Launched in 1981, the award is presented to the comedy show judged to have been the best at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and is recognised as the most prestigious comedy prize in the UK.
Formerly known as the Perrier Award, it is designed to promote acts that have yet to become household names, so comedians judged to have ‘star status’ are not eligible - for instance if they have a show on a major television channel or can regularly fill a 500-set venue.
The first winners were a talent-packed Cambridge Footlights featuring Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Tony Slattery and Emma Thompson, while other names catapaulted to fame by the award over the years include Steve Coogan, Jenny Eclair, The League of Gentlemen, Dylan Moran, Al Murray and Tim Key.
A Best Newcomer Award was added in 1992, with former winners Lara Ricote, Sofie Hagen and Catherine Cohen at this year's fesatival.
A Panel Prize followed in 2006 for those who have made a particularly special contribution to the Fringe Festival - with former winner Mark Watson in Edinburgh this August.
Here are all the winners of the Main Prize you can see in Edinburgh this year.
1. Frank Skinner (Assembly George Square)
Beating a starry shortlist including Jack Dee, Eddie Izzard, and Lily Savage to the prize in 1991, the former Fantasy Football League host was scheduled to bring new show ‘30 Years of Dirt’ to Edinburgh last year. That run was cancelled at the last minute, but fans will now finally get the chance to see what Skinner has planned.
2. Daniel Kitson (Summerhall)
Widely considered the finest stand-up of his generation, Daniel Kitson was nominated for his Edinburgh debut in 2001, before winning with sophomore show ‘Something’. His monologue ‘It’s Always Right Now Until It’s Later’ was the best reviewed show of the Edinburgh Festivals in 2010, and now he's back with a work in progress called ‘First Thing’.
3. Rose Matafeo (Monkey Barrel)
Since winning the Edinburgh Comedy Award in 2018, multi-talented Rose Matafeo has gone on to create and star in hit sitcom Starstruck. She is returning to Edinburgh for a Work in Progress show at the Monkey Barrel, although you’ll need to be up early – it’s on at 11:20am.
4. John Robins
Break-up show ‘The Darkness of Robins’ earned the stand-up and podcaster a share of the main prize in 2017 – alongside now-global star Hannah Gadsby. He’s back this year with not one, but two new shows – a work in progress and ‘Howl’.