How The Scotsman rated Count Binface as the 'biggest surprise of the Fringe'

He is the only candidate challenging Reform leader Nigel Farage in the Clacton by-election.

Now, it has emerged that Jon Harvey, the man behind the formidable political force that is Count Binface, was once branded the “biggest surprise of the Fringe” by The Scotsman when he performed a comedy show in Edinburgh eight years ago.

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Harvey, a former BBC News journalist-turned comedian, performed a stand-up show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2018, which later transferred to a run at Soho Theatre in London and Vault Festival. He has also performed to 5,000 people at Glastonbury.

According to The Scotsman review with the headline “The best new comedians you have to see”, Jon Harvey: TreasuRETROve, in Assembly George Square, packed his comedy hour with “his love of current affairs, cult movies and archive footage”.

“In a stuffy Portakabin tucked around the back of George Square, Jon Harvey is hiding the biggest surprise of the Fringe,” said The Scotsman review.

Count Binface is Farage’s only election rival.

“Until now, Harvey has spent his comedy career behind the camera. He got his break when he was working as a BBC News journalist and started scouring unused news footage for Armando Iannucci to play with on Time Trumpet.”

The review goes to describe Harvey’s “enthusiastic gallop” through “some of the worst British films ever made, an exploration of forgotten Marvel characters and – his specialist subject – a trawl through some of the oddest shark movies ever made, shonky special effects and all.”

However, the reviewer admits Harvey is “not the most natural performer”.

The review adds: “He seems a little shy, like he prefers watching comedy to performing it. And then comes the twist.

“The second half of the show is completely dedicated to a prank he pulled off a couple of years that went viral, around the entire world. This is the extraordinary and deliriously enjoyable story of how he did it. He tells it far better than I could, so no more spoilers here except to say that it made me hug myself with glee.”

Harvey’s biography listed on the page of his agent, Ebdon Management, states that his credits include satirical TV shows such as The Thick Of It, Have I Got News For You, Time Trumpet with Armando Iannucci, Yes Minister and Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.