With a over 3,500 shows to choose from at this year's feast of culture, there’s something to be said for opting for performers who have a winning record – and there’s no bigger prize in British comedy than the Edinburgh Comedy Award.
Launched in 1981, the award is presented to the comedy show judged to have been the best at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and is recognised as the most prestigious comedy prize in the UK.
Formerly known as the Perrier Award, it is designed to promote acts that have yet to become household names, so comedians judged to have ‘star status’ are not eligible - for instance if they have a show on a major television channel or can regularly fill a 500-set venue.
The first winners were a talent-packed Cambridge Footlights featuring Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Tony Slattery and Emma Thompson, while other names catapaulted to fame by the award over the years include Steve Coogan, Jenny Eclair, The League of Gentlemen, Dylan Moran, Al Murray, Tim Key, and now Emmy-nominated Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd.
A Best Newcomer Award was added in 1992, followed by a Panel Prize in 2006 - for those who have made a particularly special contribution to the Fringe Festival.
Here are all 15 winners you can see in Edinburgh this year.
9. Josie Long
Fringe favourite Josie Long - who recently moved to Glasgow - was crowned Best Newcomer back in 2006 for her show 'Kindness & Exuberance', and has been back nearly every August since. This year she's trying out new material in 'A Work in Progress About Giant Extinct Animals' at the Monkey Barrel on August 12 and 20. We've already seen an early preview and it was terrific - even if it was a little light on dinosaurs... | Contributed
10. Ahir Shah
Ahir Sha's poignant, playful and politically-engaged show 'Ends' scooped the Edinburgh Comedy Award in 2023. He's bringing it back to the Pleasance Courtyard for 12 shows only this year from August 12-23. | Getty Images
11. Mark Watson
Nobody combines comedy and anxiety quite as well at Mark Watson. He became a Fringe legend thanks to his record-breaking marathon shows, winning the Edinburgh Comedy Award's first Panel Prize in 2006 for his extraordinary 36 hour-long effort. He's performing a more relaxed one hour work in progress set at the Stand Comedy Club this year from August 1-22. It was one of the first shows to sell out this year, but it's always worth trying for returns and looking out for extra performances. | Getty Images
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12. Rose Matafeo
Since winning the Edinburgh Comedy Award in 2018, multi-talented Rose Matafeo has gone on to create and star in hit sitcom Starstruck. She returned to Edinburgh last year with a work in progress show and is now back with the finished product, entitled 'On and On and On'. She's on at the Pleasance Courtyard from August 9-25. | Getty Images