A COMEDIAN from Caerleon made it through to the final of a BAFTA competition to find the UK’s most promising comedy writer.

Christian Manley, 34, made the final five of the 500-strong BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Forum competition back in May.

It was judged by comedy professionals in a bid to find the most promising writer without a television commission, to showcase their work at a major international television festival.

The competition was won by 35-year-old Tony Cooke from Enfield, London.

Mr Manley, who now lives in Peckham, London, got to meet and have his script analysed by top figures from the industry.

He said: "It was amazing and I was very happy to make it to the final. I’m very grateful to BAFTA for their support because it’s good publicity for me."

Mr Manley will now receive mentoring support at the Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival on August 22, where an industry panel will include writer and comedian John Bishop and Shane Allen, Controller of Comedy at the BBC.

The former Caerleon Comprehensive pupil added: "It will be brilliant, it’s a really good place to meet comedy producers and to network with people who are heavily involved in the industry.

"The best case scenario is that I come home with my own chat show. But there’s a good chance that’s not going to happen."

Mr Manley has written comedy scripts for popular TV chat and panel shows and material for other comedians who are, as he says, "more famous" than him. But his big break is yet to come about.

He added: "I’m currently writing a sitcom. Half the battle is writing a good script. But then you have to meet the right contacts."

Andrew Newman, Chair of BAFTA’s Television Committee and Chief Executive of Objective Productions, said: "The standard of entries to the BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Forum is always impressive, so to be shortlisted is a fantastic achievement."