The producers of the ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards have revealed that Romesh Ranganathan is backing the ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards, donating £5k to the prize fund this year.

The comedian, actor and presenter is sponsoring the Best Show Prize this year, 100% of sponsorship goes to the artists in the form of prizes.

Romesh Ranganathan says 'Absolutely delighted to give the public impression of supporting new talent.'

This year producers Nathan Cassidy and Sarah Bowles have not yet revealed the total prize fund, just that it's 'bigger than last year', which totalled £12,500.01.  Last week Sarah Millican was announced as the backer for the 2026 £4k Newcomer Prize and this is in addition to sponsorship for the second year running from Rhod Gilbert, Elf Lyons, TakeOver Radio 106.9FM and James Corden. Final prize levels for 2026 will be confirmed before the Fringe.

2026 will mark the fourth year of the ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards, which involves a voluntary panel of judges seeing every eligible comedy show at the Fringe. Prizes last year were £4000 each for Best Show and Best Newcomer, £3000 for the Panel Prize, £1000 for Best Tech and £500.01 for the Best Joke.  

Awards founder comedian Nathan Cassidy says 'I am incredibly happy to have the brilliant Romesh backing the ISH this year, it means the world.  As with all the other backers, and everyone that supports what we're doing, it's the fuel that keeps me and the team going.  We know that Awards only mean so much, but the ISH ethos is the bigger thing, and that's where the backing from all who support us is so important. I'll say more about this before the Fringe but these Awards have tapped into something many in comedy already feel: there is huge talent across the piece that isn't being fairly rewarded - financially, critically, or structurally. 

These Awards represent something small in the bigger picture of what we want to achieve with ISH, and we need as many backers as possible for what we're doing to effect change.  Not everyone can give what Romesh and others have given this year, but you can back the ISH ethos in other ways, and in a very simple way by just saying that you back us too.  Watch this space!'

Awards producer Sarah Bowles says 'We are overwhelmed with the backing this year and can't thank Romesh enough.  This along with Sarah Millican last week and all the other backers already announced is testament to what we have created here already, and as Nathan says it's only going to get bigger.  We're particularly proud of our winners so far, who have come from many venues, many different backgrounds and of course with the Panel Prize and the Tech prizes added, all different types of creatives and people working behind the scenes. 

We've had Scottish winners, winners from the Free model and our Best Show alumni so far - Paul Foot, Julia Masli, Elf Lyons, Mark Forward and Phil Ellis -  is such a great list to aspire to be a part of, and with Romesh's backing we can't wait to add to it this year.'

Visit www.edinburghcomedyawards.com for more information on the Awards, clips, eligibility, and sponsors.  All eligible shows for the ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards must be under the primary category of Comedy, be 45 mins or more and not be compilation shows, and certain short-runs aren't eligible as judges long-list shows after two weeks of the Fringe and then produce a short-list and winner in the final week.