In the first in an occasional series, Beyond The Joke takes a look at comedians heading to Edinburgh who have something unlikely in common. First up we take a look at comedians who share a passing resemblance to Rolf Harris.

Once upon a time this might have been a jolly thing. Something to be proud of. A talking point. Maybe even something that might have helped you inch your way up the showbiz ladder. Or at least get some lookalike work if times were tough. 

Not any more. One has to feel particularly sorry for Carl Donnelly, who has already tweaked his image by cutting his bushy hair and growing a beard. He ended up looking more like the disgraced king of the didgeridoo than ever. Still, he picked up a Foster’s Award last year so the Edinburgh Comedy Award  judges looked more kindly on him than the jury in the Harris trial looked on Rolf. This year he has cannily invested in some very un-Rolf wraparound shades. Let's just hope for Carl's sake Rolf hasn't also invested in a pair in an attempt to reinvent himself as a cool entertainer on his release.

I used to describe Matthew Crosby as resembling a cross between Woody Allen and Groucho Marx, but then a while ago I read someone else describe him as a cross between Ronnie Corbett and Rolf Harris and now it’s an unforgettable similarity I can’t unsee. Crosby put my description on his flyers. I can’t see him being quite as happy about that one. The Pappys star has sported arrangements of facial hair in recent years. I’d suggest he invests in a razor blade and gets rid of all of it pronto or his future career prospects may be in radio.

There is probably no chance of Romesh Ranganathn ever being mistaken for Rolf Harris in his hometown of Crawley, but before the court case Ranganathan had already acknowledged a striking similarity, dubbing himself an “Asian Rolf Harris”. It always gets a laugh when he’s onstage – I guess that;s why he hasn’t shaved off his incriminating face fuzz yet. On the other hand, he hasn’t developed a sideline in painting or, to the best of our knowledge, invested in a wobble board. If he starts sporting a third leg someone should have a word with him.

And then there is arch absurdist John Kearns, who won the Foster's Award for Best Newcomer in 2013. When he went up to receive his award from Steve Coogan he was in a smart suit, beard and glasses and it would not have been a shock to discover that he was Rolf's long-lost great-nephew. Not that he looked that much like Rolf in his show, when he was sporting a monk's tonsure, a set of dodgy false teeth and occasionally a dress. These are the lengths comedians have to go to now to avoid Harris comparisons. On Kearns' edfringe.com page this year promoting his latest free show, entitled Shtick, there is a grainy picture of three children. I presume one of them is Kearns, but without the beard and glasses it is hard to say for sure.

Carl Donnelly is at the Pleasance Courtyard from July 30 - Aug 23. Tickets here.

Romesh Ranganathan is at the Pleasance Courtyard from July 30 - Aug 24. Tickets here.

Matthew Crosby will be one of the regular guests on Josh Widdicombe’s XFM show which will be broadcasting from Edinburgh from Aug 9 - 12. Tickets here.

John Kearns is at the Voodoo Rooms from Aug 2 - 23. Details here.