gilded Balloon Rose St Theatre, Edinburgh

Monkey Barrell, Edinburgh

Rotunda, Glasgow

Stand, Edinburgh

Stand, Glasgow

Yesbar, Glasgow

BEST COMEDY NIGHT

Chunks, Glasgow

Crossmylaff, Glasgow

Drouthy Cobbler, Elgin

Enterteasement, Glasgow

Kilted Kangaroo, Stirling

Stand Out @ Strathaven Theatre

Viva La Shambles

BEST COMEDY EVENT

Chunkstival

Launch of Breakneck

Harper Comedy in Front Room

Scottish Comedian of the Year Final