Tom Ballard & Zoe Coombs Marr Amongst 2016 Edinburgh Comedy Awards Nominees

In the same week Melbourne comic Neal Portenza scored a runner-up gong at the Edinburgh Fringe awards, four fellow Aussie acts have just been shortlisted for the prestigious 2016 Edinburgh Comedy Awards.

Having been nominated last year for Best Newcomer, Tom Ballard returns to contend for the Best Comedy Show award with The World Keeps Happening as does Zoe Coombs Marr with her acclaimed show Trigger Warning.

Coombs Marr's show has proved to be so popular that it scored the Melbourne International Comedy Festival's Barry Award this past April.

Also nominated for Best Comedy Show is Heath McIvor (the puppeteer behind Randy Feltface of Sammy J & Randy), with Randy Writes A Novel.

Other comedians selected in the category include Al Porter, James Acaster, Kieran Hodgson, Nish Kumar and Richard Gadd.

Last year, Australia's own Sam Simmons took out the award.

Meanwhile, over in the Best Newcomer category, Melbourne up-and-comer Nath Valvo has been shortlisted along five other stand-up acts. 

Valvo's show, Happy Idiot, has been a festival favourite this year and he will go up against Bilal Zafar, Brennan Recce, Jatde Adams, Michelle Wolf and Scott Gibson for the award.

All winners are to be announced on Saturday.

Click here for more details.