Matt

There is a reason that the Today programme regularly highlights the daily cartoon by the Telegraph’s Matt - he is just so funny.

Whatever the subject and the mood of the nation, Matt makes you smile.

He has this incredible gift of spotting the absurdities of life, whatever the subject.

It might be the Post Office scandal, over-crowded prisons, the US election or the British weather, Matt always finds the funny side.

And he does so with the combination of the sharpest comment and his instantly-recognisable drawings.

In the old days they might have been called ‘’pocket cartoons’’.

But ‘’mobile cartoons’’ might be more appropriate in this digital age!

The Matt cartoon fits the mobile phone screen perfectly of course, and his work is now finding new audiences worldwide as a result of the Telegraph app.

Indeed, such is his popularity that he has his own newsletter, delivered free to Telegraph subscribers.

The newsletter is sent to subscribers every Sunday, allowing even greater connection with Matt’s many fans. In each newsletter Matt gives a rundown of all of his published cartoons, the inspiration behind them, and an insight into his satirical view on the week’s news.

The Matt Newsletter has one of the most engaged Telegraph communities and readers frequently email to comment on his published cartoons or indeed the ‘’bonus’’ unpublished exclusive cartoon they receive in the newsletter.

The feedback in a recent survey was so overwhelmingly positive that the most clicked on link in the newsletter this year was readers voting the missive 5/5. This loyal readership has meant that the newsletter has the highest open rate of any Telegraph newsletter or breaking news alert .

Some cartoonists might struggle to produce a classic once a year. Matt does it repeatedly every day. Indeed, the hardest part of the Daily Telegraph editor’s day is choosing which Matt cartoon to publish. The choice of three cartoons for these awards wasn't easy for this reason.

But these three show the range of subjects that Matt covers, as well as his brilliant, sharp humour.

Absurd, delightful and warm-hearted, Matt has an unrivalled ability to skewer pomposity in the gentlest of ways. It doesn't matter what your politics is, where you live, or who you are: Matt's pocket cartoons relate to everyone.