I had a bit of a minor panic when I was waiting for Maisie Adam. The Yorkshire-born, Brighton-based comic was one of the acts I had circled when I saw the line-up announced in the same way I used to circle the programmes I definitely wanted to see in the Christmas edition of the Radio Times.

I'd also recommended Adam to all my friends, so we bagged a good seat for her at 3.20pm when I was convinced that was when she was scheduled. Except that at 3.20pm Shazia Mirza came onstage. We couldn't find a mention of Mirza in the programme so presumed she was a last minute stand-in. Had the increasingly popular Adam had a better offer? Had she had a diva strop becase the App spelt her name Adams?

As it turned out it was neither of these things, but something of a glitch in the system and luckily we stayed around and Adams came on straight after Mirza. Our wait was not wasted. Adams, sorry, Adam, is really flying right now. She was good the very first time I saw her when she was a newbie doing competitions and she gets better every time.

The nearest touchstones are Victoria Wood and Sophie Willan. Adam has the same gift for a turn of phrase and an eye for detail. But she also has a distinctive original style that sets her apart. And I'm not referring to the "elephant in the room" – that semi-skingirl haircut, which she explained was the result of lockdown boredom when she was trying to think of something to do to give her housemates something new to talk about. She seems to have stuck with it though so it is clearly becoming something of a visual trademark.

Her jokes were spot on, her stories magnificent and magnificently told. She already has an instant classic about having a cervical smear test (Suzi Ruffell also has a fantastic but very different routine on the subject – maybe it's becoming the finger-up-the-bottom-prostate-test topic for female comics).

It would be unfair to say too much more about Adam's set. There was great new material here that will no doubt become part of a TV appearance or a new full show so I don't want to spoil it. Let's just say I was looking forward to Adam before I'd even got to Latitude and she didn't disappointment me. Or, judging by the laughter, anybody else in the packed comedy arena.

Maisie Adam Picture ©Dessau

Read a review of Jessica Fostekew at Latitude here.