Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh launches festive fundraiser with comedians Jo Brand and Greg McHugh as venue closes

Entertainment Edinburgh-based comedy and theatre producer, Gilded Balloon, has launched a festive fundraiser including famous British comedians such as Greg McHugh and Jo Brand as they announce permanent closure of the Gilded Balloon Basement due to the financial impact of Covid-19.

The Gilded Balloon launches festive fundraiser as they announced the permanent closure of their venue on Rose Street (photo: Gilded Balloon).

The Gilded Balloon hopes that their new ‘GB’s Christmas Crackers’ event will be able to raise funds for them after the recent closure of their all year round venue on Rose Street and the cancellation of Fringe events this year left the company on tender hooks.

Each day over the twelve days of Christmas- from December 13 to 25- Gilded Balloon will be unveiling a different joke from famous comedians across the UK, including Shappi Khorsandi, Greg McHugh, Jo Brand, Maisie Adam, Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Lost Voice Guy to try and raise funds to keep them afloat.

Posting on Twitter today, Gilded Balloon said: “Due to the ongoing restrictions in place in Scotland, we’ve made the heartbreaking decision to permanently close Gilded Balloon Basement.”

“This month we're asking for your support in exchange for something that will hopefully bring a smile to your faces. Beginning this Sunday, we’ll present GB's Christmas Crackers, an advent of festive jokes told by some of your favourite comedians.

"We’d like to thank you all for your continued support this year - it truly means the world!”

Gilded Balloon has been a platform for local and international talent for the past 35 years and the new fundraiser hopes to support their artists and staff to work positively towards Fringe 2021.

You can make a donation to the producers via this link.

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