August might feel like ages away but the months will tick around quickly. The full Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme won’t be released until June, BUT tickets are released in batches and the second group of shows has just dropped. There’s now more than 800 comedy shows to trawl through – not to mention theatre, dance and all the other good stuff the Fringe brings.

BUT fret not! We’ve had a rummage through the latest releases to bring you 33 comedy Fringe shows to book now. There’s already some big name comedians in the mix, so if you’re the type to be organised, you’ll want to get on the case and book tickets for these, before they sell out.

Fringe show_Queenz The Show With Balls_Assembly_credit David Monteith-Hodge — Photograph: David Monteith-Hodge © Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society

Ayoade Bamgboye: Swings and Roundabouts

Winner of Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2025, Ayoade Bamgboye arrives at the Fringe with her much-anticipated debut tour and a CV that already includes SNL UK and her own A24-produced Channel 4 Playground. Born in London, raised in Lagos, sacked in Budapest – she’s been there, done that, and has absolutely no answers to show for it. Sharp, confident and completely her own thing. One of last year’s most acclaimed newcomers making her proper debut run. Get in early.

Frank Skinner: Work in Progress

A comedy legend dragging his half-finished material out of the back rooms of pubs and into the spotlight. Frank Skinner’s work-in-progress shows are the stuff of Fringe legend – loose, experimental and often funnier for it. Think of it less as a polished night out and more as a front-row seat in the laboratory while something brilliant is being assembled. If you know your Skinner, you’ll know this is not one to miss.

John Kearns: Tilting at Windmills

A double Edinburgh Comedy Award winner returns with a new hour that sounds characteristically brilliant and slightly all over the place – in the best possible way. Taskmaster fans will recognise the bewildered energy; devotees of his Live at the Apollo appearances will know just how good he is when he’s really cooking. Fragmented, digressing, touching on the modern condition while alluding to books he hasn’t read. Basically unmissable.

Julian Clary: Fully Dilated

Julian Clary is back at the Fringe after a 17 year absence – opening up, revealing all, promising to ditch the stage persona and just be himself. Whether audiences will be able to tell the difference is, he admits, an open question. What’s guaranteed is the filth, the timing and the particular kind of charisma that has made Clary a comedy institution for decades. Intimate secrets, personal traumas and a tsunami of smut. An absolute Fringe treat.

Marjolein Robertson: Clouds (WIP)

Shetland’s finest folklore-meets-stand-up storyteller brings a work-in-progress show to Edinburgh for a proper think. Marjolein Robertson has been racking up five-star reviews and award nominations for years now, and even in development mode she’s reliably extraordinary. Expect the usual brilliant mix of stories, jokes and fiddle tunes – just a little rougher around the edges, which somehow makes it even more appealing.

Mhairi Black: Difficult Second Album

Two sold-out Fringe runs, a smash-hit tour, and now the former MP is back for two nights only before heading out on a major tour. Mhairi Black’s second album covers politics, life after Westminster, neurodiversity and the indignities of trying to get fit at the gym – jumping about in true ADHD fashion. Funny, fearless and not remotely like any other show on the Fringe. Grab one of these tickets while you still can.

Paddy Young: Will Sir Be Laughing Alone?

Fresh off SNL UK and with a big stack of awards, Paddy Young arrives with an hour that asks what any of it actually means. Love, fumbling relationships and existential panic, delivered with the swagger that made him an Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominee back in 2023. The five-star Rolling Stone review tells you everything you need to know about where this one’s headed. A very hot ticket.

Phil Wang: UH OH

Phil Wang is older than he’s ever been, he’s grown a moustache, and he’s done being nice about it. UH OH promises a vibe shift from one of the sharpest stand-ups working today – wry, precise and utterly confident. Taskmaster fans already know the drill, but this feels like Wang at his most switched-on and combative. One of the stand-up greats of his generation, as the Guardian would have it. They’re not wrong.

