Smith had rested several players - including Danny McGuire, Leon Pryce, James Graham and James Roby - to give fringe players such as Rob Purdham, Mickey Higham, Paul Sykes and Jamie Jones-Buchanan a chance to impress.
He will go up against Charlie Brooker, Rob Brydon and Stewart Lee in the male TV comic category and face Brooker, Alan Carr and Graham Norton to be named comedy entertainment personality.