It's Festival Time - The Edinburgh Way!

With last year’s Edinburgh festival being record breaking as the largest arts festival in the world, the prospect of new talent will be present at 2014’s Edinburgh is highly exciting. With more than 2,000 performances, exhibitions and events taking place in August alone, there is a huge variety of events to attend this summer at the Edinburgh festivals. The Edinburgh festivals are renowned for their vibrant comedy scene which is contained in the world famous Edinburgh fringe festival which runs from the 1st to the 25th of August. Famous for unearthing new talent from all over the world, the Fringe festival is first stop for any budding comic, and here are some of Edinburgh Fringe festivals graduates:

Tim Minchin The hysterical and completely innovative piano man launched his career in 2005 at Edinburgh Fringe Festival where he won the Perrier award for best newcomer. Even though this performance received mixed reviews from the press, Australian born Minchin was an overnight hit as a result of it. Minchin is so imaginative with his songs; he even rebuffed the criticism from journalists in a scathing lyrical response, when he revisited the Edinburgh stage in 2009.

Simon Amstell Amstell, now known for embarrassing z list celebrities back in the day on Never Mind the Buzzcocks (poor Preston ), started comedy at a rather young age, being the youngest finalist on the BBC New Comedy Awards. Committed to the festival and keen for the stand-up practice, Amstell performed at the Edinburgh fringe in the years 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009. His highly successful 2009 show selling out completely.

Rhod Gilbert After being “nagged for eight years” by an ex-girlfriend, Rhod Gilbert took the plunge into his comedy career by attending a comedy workshop. And he hasn’t looked back since. Performing at Edinburgh Fringe in 2005, and after his signature ranty style being picked up on by critics, his solo show entitled “1984” was nominated for a Perrier newcomer award.

Jeremy Paxman A less likely candidate for Edinburgh Fringe, broadcaster Jeremy Paxman will be performing in his own show this year, titled “PAXO”. The infamous question master of University Challenge will be exploring “pogonophobia, underpants and the human condition” in his one man stage show. Already a veteran at the Edinburgh festivals however, Paxman appeared at the Edinburgh International Television Festival speaking at the MacTaggart Memorial Lecture. This is certainly a show to look out for in Edinburgh in 2014, as Paxman is infamous for his entertainingly abrasive interview style.

Russell Howard Boyish comic Russell Howard graduated from Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2005 where he was recorded for the Paramount comedy program “Edinburgh and Beyond”. A precocious talent, Russell started performing comedy in his teens, even reaching the finals of Channel 4s “So You Think You’re Funny?” in 1999.