Including American TV star Brendan Scannell

Gilded Balloon has announced a new batch of 88 shows for this year's Edinburgh Fringe, including Scottish favourites Fred MacAulay and Jack Docherty – and Grace Campbell’s new tour show The Lady Is A Tramp.

The official announcement comes after the leak of news that  Amanda Knox – who spent four years in an Italian prison following the 2007 murder of her British flatmate Meredith Kercher before being definitively acquitted – would be heading to the venue.

Fellow American Brendan Scannell, pictured, best known for playing the lead in Netflix's dark comedy series Bonding and Paramount’s TV adaptation of Heathers is also making his Edinburgh Fringe debut with the stand-up show The Abyss.  The show draws on his Irish mother, a life coach with an obsession with death, and a bipolar brother he describes as being 'in psychic communication with Gwyneth Paltrow’.

Radio X presenter Toby Tarrant – son of broadcasting legend Chris – will be making his stand-up debut in a show called Utter Bloke Nonsense.

MacAulay returns with two shows: his live chat show Fred MacAulay in Conversation and a new stand-up hour, Good Evening! in which he talks about his prostate cancer diagnoses, among other topics. While Docherty, who is currently touring as Scot Squad’s Chief Commissioner Cameron Miekelson, will be performing as himself in a show called Butterfly

Former SNP MP Mhairi Black, who has been building a profile on the comedy circuit since leaving Westminster, performs a limited run of  Difficult Second Album at Teviot, back as a Gilded Balloon venue after two years out of service for a major facelift.

Other international acts include Australian comedian Jimmy Rees, known for his viral online videos, Norway’s Pernille Haaland and American stand-ups Jamie Kilstein,  Sam Morrison, Brendan Scannell and Jamie Wolf.

Further acts include Leo Hincks, Mark Silcox, Celine Kuklowsky: Bed Boy, Claire Robin, Mark Maier, Maxx Eddy Jess Carrivick, Joe Bor and Christian Dart: Gumshoe! and the sketch show Spooky Dookie: Cool New Planet!

Karen and Katy Koren, artistic directors at Gilded Balloon, said: ‘It’s been a mammoth year of programming for us. The productions coming to the festival continue to push boundaries and we are thrilled to have artists presenting work that will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between.’

Gilded’s news comes ahead of a major drop of shows on the official Edinburgh Fringe box office tomorrow, when every show that registered in time for the printed programme goes online. Bigger venues steal a march on that by putting their shows on early – and Assembly made a similar announcement on Friday.

Agency Avalon has also released its roster, including works-in-progress from Ed Gamble, Russell Howard and the previously annnounced Frank Skinner; a new hour of stand-up from Saturday Night Live UK star Ania Magliano; a new show from Pierre Novellie; and a line-up show called Crowd Work, based only on audience interactions. There is also a debut show from Cecily Hitchcock and sophomore shows from James Trickey and comedian and filmmaker Rory Cargill.

Gilded’s shows go on sale at the venue website from midday.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe runs from August 7 to 31, with previews from August 5 or occasionally earlier. 

Published: 5 May 2026