Underbelly is bringing some of the most exciting names in comedy to the Fringe this summer with a programme spanning improv, musical comedy, standup and character comedy.
Award-winning author, actor and comedian Sara Pascoe (Taskmaster, Live at the Apollo, QI, Mock the Week) will be performing at McEwan Hall in Sara Pascoe: For One Night Only. Comedian, actor, presenter and author Russell Kane (Big Brother’s Big Mouth, Freak Like Me, Geordie Shore: The Reunion) brings his high-energy show Russell Kane: HyperActive to the Fringe 16 years after winning an Edinburgh Comedy Award. BAFTA winner Jack Rooke (creator of Hulu/C4’s Big Boys) revives and updates his debut show Jack Rooke: Good Grief, a decade on from its first Fringe run.
Acclaimed comedian and ventriloquist Nina Conti brings Nina’s C*nti Cabaret to McEwan Hall, joined by her masks and by some of her favourite acts from across the Fringe. Stealing voices in a different way, Britain’s foremost political impressionist Rory Bremner blends sharp comedy, pitch-perfect impressions and surprising revelations in Rory Bremner: Making an Impression.
Following his sold-out London run, Simon Amstell brings his show Simon Amstell: I Love It Here to the Fringe. Just after finally finding inner peace at his friend’s California beach house, Simon receives an invitation from the man who first ignited his teenage desire, throwing his newfound calm into chaos.
Instagram sensation Depths of Wikipedia (1.6 million followers) will be bringing to light some of Wikipedia’s murkiest depths (think ‘list of sexually active popes’), and celebrating the beautiful monster that is an encyclopedia run by anonymous but extremely human volunteers. Viral American comedian Gianmarco Soresi (1.2 million followers on Instagram) celebrates the theatre kid in all of us in his show Gianmarco Soresi: Theatre Adult.
Palestine Comedy Club presents Hanna Shammas Takes It To Heart, a combination of storytelling and stand-up exploring the complexities of everyday life as a Palestinian living in Haifa, in the 1948 territories. In Sammy J: Hero Complex, acclaimed Australian comedian Sammy J details the true story of how swapping comic books with his school gardener set off a chain of events leading to both the birth of his daughter and to him committing a crime.
The programme also features some of the UK’s biggest improv acts: America’s Got Talent runner-up Christ Turner creates jaw-dropping freestyle rap from audience suggestions in Chris Turner: In the Moment. Internet sensation improv troupe Shoot From The Hip (3 million followers across Instagram and Tiktok) will be taking the stage at McEwan Hall.
The classics provide fertile ground for comedy. The smash-hit West End Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel returns for its 13th year at the Fringe, an all-star cast improvising a new Jane Austen novel every day. Sh!t-faced Shakespeare returns this year with Sh!t-faced Shakespeare: Hamlet: an entirely serious adaptation arguably the Bard’s most famous tragedy, other than the fact that one member of the cast is, well, sh!tfaced.
The programme also features some fantastic LGBTQ+ comedians. Drag king Roger Prick brings his debut Fringe hour Roger Prick: Sexopolis, in which the 1970s pornographer, erotic novelist, and lecherous casanova relaunches his dirtiest novel, revised to make it completely appropriate for modern feminism. Catch (and maybe kiss?) Alex Franklin (Channel 4, HBO Max) exploring love, romance, and kissing as a trans womanin Alex Franklin: Kiss Me x. Justin Elizabeth Sayre is a 40-Year-Old Woman explores what it means to be a 40 year old woman – a category not necessarily tied to either age or gender.
The comedy programme features a number of people you may have seen on your TV – Sapphire McIntosh, bringing her football-inspired show Sapphire McIntosh: Squeaky Bum Time, appeared as a footballer on the most recent season of Ted Lasso. Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee Freya Parker, who’s appeared in Jurassic World: Dominion, Wonka, One Day (Netflix), and as one half of sketch duo Lazy Susan (Amazon, BBC3)brings her new show Frey Parker, An Hour of Decay! tackling the terrifying subjects of ageing, AI and Vinted.
