In 2025 Best in Class announced a new award in memory of north west comedian Marie Goulbourne. The award will support a queer, northern, working class comic with a package of support, including accommodation at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, performance opportunities and industry mentoring.
Who is Marie Goulbourne?
Marie Goulbourne was a much loved north west comedian who unexpectedly died in October 2024. She had been making waves on the comedy circuit and won the northern regional heat of the BBC New Comedy Award less than a week before her death.
Best in Class founder Sian Davies said “Marie spent last August in Edinburgh and she was in her element. She rushed about doing spots at different compilation shows. She supported her friends and watched her comedy heroes on stage. She networked, she mingled and she played pinball at the Dave Party. She took all of the opportunities to throw herself into the whole fringe experience and it was a pleasure to share that journey with her. This award feels like the best way to honour Marie’s memory, by giving someone else a similar experience. Anyone who wants to make a donation to Best in Class in Marie’s memory can contribute to our Go Fund Me campaign. Hopefully we can support more queer, northern working class comics in Marie’s name for many years to come. I think she would be quite proud of that.”
In May 2025 north east comic Pheebs Stephenson was announced as the winner of the inaugural Marie Goulbourne Award.
