The wait is almost over...

Producer Lianne Coop is one exhausted lady.

She's spent a whopping 67 hours listening to 800 entries, whittling down the swift competition into eight heats with ten performers each. If you've not been contacted then sadly this means you haven't progressed further in the competition, but please keep going - it's been a stellar year for submissions and the competition is geniunely tougher than ever.

Now, with the successful entrants notified, we can start bringing you the freshest new stand-up acts in the land. The fun begins on Saturday 11th August at the BBC Potterow site in Edinburgh, before we move onto Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Brighton and London. You can find out how and where to get your tickets on this dedicated page.

We'll be filming at all the heats so that anyone who can't join us on the night can still experience the competition from the comfort of their own homes (although we really do reccommend coming to a show - they're great fun and we're a friendly bunch!).

If you were put off from entering this year due to a lack of experience, or thought you might like to have a go in 2013, why not apply for one of our beginners' comedy workshops? We'll be giving you the chance to write and perform your own material, helped by experts and the odd comedian, and you'll also have the opportunity to perform in front of a camera and have your first filmed performance!

If you're planning you join us, let us know by sending us a tweet to @BBCNewComAward.