Former South African broadcaster and arts leader to take over Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society

A former broadcaster and figurehead of South Africa's biggest cultural event is to take over the running of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tony Lankester, whose tenure as Fringe Society chief executive will begin in April, spent 12 years in charge of the National Arts Festival before relocating to London.

He took over the running of Riverside Studios, a long-running arts centre and TV production studio in Hammersmith, from long-time Fringe venue operator William Burdett-Coutts in 2020.

Stars who have appeared there in recent years include Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis, Eddie Izzard, Jack Dee, Benjamin Zephaniah and KT Tunstall. However the venue went into administration in 2023 later citing the impact of rising energy costs and debt incurred from a five-year redevelopment.

Riverside Studios continued to trade under Mr Lankester's leadership and was recently bought over by a charity headed up by an Indian billionaire, Anil Agarwal.

Mr Lankester, who was born in Kimberley in the Northern Cape of South Africa, studied TV, film and media at Rhodes University, in Makhanda, the city that plays host to the National Arts Festival, before carving out a career in broadcasting.

He worked in corporate communications and sponsorship before he was appointed chief executive of the National Arts Festival in 2007.

Mr Lankester will replace Shona McCarthy, the longest-serving figurehead of Scotland's biggest cultural event, who has been in the role for almost nine years. The arts charity runs the official box office, website, programme database, media office and industry delegate programme for the Fringe, which will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2027.

He said: "The Edinburgh Festival Fringe occupies a rare and special place in the hearts and minds of artists the world over and it has played a formative role in so many stellar careers and millions of life-changing moments for audiences.

"Staying true to that legacy, while being asked to help shape and guide its future, is a privilege.

"The arts environment is hugely challenging at the moment and the world is a difficult and noisy place.

"Now, more than ever, there is a need for what the Fringe is and for what it can be – for artists, audiences, producers, venues and the people of Edinburgh.

"Shona has been an inspirational, principled and passionate leader and advocate for the Fringe during some of the toughest years in its history, navigating some extraordinary challenges with diplomacy, empathy, focus and determination. She hands it over in great shape, and I hope to do her hard work justice."

Benny Higgins, chair of the Fringe Society, said: "Tony brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles, and his insights from both a cultural and commercial background will ensure the Fringe Society can meet the needs of the wider Fringe community.

"As the Fringe builds towards its 80th anniversary year, Tony’s leadership will be key in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Fringe Society and Edinburgh Festival Fringe."

Ms McCarthy announced she would be stepping down weeks after the 2024 Fringe, which saw more than 2.6 million tickets were sold.

The overall attendance was the fourth highest in the history of the Fringe and the 2024 event had the second biggest programme after 2019's record-breaking edition.

As last year's Fringe drew to a close Ms McCarthy published an open letter raising concerns about emerging artists being "squeezed out" of the Fringe due to rising costs, cuts in public funding and "an unhelpful policy environment."

At the time, she warned that the "hard-won and fragile success of the Fringe was not met with "complacency," and raised concerns that artistic risk and ambition at the festival were being "hamstrung."