Two annual highlights of the Fringe also return. Underbelly’s Big Brain Tumour Benefit brings together a massive line-up of comedy stars to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity, who do vital research in treatment for the most deadly cancer to children and adults under 40. Edinburgh Comedy Allstars brings together the biggest, brightest comedians at the Fringe in the iconic purple cow, Udderbelly – this year celebrating its 20th year as a venue.
John Swinney: When we stand together, we make Scotland stronger
First Minister John Swinney has reaffirmed the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling racism in all its forms, following the recent disorder in Glasgow and elsewhere in Scotland.
Meeting representatives of the Anti-Racism Coalition and the Scottish Refugee Council in Edinburgh, the First Minister pledged to work closely with Police Scotland, the third sector and other partners to ensure that people and communities are safe and swift action is taken against those who seek to intimidate and promote hatred.
Mr Swinney sought to reassure those who are feeling anxious, targeted or unsafe. He said: “I am clear that I am First Minister for everyone in Scotland. For every community, every background, every faith, and every identity.
“The recent disorder in Glasgow and elsewhere, following the serious incidents in Belfast and Southampton, have caused a lot of distress for many people. Violence is never acceptable, and those responsible must be held accountable to ensure the safety of all our communities.
“My government stands firmly against hatred in all its forms. That means building trust, tackling prejudice at its roots, and strengthening the connections that bind our communities together.
“Because when people feel heard and valued, we reduce fear. When we build trust, we weaken division. And when we stand together, we make Scotland stronger.
“We cannot allow the actions of a small, hateful minority to define us or what we stand for. Nor we can we allow fear to take hold. Instead, we must be guided by the kind of country we know Scotland is.
“One where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and where everyone can live safely and without fear. My government is committed to that vision and to working hand in hand with partners and communities across Scotland to deliver it.
“Through our Community Cohesion funding, New Scots funding, the Equality and Human Rights Fund, and other support for communities and groups, we are already supporting hundreds of cross-community activities.
“These projects are helping to bring people together, educate, and tackle misinformation and disinformation, ultimately building stronger communities where people feel safe.”
Chief Executive of Scottish Refugee Council Sabir Zazai said: “Everyone has the right to feel safe.
“Last week we saw violence in our streets and people being targeted because of the colour of their skin. Irresponsible language, toxic narratives and repeated falsehoods are causing real-life harm to innocent people.
“It is vital that we name racism and call out misinformation when we see it. We need to see the Scottish Government lead the way by investing in cohesion and ensuring people seeking safety and the communities who welcome them have the infrastructure and support they need to thrive.”
Scotland’s 32 chief social work officers issue rare joint statement urging action from political leaders to tackle ‘crisis’ in care system they say has led some social workers to take children home with them because of the shortage of placements
Scotland’s care system is in a state of emergency due to an acute placement shortage that has, in some cases, led to social workers taking children home with them.
It was also “placing undue and unsustainable pressure on the people entrusted with keeping Scotland’s children, young people and adults safe”, said the statement, published by leadership body Social Work Scotland.
The CSWOs said the the shortage of placement options had led to:
Social workers having to take children home with them in some parts of the country.
Newborn babies remaining in the care of hospital nurses.
Children as young as three being placed in residential care alongside young adults.
Older children sleeping on the sofas of foster carers and residential homes.
Children who do not have high needs being placed in expensive specialist provision making it unavailable for those who need it.
Foster carers going many months without a break.
They described the care system as “saturated” and said it would have collapsed entirely without “the incredible efforts of Scotland’s carers, social work staff and other professionals”.
“This is an emergency for Scotland’s care system, and we ask Scottish Government and local government leaders to work with us to take necessary action.”
The CSWOs asks for:
To have the flexibility to authorise placements which they deem suitable to protect the welfare and wellbeing of children.
The rapid implementation of commitments already made by political leaders to “alleviate the administrative demand on social work”.
The statement referenced The Promise – the pledge that all children in Scotland would grow up loved, safe and respected by 2030 – which the Scottish Government is seeking to achieve through a raft of policies.
“We share these ambitions wholeheartedly,” said the CSWOs. “But the primary responsibility of public authorities is to protect the welfare and wellbeing of people, and if we are unable to do this fundamental task, those ambitions will never be realised.”
