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.
9. Lou Wall: Breaking the Fifth Wall
With her meme-loaded powerpoint Lou Wall is the very definition of a modern comic. Her triumphant Fringe run has seen her go from selling out the tiny Monkey Barrel 2 to playing the cavernous Pleasance Grand - all in just three weeks. A place on the Edinburgh Comedy Award shortlist would be the cherry on top. | Contibuted
10. Luke McQueen: Comedian's Comedian
If there was a prize for the most talked about show at the Fringe this year, Luke McQueen would certainly be in the mix - every second person seems to have been recommending his show in the Edinburgh queues (one of the best places to pick up tips). Prompted by the lack of an invitation for Stuart Goldsmith's podcast, its use of AI makes it seem like a show that could only happen in 2025. | Contributed
11. Kate Dolam: The Critic
Success at the Melbourne Comedy Festival can often lead to similar success in Scotland. This year, the main prize went to Garry Starr for his remarkable show 'Penguins'. It didn't even get a nod at last year's Edinburgh Comedy Awards and is not eligible for this year's prize. Kate Dolan received the Golden Gibbo for best local independent show in Australia, and has been getting great reviews this August in Edinburgh. 'The Critic' seems to stand a pretty good chance of a nomination. | Contributed
12. Dirty Work
Speaking of the Melbourne Comedy Festival, this year's Best Newcomer Award went to Jessica Barton's musical clowning show 'Dirty Work', which introduces the audiences to nanny Mary Floppins. In our four star review we said it was "an untrammelled delight". | Contributed