The Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme hasn’t even been officially launched yet, but almost 3,500 shows have already been announced.
It can be a tricky proposition negotiating the sheer quantity of what’s on offer but 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 catapulted to fame by the award over the years include Steve Coogan, Jenny Eclair, The League of Gentlemen, Dylan Moran, Al Murray, Tim Key, and Emmy-winning 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 18 previous winners you can see in Edinburgh this year so far.
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5. Lara Ricote
Another former winner bringing a new show to Edinburgh is Lara Ricote, who took home the Best Newcomer trophy in 2022 with her show 'GRL/LATNX/DEF'. Her show for 2026 is called 'INKLING'. "You know when stuff happens to you and you react in a certain way (read: cry) so then you lean in? To know thyself? A man in a museum was mean to me (classic) and I’ve gotten a lot out of it (hell yeah). My stupidest and smartest show yet (alright!)". She's at the Monkey Barrel from August 5-30. | Getty Images
6. Rich Hall
American musical comedian Rich Hall won the main award in 2000 in character as country singer Otis Lee Crenshaw. He's bringing his new show 'Chin Music' to the Gilded Balloon from August 17-30. "Chin Music has two meanings: one is idle talk, the other is a brushback throw in baseball or cricket to intimidate the batter. Both describe Rich Hall's comedy. Idle but intimidating. Sharp, quick, splenetic and sublimely improvisational." | Getty Images
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7. Adam Riches
The Edinburgh Comedy Award shortlist was particularly strong in 2011, including Andrew Maxwell, Chris Ramsey, Josie Long, Nick Helm and future winner Sam Simmons. But it was the character and sketch comedy of Adam Riches, in 'Bring Me the Head of Adam Riches' that most impressed the judges. The hugely-entertaining performer has mixed comedy with theatre in recent years, including a critically-acclaimed show about tennis player Jimmy Connors. This year he's doing one of each. There's the one-man play 'The Captain', about the first man to swim the English Channel, at Summerhall from August 6-31. Then there's character comedy with 'The Critic's Way', which sees Riches play comedy reviewer Caliban Munroe at the Underbelly from August 5-30. | Getty Images
8. David O'Doherty
A hugely popular winner back in 2008, when 'Let's Comedy' beat Rhod Gilbert, Russell Kane and Kristin Schaal to the comedy crown, Irishman David O'Doherty is an Edinburgh regular - the place just wouldn't be the same without him in August. This year's show, entitled 'At This Stage', looks unlikely to stray far from his winning formula of wry humour and comic songs played on his trademark tiny keyboard. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. See him at Assembly George Square from August 5-31. | Contributed