Edinburgh Fringe: Comedian Rosie Holt on mocking Tory MPs, whether it's harder to satirise Labour, and her love of Edinburgh

The comedian began creating satire videos during the first lockdown and soon became a viral sensation.

Rosie Holt will be performing Rosie Holt: That’s Politainment! At this years Edinburgh Fringe in the Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance 2 from 2 – 27 August.

Rosie Holt is returning to the Edinburgh Fringe next week with another show skewering Tory politicians and the British media.

The 38-year-old started making videos pretending to be a Tory MP during Covid, and has gone on to become one of the nation’s most popular satirists.

Now Ms Holt, who trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, is coming back to the Fringe with her show “That’s Politainment!” for a 25-day run.

Speaking to Scotland on Sunday, the comedian discussed the new show, her love of Edinburgh, and why her job may get harder in the event of a Labour Government.

Discussing the new show, said: “It’s called That’s Politainment!, and it is with my MP character but also features my character Harriet Langley-Swindon, who is a right-wing opinionist, and it’s about the fine line between the media and politicians, particularly the rise in politicians getting their own show on things like GB News and Talk TV… but it’s funny.

“My idea came from, I think this year particularly, of course we've always had for ages politicians going into entertainment, like Anne Widecombe being the obvious example but I think that at the moment it seems to have got to a quite ridiculous level.“You had Matt Hancock going into the jungle, and I’ve been quite obsessed with Matt Hancock’s post-political career, him talking about how he’s doing it to connect with voters and show he’s a normal person.

“But also the fact that you've got these politicians like Lee Anderson, Jacob Rees-Mogg, and Nadine Dorries having their own shows which is bizarre if you’re having someone who is in the Government report news on the Government and interview their friends in the Government about the Government.

“It’s strange isn’t it, it’s starting to eat itself. That was my starting point”.

Asked if satirising politics had got harder as things got more ridiculous, Ms Holt explained it was “when things started getting crazy” that her career began to take off. She added: “I think it’s different now that Boris Johnson's not in charge, I think his government was so ridiculous and so out there and because he was, U-turning turning left, right and centre, you had these MPs going out to defend his policies but then looking really stupid and having to defend something completely different the next week.

“That’s where the MP character came from, I found that fascinating.

“Rishi Sunak is a bit more sensible on the surface and seems to keep me better at keeping his cabinet in check. That said, there’s a lot of live wires in the Government, like Suella Braverman, so there is still a lot to look at, it’s just not as out there as it was”.

The Somerset-born comedian, who is frequently mistaken for a real Tory MP on Twitter, suggested her character was no more unbelievable than actual Conservative Michael Fabricant.

She added: “He does look like someone someone came up with in a very bad improv”.

While MPs seem to enjoy her work, some have still mistaken Ms Holt for a real Tory MP, even going as far to suggest she resign.

She explained: “I get a lot from Labour or SNP politicians, they seem to like it, but I don't hit anything from the right wing. Quite a few of them follow me on Twitter, but I don't know what they think about it, or they've never contacted me about it.

“In the past I’ve also had MPs think I’m real and demand I stand down, that’s been Labour and SNP as well”.

Ms Holt also suggested her work, which frequently goes viral on Twitter, was popular due to the widespread anger at the Government.

However, with a Labour Government looking increasingly more likely in the polls, Ms Holt, who is performing at the Pleasance Courtyard during the festival, joked a Labour Government could impact her satirical career.

She said: “I want Labour to get in, I think we’ve all had enough of Tory rule, but as a result it will be a big sacrifice to the nation if my career suffers.

“But hopefully not! I feel like we always need satire, but whether they’ll be the same appetite if Labour get in, I think part of the reason why my work has been popular is because people are so fed up, and so angry, and it’s cathartic.

“If Labour get in, will there be the same appetite for that? I don’t know, but whatever government’s in charge, we should always be scrutinising that, whether that’s through comedy or what you do [journalism]”.

Ms Holt also discussed her love of the Fringe, and belief that the new show would be her best one yet.

She said: “I love the Edinburgh festival, it’s brilliant, there is so much going on, I love it. It’s struggling a bit at the moment as costs have gone up and a lot of performers don't have money, and a lot of punters don’t have money, but I think the festival itself is incredible.

"There’s so many different shows, I’ve been many, many many times and I’m looking forward to taking this show because it’s really good.“Last year was a lot more tricky for me, because although I’ve done comedy for a long time, it was the first time I put any of those characters on stage, so I was throwing quite a lot at it.“This show, I have a very clear idea of what I want to achieve, so I’m really looking forward to doing it.

“I also have a podcast, called “NonCensored”, which is sort of a GB news ripoff, and my character will be interviewing performers through the month as well."

She also shared her tips for people coming to the Fringe for the first time, saying you won’t “get such a variety of shows anywhere else”.

Ms Holt said: “There are so many shows, I’d look at reviews but think so many good shows don’t get reviewed at all, so there is usually really good word of mouth and what works and what doesn’t.

"The free fringe is great for sort of taking a punt and seeing what suits, there’s so much out there and there’s so many things reporting on it, just try and see as much as you can”.

Rosie Holt will be performing Rosie Holt: That’s Politainment! At this years Edinburgh Fringe in the Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance 2 from 2 – 27 August. Tickets https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/rosie-holt-that-s-politainment