Nichol credited with working on a show he's never seen

A comic has been claiming that Phil Nichol directed his Edinburgh show – even though the award-winner has never even seen it.

In the Fringe programme and online, the blurb for Joe Bor: In Search Of A Six Pack says Nichol directed the show. However, the Canadian – who is behind the Comedians Theatre Company as well as winning the 2006 if.comedy award – was approached about the job, but never took it on.

Representatives of both comics insist it is nothing more than crossed wires. Bor’s publicist said that Nichol had agreed to direct the show at the time of the Fringe programme deadline in April. But it transpired that the comedian – who is starring in BBC Four’s upcoming drama about the furore over Monty Python’s Life Of Brian – wouldn’t have the time, after all.

However, the line ‘directed by Phil Nichol’ is still on the edfringe.com website, on the website of the Just For Tonic venue hosting Bor’s show, and on sites such as The List that run Fringe listings.

Nichol has not seen the show, nor given Bor advice on its direction, and says he therefore does not want to be associated with it.

The issue came to light after Chortle reviewer Julian Hall mentioned Nichol’s advertised involvement – and criticised it. The comic’s agent and publicist asked us to make clear that he was not the director, and we have since amended the review to do that.

Nichol’s agent Lisa White accepted the issue was more cock-up than conspiracy: ‘Print deadlines are so early and then things change,’ she said. ‘I'm sure there was no intention to mislead.’

Bor, who is Graham Norton's TV warm-up man, won the award for best value show at last year's Leicester Comedy Festival.

Published: 17 Aug 2011