Comedian Andrew Ryan has been confirmed as the host and compere of The Gift Awards, which take place this Thursday, 16 May, at London’s glittering Royal Lancaster Hotel.
Andrew has performed stand-up on Comedy Central Live, Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live and Comedy Central at The Comedy Store. He’s also a regular on TV3’s The Six O’Clock Show and, more recently, has appeared on BBC One NI’s The Blame Game.
Andrew is also a contributor on The Line Out for Virgin Media TV and is the new host of the Q Radio Breakfast Show. He also hosts a weekly comedy podcast, the Cork in the North. His most recent show Sure, You Know Yourself, won Best New Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival Awards.
In addition, raising the roof will be rock ‘n’ roller Mike Winch, founder of Candlelight, who will be taking to the stage at the Awards with his bandRockStock, which recently played at a sell-out gig in Spain.
As a young ‘60s Rotherham rock star – whose then band, The Origators Creed – topped the bill ahead of Joe Cocker, and also played gigs supporting the Cream, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Pink Floyd and Wilson Pickett, Mike will once again be strutting his stuff with RockStock.
Joining Mike on stage will be Andrew Poulston, managing director of PR Home, who is RockStock’s lead guitarist.
Plus, Gift Awards photographer Eddie Macdonald, an original member of the internationally acclaimed rock band The Alarm, who currently fronts Smalltown Glory, will be putting down his camera to join RockStock for some of their numbers.
Candlelight is among an impressive line up of Gift Awards sponsors that includes: Allsorted, Asia Sourcing Support, Aspin, Autumn Fair, British Allied Trade Federation (BATF), Candlelight, Cardgains, Carte Blanche Greetings, Cotton & Grey, DKB, Gift Republic, The Giftware Association (GA), Gisela Graham, Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair, Henry & Co, Home & Gift, HousewaresNews.net, LicensingSource.net, Life Charms, Lifestyle (Motivates), London Stationery Show, Messe Frankfurt, Method UK, N Smith Print and Packaging, Ohh Deer, Progressive Gifts & Home, Progressive Greetings Live, Qalara, Scotland’s Trade Fairs, Source Home & Gift, Spring Fair, Talking Tables, Top Drawer, Toy Fair and Widdop & Co.
All winners, including the recipient of the prestigious Outstanding Achievement award, will be revealed at The Gift Awards (www.thegiftawards.com) on Thursday 16 May at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. For the third successive year, this incredible event will bring together The Giftware Association’s Gift of the Year Awards and The Greats gift retailer awards, organised and owned by Max Publishing, publishers of Progressive Gifts & Home/GiftsandHome.net.
At the glittering event, both gift product excellence and retail prowess will be recognised and rewarded in a true celebration of both sides of the UK gift industry.
There is still time to get a ticket to the event, but don’t delay. Contact Clare at Createvents on clare@createvents.co.uk or 0118 334 0085. You can reserve and pay online at the Max Publishing Digital Box Office.
Top: Comedian Andrew Ryan is hosting The Gift Awards, taking place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel on 16 May. (Photo by Steve Ullathorne).
