British Comedy Guide in association with Angel Comedy have today announced the shortlists for The Comedians’ Choice Awards 2026, as voted by comedians performing at the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The shows shortlisted for The Best Show Award are:
"Be Good!" with Paulette
Dan Tiernan: Quartz and All
Elf Lyons is The Woman on the Edge
Kate Dolan: Trout
Lady Bolognese: Class War
Lara Ricote: INKLING
Sid Singh: Love Bombing
Tom Short: I Get ChatGPT To Write My Edinburgh Show
UNDERGROUND MONK SHOW
And the performers shortlisted for BEST NEWCOMER are:
Ben McCarthy
Ethan & Gigi
Evaldas Karosas
Lady Bolognese
Lawrence Dodd
Madeleine Brettingham
Marty Gleeson
Paul Hilleard
Sam Eley
Sapphire McIntosh
Zoe Wohlfeld
Voting remains open until 11:59pm on Tuesday 25th August at https://www.comedy.co.uk/fringe/comedians-choice/vote/
The winners of Best Show, Best Newcomer and Best Person will be announced at The Comedians’ Choice Awards Ceremony - hosted by 2025 Best Show winner Alison Spittle which will take place at The Three Sisters (Maggie’s Front Room) at 4:30pm Wednesday 26th August. Entry is free, just turn up to celebrate these fantastic performers and the last week of the Fringe.
Founded in 2014, these unique awards set out to help highlight the amazing work of those who may well otherwise go unrecognised, as judged by those who understand their efforts the best: their peers. All three winners will receive a trophy and, thanks to support from Angel Comedy and Flick Morris PR, all the winners of Best Show and Best Newcomer will receive the offer of a London transfer to The Bill Murray, a week of free rehearsal space and a preview at The Bill Murray for a future show and £500 discount on an Edinburgh Fringe PR package with Flick Morris PR.
