Scottish comedy star Chris Forbes spent every afternoon of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe in a Santa hat, insisting to a room full of people in the heat of August that it was Christmas Eve. The show, Father Christmas, won him the first ever McTavish Award. Now he is taking it on his first solo stand-up tour, in February and March. 

This Spring, the Scot Squad star takes Father Christmas to Perth, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Ayr and Newcastle. The Edinburgh and Newcastle dates are at The Stand, whose tour slots are part of the McTavish prize, and the Glasgow show at Òran Mór is part of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.

Expect trees, tinsel and tragedy. Father Christmas is a hilarious, heartfelt stand-up show about festive joy, family and the Christmas Day that changed everything. Blending big laughs with beautiful storytelling, and performed by a man who is certain it is Christmas Eve whatever the calendar says. It is for anyone who loves, or hates, Christmas.

The show ran at Monkey Barrel Comedy in August and picked up five-star reviews from North West End, EdFringeReview and Elemental Theatre. British Comedy Guide’s Bobby Carroll called it “an exceptional, inclusive afternoon Christmas cracker”, and the McTavish judges described Forbes as “a skilled stand-up performing a very poignant show”. The award, new for 2026, came with £2,500, dates at The Stand and mentoring from The Comedy Unit.

TOUR DATES

All dates on sale now. Tickets: www.brasstackscomedy.com/chris-forbes

Chris Forbes is perhaps best known as country copper PC Charlie MacIntosh on BAFTA Award winning comedy Scot Squad, Forbes has also built a strong following for his genius character creation, Duncan Murray – The Other Murray Brother. His sketches alongside Judy Murray have amassed over 20 million views online and the Live Duncan and Judy Shows have been total sell outs. A talented comedy writer, Chris has also written and starred in two of his own shows for the BBC: Critically acclaimed, cult sketch show, How Do I Get Up There? and The Farm alongside comedy farmer, Jim Smith. 

As well as being a regular on the UK comedy circuit, Forbes has gigged all over the world from America to Canada to Australia to Norway to Dubai. Forbes has supported Kevin Bridges on tour

Chris hosts the podcast Stop Watering Dead Flowers. Father Christmas won the inaugural McTavish Award at the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe. 

Picture by Daryll Buchanan