Pierre Novellie: Do the One About… and Okay, One More Then Bedtime

A greatest hits show from one of the Fringe’s most quietly beloved comics, and something new. Pierre Novellie invites you to revisit the best of his critically acclaimed decade of observational, nerdy stand-up. If you’ve never caught him before, this is the perfect entry point; if you’re already a fan, the chance to relive the highlights is not to be passed up.

Rose Matafeo: Work in Progress Morning Hour

An early-morning work-in-progress from the BAFTA-winning creator of Starstruck, and possibly the most charming pitch for a Fringe show ever written. Matafeo doesn’t know what she wants to talk about yet – and somehow that’s the whole appeal. She’s aiming for the vibe of the café in Animal Crossing‘s museum basement, where a dog plays guitar and a pigeon makes everyone coffee. No haters, bring cash. Set your alarm.

Sara Pascoe: For One Night Only

One night, one iconic venue – McEwan Hall, no less – and one of British comedy’s sharpest and warmest voices. Sara Pascoe has done it all: Taskmaster, Live at the Apollo, three books, a podcast, Last One Laughing UK and more. A one-off Fringe appearance from someone this busy and this reliably brilliant is exactly the kind of thing you’ll wish you’d booked when it sells out. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

James Acaster

A brand-new show from one of the Fringe’s most beloved modern masters? Say no more. James Acaster returns for one day only with a fresh hour packed with everything fans love about him – and these performances are being filmed for future release, which means demand is going to be wild. If this one fits your schedule, book immediately.

Jack Dee: Jack’s Joke Show

“A show by Jack about jokes. Who doesn’t like jokes?” Honestly, fair enough. Jack Dee is celebrating 40 years in stand-up and bringing exactly what the title promises: jokes, delivered with that gloriously dry, world-weary brilliance only he can pull off. A proper comedy institution.

Mark Watson: Before It Overtakes Us

Taskmaster’s favourite chaotic texter, a multi-award winner, cult podcast and radio regular, and most recently a Baby Reindeer actor – Mark Watson remains one of the most distinctive voices in British comedy. Before It Overtakes Us sounds like another of his gloriously clever, emotionally off-kilter hours. Late-night Fringe slot, too, which always suits him.

Michael Spicer: Hope All’s Well

The man behind The Room Next Door and one of the sharpest satirical voices online is back with a new hour packed with sketches and stories. Michael Spicer’s blend of cringe, political absurdity and pitch-perfect character work has made him a cult favourite and this feels like a very safe bet for one of the funniest shows of the month.

Ruby Wax: Absolutely Famous

An absolute Fringe icon. Absolutely Famous mines Ruby Wax’s extraordinary life and career – from interviewing everyone from Hollywood stars to politicians and public oddballs – with the sharp wit and psychological insight she’s known for. If you like your comedy with brains, stories and serious star power, this is one to jump on.

Nish Kumar: Angry Humour From a Really Nice Guy (Work in Progress)

Work-in-progress or not, Nish Kumar is always one of the sharpest political comics on the Fringe. With the world in a constant state of collapse, inequality widening and authoritarianism on the rise, it sounds like he’ll have plenty to get his teeth into. Expect righteous fury, sharp punchlines and a room full of people nodding aggressively.

Fatiha El-Ghorri: Cockney Stacking Doll

Fresh from Taskmaster and Mr Bigstuff, Fatiha El-Ghorri is one of the most exciting names in the current stand-up scene. Her voice is sharp, bold and completely her own, and this latest hour promises the same swagger, style and no-nonsense punch she’s quickly become known for. Big breakout energy.

Mike Wozniak: The Bench

Mike Wozniak doing a show in which “a story about a bench will be prominent” is, somehow, all the pitch we need. The moustachioed master of delightful absurdity returns with a new stand-up tour show and, frankly, if you’ve ever enjoyed a bizarre tangent delivered with impeccable sincerity, this should be high on your list.

The Guilty Feminist

Part stand-up, part conversation, part cultural event, The Guilty Feminist always delivers a smart, lively and reliably brilliant night out. Deborah Frances-White and guests bring the hit podcast format to the Fringe in a special live episode – and these tend to attract excellent line-ups, so expect a strong mix of laughs and sharp takes.

