Latest news with #EdinburghComedyAward
Scotsman
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Funniest Joke of the Fringe Award: As the prize 'takes a break' in 2025 here are all 16 hilarious jokes to have won the award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Comedian Andrew Maxwell famously once called the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 'exams for clowns', and each year it's the comics with the best jokes who get the 'A' grades. The Edinburgh Comedy Award (formerly the Perrier Award) is handed out each year to the top clown in the class, and since 2008 is has been joined by The Funniest Joke of the Fringe Award. Presented by television channel Dave, each year a shortlist of 10-15 jokes was drawn up by some of the leading comedy critics and comedians in the UK. Designed to celebrate 'the art of joke writing' and making people laugh, the general public then voted for the eventual winner. This week it was announced that 'U&Dave's Funniest Joke Of The Fringe', as it's now called, would be scrapped from the 2025 Fringe, with the TV station behind the gong saying it is 'resting'. So we thought it would be the perfect time to revisit the 16 jokes that have made the grade since the prize was established. 1 . 2024: Mark Simmons "I was going to sail around the globe in the world's smallest ship, but I bottled it." | Contributed Photo Sales 2 . 2023: Lorna Rose Treen "I started dating a zookeeper, but it turned out he was a cheetah." | Contributed Photo Sales 3 . 2022: Masai Graham "I tried to steal spaghetti from the shop, but the female guard saw me and I couldn't get pasta." | Contributed Photo Sales 4 . 2021: Masai Graham "I thought the word "Caesarean" began with the letter "S" but when I looked in the dictionary, it was in the "C" section." | Contributed Photo Sales
Scotsman
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Who is on the next series of Taskmaster? All five new constestants confirmed for season 20 of the Channel 4 show
The cast for Season 20 of Taskmaster. | Channel 4 Five more famous faces are going to be taking on fiendish tasks set by Taskmaster Greg Davies and 'Little' Alex Horne. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Presented by Greg Davies and Alex Horne (who also created the programme, originally as a show for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe ), the first series of Taskmaster was broadcast in 2014 on comedy channel Dave , before expanding its audience after being poached by Channel 4 in 2020. While there have only been 19 series proper, there have also been special one-off 'Champion of Champion' and ' New Year Treat ' programmes, comprising one or two episodes, as well as a Junior Taskmaster hosted by former contenstants Rose Matafeo and Mike Wozniak. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The show sees (mainly) comedians take part in a range of challenges which are then marked by the hosts, usually (but not always) winning a maximum of five points per task. This week saw Horrible Histories star Matthew Baynton become season 19 champion, and minutes later fans found out who would be appearing next. Here's what we know. Who is appearing on Taskmaster Season 20? Ania Magliano Acclaimed standup and former member of Cambridge Footlights who was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award in 2023. She's back in Edinburgh this August with a Work in Progress show. She's written for numerous television shows including Frankie Boyle's New World Order, The Now Show and the Have I Got News for You Twitter account. TV appearances includeThe Stand Up Sketch Show andThe Comedy Guide to Life. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Maisie Adam Maisie Adam's first Edinburgh Festival Fringe show, Vague, was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer prize in 2018. She has appeared on numerous television programmes and was recently seen playing in Soccer Aid. Other credits include 8 Out of 10 Cats, Mock the Week, QI, Have I Got News for You, Would I Lie To You?, Richard Osman's House of Games, Roast Battle, Celebrity Mastermind, The Big Fat Quiz of the Year and The Last Leg. Phil Ellis Yet another Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, Phil Ellis was shortlisted for the main award for his show Phil Ellis's Excellent Comedy Show - which won the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality. He also won the Edinburgh Comedy Award Panel prize in 2014 for children's game show (with adult content) Funz and Gamez. TV appearances include The Russell Howard Hour, Drunk History, Roast Battle, The Tez O'Clock Show, and Redknapp's Big Night Out. He has also produced three series of Phil Ellis is Trying on BBC Radio 4. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Reece Shearsmith Comedy superstar Reece Shearsmith was one of the founder members of The League of Gentlemen - who won the Edinburgh Comedy Award, then known as the Perrier, in 1997. The League of Gentlemen were a triple success - on radio, television and on the big screen. He went on to create, write and star in Psychoville and Inside No. 9. The stage version of the latter is coming to Edinburgh's Playhouse later this year after finding success in London's West End. He's appeared in numerous other television shows and films, including Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Saltburn, The World's End, See How They Run, Venon: Let There Be Carnage, and A Field in England. Sanjeev Bhaskar Sanjeev Bhaskar is best known for being part of the groundbreaking sketch comedy group Goodness Gracious Me, who were a hit on BBC radio and television,. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He went on to appear in sitcom The Kumars at No. 42 and presented a documentary series called India with Sanjeev Bhaskar. Film appearances include Paddington 2, Yesterday, The Flash and Notting Hill. How many episodes of Taskmaster will be in Season 20? While early series had between five and eight episodes but since season six there have been 10 episodes per series - so expect 10 episodes again. When will the new series of Taskmaster be broadcast?
