Triple nod for Kate Smurthwaite for creating a fresh show every day

Malcolm Hardee Award judges have announce their shortlist for the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe – with Kate Smurthwaite nominated across all three categories.

She has been shortlisted for comic originality,  for the act that should make a million quid, and the Cunning Stunt award for publicity after creating an entirely new show almost every day of the festival.

This year’s nominees are:

Comic originality

Absolute Bus Stops of Northern Europe and Beyond (Jim Judges) 
Auditory Awakenings with Mr Tingles in the House of ASMR (Yogie Belle)
Harriet Dyer: Easily Distra...
Kate Smurthwaite Writes And Performs A Brand New Full-Length Stand-Up Show Every Single Day For The Entire Edinburgh Fringe Based On Audience Suggestions From the Previous Day (Not Tuesdays)
Mad Ron Presents Identity Theft: The Gameshow
Thermos Museum Books

Cunning Stunt

Dru Cripps  for putting up a blue memorial plaque commemorating where he won the Cunning Stunt award last year.
Kate Smurthwaite for creating and performing a brand new show every day.
Nate Kitch for buying the website domain name Chortles.co.uk to give himself a six-star review.
Thermos Museum Books for producing a magazine-like flyer detailing the entire story of the show
Zoe Wohlfeld for staging a funeral for Greyfriars Bobby.

Act that should make a million quid

Demi Adejuyigbe
Harriet Dyer
Kate Dolan
Kate Smurthwaite
Lou Wall
Peter Michael Marino of Planet of the Grapes – An Epic, Tabletop, Sci-Fi Adventure!

Hardee judge Kate Copstick said: ‘The shortlist this year is home to everything from a Thermos Museum with no thermos to Uxbridge’s third hardest man turned game show host.  The Hardee legacy lives on. Oy oy.’

Fellow panel member Bruce Dessau added: ‘Malcolm Hardee was a comedy legend who carved out his own path. The performers here may or may not have heard of him but they undoubtedly channel his maverick spirit, whether they realise it or not.’

Originally started by comedy connoisseur John Fleming, the awards are now supported by British Comedy Guide, with the blessing of Malcolm Hardee’s family. The notoriously chaotic London comedy promoter and MC drowned in the Thames in 2005 at the age of 55.

Previous winners have included Bo Burnham, Trevor Noah and Phil Ellis – selected by a panel of judges committed to finding the best and the most unusual acts the Fringe has to offer.

The panel also includes comedy critics Marissa Burgess and Claire Smith, Ian Wolf of British Comedy Guide  and alternate comedian Mark Dean Quinn, who said: ‘I have always liked the weird and the wonderful acts and this is a way to recognise what they bring to the Fringe.’

Published: 26 Aug 2026