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So You Think You’re Funny? finalists and judges revealed | The longest running talent hunt at the Edinburgh Fringe

So You Think You’re Funny? finalists and judges revealed

The longest running talent hunt at the Edinburgh Fringe

The finalists and judges for this year’s So You Think You’re Funny? talent hunt have been revealed

Sue Perkins will be this year’s celebrity guest judge at the showcase at Edinburgh’s Gilded Balloon on August 22.

A total of 597 would-be comedians applied for this year’s competition, up more than 20 per cent on 2023.

Making it through to the final are Alana Jackson, Alex Gogarty, Ayo Adenekan, Bert Broadbent, Ciara O’Connor, Fab Goualin, Kate Sharp, Laurie Brewster, Paras Patel ad Sophia Wren.

Judges put ten acts through rather than the traditional nine – the second time they have done so in two years,  and for only the third time in the competition’s 36-year history  

Gilded Balloon artistic directors Katy and Karen Koren said in a statement: ‘It’s extremely positive news for the UK’s comedy industry that our judges felt so strongly about the strength of these ten comedy newcomers, and we hope that all ten are set for a very bright future.’

The pair are on the judging panel with Perkins as well as Melbourne International Comedy Festival director Susan Provan, SYTYF producer Julia Chamberlain and journalists Arusa Qureshi and Bruce Dessau.

Previous So You Think You’re Funny? winners have included Peter Kay, Aisling Bea, Ivo Graham, Dylan Moran, Tom Allen, Lee Mack and Tommy Tiernan.

The winner gets a £2,500 cash prize as well as mentorship – including a place on Soho Theatre's Comedy Plus Lab – a professional headshot from photographer Steve Ullathorne, and various performance opportunities.

Tickets for the final are available here.

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Published: 15 Aug 2024

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