Edinburgh Fringe 2026 Must-See Comedy Shows: Here are the 20 shows up for for NextUp's Biggest Award in Comedy

Ayoade Bamgboye won last year's award and later was cast in hit show Saturday Night Live UK. | Getty Images

placeholder image — Ayoade Bamgboye won last year's award and later was cast in hit show Saturday Night Live UK. | Getty Images

The winner will be decided by a public vote.

We’re now nearly half way through the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026 and the shortlists for the various awards are starting to be revealed.

The big one is the Edinburgh Comedy Award, which has launched the careers of many now-familiar faces, with the shortlist announced next Wednesday, August 26.

But the first to show its hand this week was NextUp's Biggest Award in Comedy - named after the huge inflatable trophy the winner is presented with.

Established in 2022, it has previously been won by Jordan Gray, Lindsey Santoro, Colin Hoult and Ayoade Bamgboye.

The judges have been out and about at the Fringe and have selected a longlist of 20 show that will now be voted on by members of comedy streaming platform NextUp, with the winner announced on Thursday, August 27.

Along with the trophy, the winner will receive a cash prize of £500, the chance to record their show for NextUp, and an air pump to inflate the trophy.

Here are all 20 comedians up for the award: