Leith Comedy Festival takes the biscuit - Fiona Duff

So, about 18 months ago, a couple of weeks after what is now called ‘The Lockdown’ because of ‘The Covid’, a few of us started a weekly chat on Zoom.

Amy Matthews takes a turn at the Leith Comedy Festival next month

At the beginning there were four of us – two in Edinburgh, one in the Borders and one in Luxemburg – who have known each other for so long it is difficult to remember a time when we didn’t.

We pride ourselves in being no more grown up than when we first met, and even at that point we brought out the silliest and most childish in each of us.

Then a Scottish couple who live in New York joined us every Wednesday and, to be honest, things only got dafter. But it is what we all needed to get us through the long, boring weeks when the idea of sitting round a table with six people was the stuff of dreams.

Anyway, fast forward to earlier this week and due to a perfect storm the lady from Luxemburg and one of the lads from the Big Apple happened to be in Edinburgh.

The chappie from the Borders jumped on a bus and we all met up for lunch at Howies.

As Meatloaf didn’t, sing five out of six ain’t bad. But we did call the missing one and I am sure he enjoyed hearing the hoots of laughter as he sat in his office.

And talking of having a laugh, or indeed looking for something to make you chortle, The Leith Comedy Festival is finally able to host its first event on 14 October.

There are three great comedians on the bill at The Biscuit Factory. I recently saw Amy Matthews hosting the BBC new comedians show at the Monkey Barrel and I thoroughly recommend her, and she will be joined by Christopher Macarthur-Boyd and Billy Kirkwood.

So there you go – I can’t invite you to join our weekly Zoom and not sure if our humour would appeal to many, so go and support those who make people laugh for a living.

It’s been a while since they have been able to do so.