Ed Byrne: Work in Progress

Ed Byrne is heading out on tour in 2027, but first he’s doing what the Fringe does best: testing the material in front of a live audience. That means you get the joy of seeing one of the country’s most dependable comics in development mode – looser, sharper and often even funnier. WIP shows are catnip for comedy nerds and this should be a treat.

Harriet Kemsley: Floozy (Work in Progress)

Harriet Kemsley’s life has long been beautifully chaotic and her comedy thrives on exactly that energy. Fresh from the first season of Last One Laughing UK, she’s bringing a brand-new work-in-progress hour to Edinburgh, which should mean gloriously awkward storytelling, spiralling digressions and plenty of delightfully offbeat charm.

Rosie Holt: The Illegal Aliens Have Landed!

Rosie Holt and her gloriously ghastly MP alter-ego are back, taking aim at the political circus with another hour of sharply observed satire. Few comics capture the bizarre contradictions of modern British public life better than Holt, and if the title’s anything to go by, she’s not exactly easing off.

Daniel Sloss: Bitter

A Netflix superstar, Scotland’s Daniel Sloss brought Bitter to the Fringe last year as a work in progress. This year you can see the fully polished, devastatingly hilarious, final show.

Jack Rooke: Good Grief

BAFTA winner and creator of C4’s Big Boys, Jack Rooke, revives his debut comedy-theatre hour, a decade on from its first Fringe run. Featuring the original show (co-written with his nan) and new content, this retrospective explores grief, milking having a dead dad for personal/professional gain and the innocence of writing just for oneself.

Kiell Smith-Bynoe’s Kool Story Bro

Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts, Taskmaster, Stath Lets Flats) is bringing his smash-hit improv show back to the Fringe. Every night features a different celebrity guest, keeping the element of surprise and probability of hilarity high. Previous guests have included: Amelia Dimoldenberg, Lily Allen, Jamie Demitriou, Adam Buxton, Mo Gilligan, Lolly Adefope and Nish Kumar.

Lara Ricote: INKLING

Mexican comic Lara Ricote won Edinburgh Best Newcomer winner in 2022 and has been on the rise ever since. She says “INKLING is a show about How to Salute to the Mystery of Being Alive (ok?). Might that be of intrigue?… To you?” Worth a punt, we’d say.

Phil Ellis: Bath Mat

Fresh from the most recent season of Taskmaster, Phil Ellis returns to Edinburgh as part of his first full national stand-up tour. Last year he won three awards at the Fringe, including the Malcolm Hardee Award for Act That Should Make a Million Quid. Expect very silly comedy and guaranteed laughs.

Rosie Jones: I Can’t Tell What She’s Saying

Another Taskmaster star! Rosie Jones is a regular at the Fringe. This year she’s bringing her blend of cheek and charm to the subjects of being single, the pressures of representing huge sections of the population, and gravy. Oh, and boobs.

Sophie Duker: Hot Beef Injection

Sophie Duker’s had sell-out Fringe runs since 2019 – just saying – and, as yet another Taskmaster contestant, tickets are likely to go quick for her witty hour on sex and privilege.

Susie McCabe: Coming of Rage

Glasgow’s Susie McCabe has more to say than ever. And she’s determined to say it – in between hot flushes and segues about the state of the world.

Connor Burns: FLOW

Edinburgh-based stand up, Connor Burns’ 2025 show sold out 12,000 tickets in Edinburgh alone. Since then he’s toured the UK and Australia and packed our five Glasgow Kings Theatres’ worth of audiences.

Ania Magliano: Peach Fuzz

With fresh gossip about her own body, floatation tanks, Sabrina Carpenter (everyone’s favourite pop girl) and the Suffragettes (everyone’s favourite girl group), Ania Magliano (yes, another Taskmaster contestant! And your favourite SNL UK news reader) will be a hot ticket at the Fringe this year for sure.

Big names for belly laughs: 33 must-book Fringe comedy shows

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