Launched in 1981, the Edinburgh Comedy 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.
Previously known as the Perrier Award, the prize recognises acts that are not ‘star’ names (a slightly nebulous concept), meaning that those who can regularly fill a 500-seat venue or who have their own television show (on a ‘major’ channel) are not eligible
The winners reads like a ‘who’s who’ of British comedy, from a talent-packed Cambridge Footlights featuring Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Tony Slattery and Emma Thompson, to household names include Steve Coogan, Jenny Eclair, The League of Gentlemen, Dylan Moran, Hannah Gadsby, Al Murray, Tim Key, and Emmy-nominated Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd.
In 1992 a Best Newcomer Award was added, joined in 2006 by a Panel Prize - for acts who have made a special contribution to the Fringe Festival.
The shortlist for this year’s prize will be announced this Wednesday (August 20), meaning speculation is growing about who will make the grade and have the chance to follow last year’s winners Amy Gledhill and Joe Kent-Walters
We’ve been busy seeing shows, chatting to audience members and comedians, and pouring over the reviews to come up with some ideas about the most likely candidates (which will, almost certainly, be proved spectacularly wrong).
Here are our 16 top tips to get a ‘A’ grade in what Irish comedian Andrew Maxwell famously called ‘exams for clowns’ - making the shortlists set to be announced on Wednesday, August 20.
1. Bebe Cave: CHRISTBRIDE
Bebe Cave (younger sister of Fringe favourite Jessie Cave) earned a Scotsman five star review for her delightfully silly DIY medieval character comedy. She's a hit with the audience too, having sold out all but one of her shows in the last week. | Contributed
2. Hasan Al-Habib: Death to the West (Midlands)
Brummie comedian Hasan Al-Habib has been one of the buzziest performers of the Fringe, selling out numerous extra shows from week one on. It feels like a show very much of its time, dealing with immigration from the point of view of somebody whose family fled an Iraq under the the control of Saddam Hussein. If it sounds heavy, it really isn't. | Contributed
3. Phil Ellis: Soppy Stern
Another act to have received the maximum five stars from the Scotsman's army of reviewers is Phil Ellis. He's no stranger to the Comedy Awards, having won the 2004 Panel Prize for his 'kid's show for adults' 'Funz and Gamez' (which he brought back to the Fringe this year). He was also nominated for the main award two years ago. Winning would make the year which will see him starring in 'Taskmaster' even better. | Contributed
4. Joe Kent-Walters is Frankie Monroe: DEAD!!! (Good Fun Time)
Joe Kent-Walters hit comedy gold with his monstrous working men's club owner Frankie Monroe last year, bagging the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer. This year's show has been one of the hottest tickets in town, with extra shows selling out as soon as they are announced. No wonder, Frankie's even funnier now he's been to hell and back and could be the first back-to-back winner of Best Newcomer and Best Show since John Kearns. Cash or card? | Contributed