THE CSWOs STATEMENT IN FULL:
Across Scotland there is now an acute shortage of suitable homes and carers for children who are unable to remain in the care of their family. The lack of options increases the risk of harm to children from physical, sexual, emotional abuse or exploitation and neglect, as well as placing undue and unsustainable pressure on the people entrusted with keeping Scotland’s children, young people and adults safe.
The crisis is occurring at a time of growing concerns about the impact of poverty on families, a shortage of housing, and national attention on child sexual abuse and exploitation.
We, Scotland’s thirty-two Chief Social Work Officers, are therefore taking this unusual step of issuing a joint statement to ensure that the public and political leaders are aware of the situation, and the need for urgent action.
In the absence of placement options, newborn babies are remaining in the care of hospital nurses. Children as young as three years old are being placed in residential homes with young adults; a setting characterised by frequently changing staff and other young people.
Older children are sleeping on the sofas of foster carers and residential homes. And in such scarcity, where any safe placement will do, expensive specialist options are being used for children who do not have high levels of need, making them unavailable for those children who do.
The capacity of the care system is saturated, and it is only thanks to the incredible efforts of Scotland’s carers, social work staff and other professionals that we have been able to prevent the system collapsing entirely.
Some carers have not had a break in many months, and in some parts of the country social workers have had to take children home with them, as no other safe options are available. This is an emergency for Scotland’s care system, and we ask Scottish Government and Local Government leaders to work with us to take necessary action.
Principally, we – as the leaders of social work in local government – require the flexibility to authorise placements which we deem suitable to protect the welfare and wellbeing of children. We also need to see political commitments to alleviate the administrative demand on social work implemented at pace.
Scotland aspires to be among the best places in the world to grow up, no matter what your background or circumstances. And Scotland has made a promise to those children and families who require social work support that the experience will be positive and nurturing. We share these ambitions wholeheartedly.
But the primary responsibility of public authorities is to protect the welfare and wellbeing of people, and if we are unable to do this fundamental task, those ambitions will never be realised.
Siobhian Brown, minister for children, young people and The Promise, said she took the issues raised by the statement “very seriously” and had asked to meet with Social Work Scotland “as a priority to discuss their concerns”.
“Any child or young person who cannot live at home, regardless of their age, must be able to stay in a safe, stable and caring environment,” she added.
“However, I recognise that significant pressures remain, and we will work closely with Social Work Scotland and other partners to ensure we have the right placements across the country for children and young people.”
Scottish Association of Social Work professional officer Susan Dobson said: “The dedication of the workforce to those they support is clear, but social workers having to take children home because there is nowhere else for them to go cannot be normalised.
“This environment has potentially catastrophic consequences for those children.
“The immediate needs of children must be the priority, and we must support the profession’s leadership to provide for them in the short-term. In the long-term, there must be significant changes to resourcing and funding for services to protect and care for vulnerable children and young people.”
COSLA’s children and young people spokesperson, Tony Buchanan, said:“The issues highlighted point to real and growing risks for children and young people, for families, and for the workforce who are going above and beyond to keep people safe.
“Local government is committed to working closely with Social Work Scotland, the Scottish Government and partners to deliver both urgent action and longer term solutions… Without stabilising system capacity, there is a risk that the progress we all want to see for children and families will not be achievable.”
Joanne Smith, NSPCC Scotland policy and public affairs manager, said: “It is deeply concerning to hear from social work professionals that Scotland’s care system is in a state of emergency. The situations they describe highlight how overstretched the system has become.
“Every child who cannot live safely at home must have access to safe, consistent, nurturing and responsive care as early as possible. We have overwhelming evidence that failing to provide timely, high-quality care for children who have experienced early adversity can have devastating and lifelong consequences.
“A lack of suitable placements means that babies and children are left in unsafe, unstable, or inappropriate situations that harm their wellbeing immediately and can have lasting effects on their mental health, relationships and life chances.
“This must be a turning point. We need urgent action to increase the number of suitable foster placements, ensure better support for professionals and carers, and invest in early help so that fewer families reach crisis point in the first place.
“The Scottish Government has committed to keeping The Promise. To deliver its ambitions we must see much greater recognition that how we treat children at the start of their care journey could massively impact their life chances.
“Without immediate and sustained investment, we risk failing those children who are most vulnerable and need our protection the most.”
