Can they be the 'Best of the Fest' again this year?
I've been visiting the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 2012, reviewing since 2015 and occasionally have given out one of the highest of accolades a comedian performing at Edinburgh can receive, a five-star review!
Of those comedians, seven are returning to the festival this year...
1. Jayde Adams
After four solo shows in four years, Jayde Adams was forced to take a pandemic-enforced break before returning to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year with her fifth show Men, I Can Save You.
Her new hour promises to showcase Jayde's intelligent working-class voice as she guides men to salvation the best way she knows how, with sharp humour and telling it like it is.
Since 2019, Jayde's career has seriously taken off, with her own BBC documentary about growing up in Bristol, a regular role in Sophie Willan's BAFTA-winning BBC Two comedy Alma's Not Normal and her 2019 Fringe show was filmed for Prime Video and released worldwide under the title Serious Black Jumper.
2. Lauren Pattison
Folllowing a work in progress in 2016, comedian Lauren Pattison debuted her first hour Lady Muck, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017 and went on to earn her a Best Newcomer nomination at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards.
Now she's back with the follow-up to her 2018 show Peachy, with a brand new hour.
It Is What It Is promises to see Lauren come to terms with the fact that life can change fast, but it is what it is. She talks about finding herself suddenly single, back living with her parents and working at her local supermarket.
Perhaps Lauren needed everything to fall apart to end up exactly where she was meant to be?
3. Omid Djalili
20 years since his first solo show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, comedian and actor Omid Djalili is returning with his latest tour show, The Good Times.
After experimental Zoom gigs where he got muted by 639 people and a drive-in gig where Omid witnessed an audience member get out his car, attach a hose pipe to his exhaust and feed it through the window, Omid is finally back where he belongs, on a stage.
4. Pete Firman
Comedian and magician Pete Firman first performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2007 and up until the pandemic, hadn't missed a year! Thankfully as the Fringe we know and love returns, Peter is returning with his thirteenth hour.
With more of Pete’s trademark blend of laugh-out-loud comedy and jaw-dropping magic, Bag of Tricks promises to be Pete’s most unique hour yet, proving why he is one of the Festival's most popular performers.
5. Seann Walsh
Comedian Seann Walsh first performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2008 in the final of So You Think You're Funny?, returned the following year to split an hour between himself and Paul McCaffrey before debuting with I'd Rather Punch Myself in the Face in 2010.
A few months ago, comedian Seann Walsh released Kiss, a full stand up show, for free, on YouTube and to date has been watched 108,000 times. Now Seann is back with a show so new, that not much is known about it.
Kiss was about what it was like to go through a media storm. So it's likely that his new hour, Is Dead. Happy Now? will be about what happens to one’s life after you’ve been through that. How do you rebuild your life after what felt like an entire country collectively got together, told you they hated you and thought you were a cunt?
Hinting at what might be in the show, Seann's notes at the time of submitting for the blurb to the Fringe included not drinking, getting a cockapoo called Mildred-Barrett and trying not to be like your dad who for your entire life has enjoyed getting absolutely off his nut.
6. Sindhu Vee
Since her debut hour in 2018, which earnt her a Best Newcomer nomination at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, comedian Sindhu Vee has toured the country and now she's returning to the Fringe for 11 nights to treat Fringe audiences to her latest show.
Alphabet, promises to be her most honest and revealing show to date as she talks about the hair we want, the friends we have, and living the vast difference between virus and viral. Expect razor sharp, unapologetic stand-up from one of comedy’s most exciting new voices.
7. Stewart Lee
Comedian Stewart Lee's first show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe was in 2000 and now he's back for his 15th show at the Fringe, the final outing of his latest tour.
Snowflake looks at how the Covid-Brexit era has impacted the culture war declared on lovely woke snowflakes by horrible people. And what I would say, is be quick because a number of dates have already sold out!
Stewart will also be performing work in progress show Basic Lee throughout the Fringe, although every single date has been sold out.