Dublin comedian Andrew Maxwell lost out to London-based actor Adam Riches in the battle to be crowned the top performer at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival.
Previous winners of the Foster’s award, formerly known as the Perrier, include Steve Coogan, Frank Skinner and Harry Hill.
Stand-up Josie Long, the only woman in the shortlist, missed out for the second year in a row in Saturday’s ceremony.
Maxwell, Chris Ramsey, Sam Simmons and Nick Helm, who won the best one-liner prize, were also in the running for the £10,000 prize.