Scotsman
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Jessie Nixon explores ambition, class and confession in Don't Make Me Regret This
Jessie Nixon brings her debut hour Don't Make Me Regret This to Assembly George Square Gardens this summer, marking a confident step forward for a comic already making waves on the UK circuit. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Directed by Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Lauren Pattison, the show draws on Nixon's unusual upbringing, complex relationship with ambition, and a healthy dose of wry self-awareness. Recently named one of Chortle's Hot Shots for 2025, Nixon has supported the likes of Fern Brady, Helen Bauer and Lou Sanders, and brings club-honed material with theatrical flair to her first full Fringe run. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Her debut is a mix of stand-up, songs and the occasional poem, shaped by her own story. Raised by a single mother and homeschooled for several years before experiencing everything from boarding school to state comps, Nixon describes her background as 'impoverished bohemia' a term that gives some clue as to the tone of the hour. Jessie Nixon The show looks at how that upbringing shaped her work ethic, her social identity, and her feelings about success. She juggles life as a full-time comedian with a day job at the Department for Business and Trade, training diplomats and negotiators, a surprising detail that adds another layer to her sharp, observant perspective. Themes of feminism, body image and class run throughout. Though Nixon speaks openly about weight loss and her desire to be seen as attractive, she balances this with reflections on self-discipline, identity and the expectations placed on women. Audience confessions are invited during the show, with Nixon offering her own in return – including stories of polyamory, religious guilt and strange social media encounters. There's also a serious note. In 2023, a work-in-progress version of the show was overshadowed by an incident in which Nixon was assaulted while flyering. That experience is acknowledged, alongside a wider conversation about performer safety at the Fringe. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With her warm delivery and dry wit, Nixon is an engaging performer who isn't afraid to be honest. Her material is thoughtful without being heavy-handed, and personal without losing its broader appeal.
Scotsman
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Fringe 2025 Comedy Highlights: Here are 18 work in progress shows from big name comedians
One of the fun things to do in Edinburgh during festival season is to see a well-know comedian work through new ideas that will end up being performed in venues across the UK - and the world. Work in Progress shows are often fairly haphazard affairs, where the performers may refer to notes, happily follow comedic dead ends, and guage the audience's reaction to different material and punchlines. The positives for an audience is that for a small price they get to see a big name in a tiny venue deliver what is often an entirely unique performance never to be repeated. It's often also the case the the material has actually been pretty well developed between the listing being submitted for the Fringe programme and the show itself – equating to even more of a bargain. In 2023 Ahir Shah even won the Edinburgh Comedy Award for a show that was originally listed as a work in progress. This means they often sell out quite far in advance, so if you fancy any of these, don't delay booking them on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe website. Here are 18 of the best in this year's programme. 1 . Daniel Sloss With two Netflix specials under his belt (and another show recorded for HBO), Scottish comedy star Daniel Sloss is now used to playing big rooms - having sold out theatres in New York and toured to over 55 countries. He'll be trying out new stuff in the intimate surroundings of Just The Tonic's Atomic Room this year from July 31-August 21. His warning to fans? "Come expecting nerves, notes onstage and a lot of laughs... but don't come expecting a slick, finished comedy show." | Contributed Photo Sales 2 . Bridget Christie Edinburgh Comedy Award-winner Bridget Christie returns to the Fringe following acclaim for writing and starring in Channel 4 show 'The Change', about a woman who finds a new lease of life when she goes through the menopause. A regular on television and radio, she's back for the first time in a few years with a work in progress at the Monkey Barrel from August 2-9. This is one that's sure to sell out. | Getty Images Photo Sales 3 . Olga Koch "Comedian Olga Koch is going to tell you a scary story over the course of an hour" is the premise of this work in progress from one of the most consistent and hilarious Fringe performers of the last decade. Her show last year, 'Olga Koch: Comes From Money' was her best yet - so it'll be fascinating to see what she's going to come up with to top it. See her at the Monkey Barrel from July 28-August 10. | Contributed Photo Sales 4 . Mhairi Black Former SNP MP Mhairi Black became the youngest MP elected to the House of Commons since the Reform Act 1832 back in 2015 - she was 20 years, seven months and 25 days old. She's now left politics, turned her hand to comedy, and is spilling the Westminster beans with a work in progress at the Gilded Ballon from August 10-24. | Getty Images Photo Sales
