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.
1. Urooj Ashfaq
Urooj Ashfaq won the Edinburgh Comedy Award for best Newcomer in 2023 for her show 'Oh No!', about "her, her family, things that annoy her, and things she loves". She's bringing it back to this year's festival for a limited run from August 20-25 at the Assembly Roxy. Ashfaq is also trying out new material in a work in progress show called 'It's Funny To Me' at the same venue from August 16-25. | Getty Images
2. Jordan Brookes
Officially the longest-reigning Edinburgh Comedy Award winner of all time (he won in 2019 before the global pandemic led to a three year break before the prize was awarded again), Jordan Brookes is back in Edinburgh with his latest show 'Fontanelle'. It's apparently inspired by him smashing his head against a concrete wall while performing. See if that's actually true at the Pleasance Dome from July 31-August 25. | Getty Images
3. Lara Ricote
Lara Ricote took home the Best Newcomer trophy in 2022 with her show 'GRL/LATNX/DEF'. This year she's at the Monkey Barrel with 'Little Tiny Wet Show (Baptism)' from July 30-August 25. It's billed as being a "sort of surreal, partially interactive, dark (like silly dark! not like edgelord dark… Or is it?) and maybe a moving comedy show about what it’s even like to live and what does it even mean to love someone if you always leave them." | Getty Images
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4. 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 Simmon. 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 is making the leap into the theatre section of the Fringe programme this year, with 'Jimmy' - the story of Jimmy Connors' remarkable run at the 1991 US Open. He's at Summerhall from August 1-26. | Contributed