Hot Mess is a Winner!
Hot Mess announced as winner of the Popcorn Writing Award 2025!
Satirical musical Hot Mess by Ellie Coote and Jack Godfrey has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Popcorn Writing Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Selected by a committee of cultural figures including artist Chris Levine, actor Susie Wokoma and singer Alison Sudel from over 200 submissions, the winning writers will receive a cash prize, as well as career development support from both the Popcorn Group and BBC Writers. In addition, all shortlisted playwrights will benefit from one-to-one development sessions with industry professionals, ensuring that every finalist has the opportunity to build on their Fringe success.
Book Writer & Director Ellie Coote and Composer & Lyricist Jack Godrey from Hot Mess comment, We're so thrilled to receive the 2025 Popcorn Award. It's a huge honour to have been nominated alongside so many amazing writers at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. It's taken five years, two titles, four versions, and several break ups to write Hot Mess. We couldn't have done it without the unwavering support of Vicky Graham and Birmingham Hippodrome's New Musical Theatre Department, led by Deirdre O'Halloran, who is also our genius dramaturg. A musical about the climate crisis is not necessarily an easy sell and we're so grateful to have the platform to be a part of the conversation in our own silly little way
The award was presented to the top three writing teams at a ceremony hosted by legendary comedian Miriam Margolyes at the Pleasance Courtyard this morning, Wednesday 20 August.
Winning play Hot Mess is a sharp, satirical musical that uses the language of pop, comedy, and romance to tackle urgent questions about our relationship with the planet. Balancing wit and poignancy, it reframes the climate crisis as a story of love, betrayal, and resilience, capturing the Fringe spirit of confronting serious issues with originality and flair.
Second place prize was awarded to Ed Edwards for their show Ordinary Decent Criminal and third was awarded to Abigail and Shaun Bengson for the show Ohio: The Bengsons. A special mention was given to Rodney Black: Who Cares? It’s Working by Sadie Pearson.
The award is presented in partnership with 10 leading Fringe venues: Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance, Summerhall, theSpaceUK, Traverse, Underbelly, Greenside, Paradise Green and ZOO Venues.