Scotsman
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Glenn Moore debuts stand-up show 'Please Sir, Glenn I have some Moore?' at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show Nominee, writer, broadcaster and stand-up Glenn Moore (Live At The Apollo, Have I Got News For You, 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown) announces a brand-new show, Please Sir, Glenn I Have Some Moore?. The show debuts in Edinburgh for the full month this August and tours the UK from Autumn 2025 to early 2026 with dates in Leeds, Belfast, Newcastle, Liverpool, Bristol, Exeter, Cardiff, Birmingham, York, Sheffield, Salford and Brighton. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Glenn will kick-start his biggest tour to date with a week-long run at London's Soho Theatre, performing Downstairs from Monday 8th – Saturday 13th September at 7.15pm. Edinburgh Festival Fringe and tour tickets are on sale now. Full dates and tickets at Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In his first brand-new show in three years, Glenn has once again written too many jokes and has another 300 for you. In an age when everyone seems absolutely certain about everything, Glenn has never been less certain he's ever been correct about anything. After being told by a maitre d' he got his own name wrong, Glenn(?) is spiralling. He's colourblind and only found out last year from a toddler that peanut butter isn't green. He's certain his upbringing was working class, but because of his accent people have been insisting to him he went to Eton. He's certain he's calmed down a bit onstage, but will he end up as sweaty as he always seems to? He's worried he's wrong about everything he's ever known. And he'd like to discuss it with a large room full of people for an hour. Glenn's 2022 solo show, Will You Still Need Me, Will You Still Feed Me, Glenn I'm Sixty Moore, was one of the best-reviewed shows at the Fringe 2022 (British Comedy Guide), firmly establishing him as one of the best joke writers of his generation. The show went on to enjoy a sell-out national tour and week-long run at London's Soho Theatre, along with a Chortle Awards, Best Show nomination. Glenn Moore brings brand-new show, 'Please Sir, Glenn I Have Some Moore?', to this year's Edinburgh Fringe and then on tour. Glenn is a familiar face on TV, having appeared on the likes of Live At The Apollo (BBC), Have I Got News For You (BBC) and 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4). Elsewhere on television and radio, Glenn is a regular on The News Quiz (BBC Radio 4), The Great American Joke Off (CW) and The Stand Up Sketch Show (ITV), has appeared regularly on Mock The Week (BBC) and as a presenter on Press X To Continue (BBC/BBC Sounds),and also appeared on The Russell Howard Hour (Sky), Rob Delaney's Stand Up Central (Comedy Central), Pointless Celebrities (BBC), Richard Osman's House of Games (BBC), and The Now Show (BBC Radio 4). Glenn's writing credits include Fantasy Football League (Sky), The Mash Report (BBC), Russell Howard's Good News (BBC), Play To The Whistle (ITV), as a staff writer on the CITV sketch comedy show Scrambled, as well as writing and performing in his own series Almanac (BBC Radio 4). Glenn can be heard daily as one quarter of The Dave Berry Breakfast Show on Absolute Radio. Known for his perfectly crafted one-liners online, which have earned him a huge following, 2019 saw Glenn take his fourth critically-acclaimed show, Love Don't Live Here Glenny Moore on a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and his then biggest tour to date including a sell-out run at London's Soho Theatre. The previous year saw Glenn earn an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination for best show with Glenn, Glenn, Glenn, How Do You Like It, How Do You Like It, following on from the celebrated show The Very Best of Belinda Carlisle and his debut show Glenngarry Glen Glenn which received much critical acclaim, was one of the year's best reviewed debut shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and received a nomination for Best Debut Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival. Glenn was also named one of Just For Laughs' New Faces in Montreal in 2023, which launched the careers of comedians like Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer and Jimmy Fallon.
