With some of the world’s funniest comedians appearing at the Fringe before becoming household names, we’ve taken a look at some of the hottest comedians making their debut this year.
Comedy legends who made their breakthrough in Edinburgh at the world’s largest arts festival in the past include Robin Williams in 1971, Billy Connolly in 1972, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge in 2013.
Other comedy greats who rose to fame after appearing at the Fringe include Rowan Atkinson, Sarah Millican and Peter Kay. While, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, and Emma Thompson brought their respective student works in 1980 and won the inaugural Perrier Award as a collective in 1981.
We’ve highlighted 23 great comedians who will make their Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut this year, see gallery below. And who knows, you might see them on your television screen soon?
21. Harriet Richardson: CREEP
Best known as ‘the gal who got the mother’s names of everyone she’s slept with tattooed on her’ or ‘artist’ if you’re the Daily Mail, Harriet’s debut comedy show CREEP is a whirlwind hour of cleverly written gags about her experience as a performance artist in the digital age. Harriet is also an author (My Year in Deleted Instagram Pictures) has had her writing featured in The Independent and The Guardian and also been featured in Dazed, Metro, Artnet, It’s Nice That and Design Mag. Presented by Salam & Holohan (Sami Abu Wardeh, The Horse of Jenin, James Rowland, Sam Nicoresti and more). For fans of Lou Wall, Elouise Eftos, Joe Lycett. At Pleasance Courtyard (Below), August 5-30 Aug (not 17), 7pm. | Charlie Ralph
22. How to Art
Melbourne Fringe award winners Ratbags Theatre present their debut show at the Edinburgh Fringe. In character as two bananas taped to the wall of an art gallery, How to Art is a whip-smart, interactive, clown-driven commentary on making art, the value of youth and chasing mass a-peel. At Underbelly Cowgate (Iron Belly), August 5-30 Aug (not 17, 24), 9.40pm. | Jake Dennis
23. Dane Buckley - Darling
Dane Buckley is the world’s only Irish, Indian gay comedian (probably), and he will be bringing his debut stand-up show ‘Darling’ to the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, in what is set to be an unmissable first hour from the “future superstar” (Always Be Comedy). Join the 2024 BBC New Comedy Awards finalist and 2025 Pleasance Reserve alumni, as he delivers a debut show about Irish mammies, Indian grannies and his archenemy: the parish priest. Expect cheeky, camp mischief and an ode to butter... Dane Buckley: Darling’ will play at Pleasance Courtyard’s Bunker One at 6pm, from August 5-30. | Matt Crockett