Scotland’s next World Cup clash is set to deliver a major boost to pubs across the country, with an estimated 520,000 extra pints expected to be sold for Friday night’s match against Morocco – worth around £2.6 million to the trade, analysis by the Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA).
The forecast follows a strong showing for Scotland’s opening match against Haiti, which is estimated by the SBPA and Oxford Partnership to have driven sales of at least 380,000 extra pints, worth around £1.9 million to pubs and bars across Scotland.
While Scotland’s opening game against Haiti kicked off at 2am BST on Sunday morning, Friday’s match against Morocco starts at a far more pub-friendly 11pm BST, giving licensees a significantly better opportunity to benefit from the occasion.
Paul Togneri, from the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, said: “Scotland’s return to the World Cup has given pubs a much-needed welcome boost, with early indications suggesting at least 380,000 extra pints were sold for the Haiti game despite the 2am kick-off.
“It’s an incredible result following an incredible match.
“With Friday night’s clash against Morocco starting at a much more pub-friendly 11pm we expect an even bigger boost, with over half a million extra pints to be poured in pubs and bars across the country.
“That would be worth upwards of £2.6 million to the trade, which is hugely welcome for venues still battling high costs.
“If you can’t be in Boston, there’s no better place than the pub. We’d urge supporters to get down to their local, back the team and cheer Scotland on together.”
We are excited to share a delicious BBQ with you. Friday’s BBQ will include meat and vegetarian options, and Halal sausages, along with homemade salads and desserts.
In true Scottish fashion, we’ll be enjoying our BBQ rain or shine – with an indoor option should the rain arrive!
Please check the boards or ask our volunteers about allergens. And just a heads-up, our food is served until it runs out!
Four men have been arrested and charged in connection with culpable and reckless conduct following a police operation yesterday – Thursday, 18 June.
It follows an investigation into an incident on Tuesday, 26 May, 2026, when a lorry crashed into a house on Brand Drive in Edinburgh. No-one was injured in the incident.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, officers from various departments and policing divisions executed warrants across East Ayrshire.
Six properties were searched by police in the Kilmarnock and Darvel areas resulting in the arrests and seizure of items in connection with the incident.
The men, aged 24, 31, 39 and 41 are due to appear before Edinburgh Sheriff Court today – Friday, 19 June, 2026.
Detective Inspector Gavin Howat said: “Criminality affects the lives of local people on a daily basis. Operations such as these disrupt criminal activity as well as addressing the concerns raised by local people.
” I would like to reassure everyone that we will continue with our proactive, preventative approach to tackle crime and its associated impact.”
Three-year investment to support prevention, treatment and recovery across Scotland
First Minister John Swinney will today call for a new collective approach to reduce deaths and harms from drugs and alcohol, as he addresses a summit on drugs deaths in Edinburgh.
It comes as a newAlcohol and Drugs Fund, which will provide £36.9 million to frontline services and organisations working with people affected by alcohol and drugs, is launched.
The summit, organised by Public Health Scotland, will bring together health board chief executives, local authority leaders, justice representatives and third-sector partners alongside people with experience of drug and alcohol use, including representatives from family organisations and recovery groups.
Speaking ahead of the event, the First Minister said: “This new fund will provide more than £36 million over the next three years, supporting prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery.
“It will reach organisations of all sizes – from grassroots groups to larger partnerships – with particular emphasis on improving support for children, young people, and families. I have heard from the third sector about the need for stability and longer-term support – this multi-year funding recognises that.
“We have increased residential rehab capacity, with funded placements now close to our 1,000 target, set new treatment standards, opened The Thistle – the UK’s first safer drug consumption facility – and improved surveillance of the most potent and dangerous drugs entering circulation.
“But it is clear we now require a different collective approach and we need to go further. I am determined we make the change and new ways of working needed – and I am focused on confronting the need for reform of how our public services deliver.
“I am clear there should be a ‘no wrong door’ approach. If someone needs help, our system should be easy and quick to navigate – wrapping around the person rather than making people fit into the system.”
The fund is open to third-sector organisations and public bodies working directly with people who use alcohol and drugs, people in recovery, and their children and families.
It supports delivery of the Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan 2026–35, a joint Scottish Government and COSLA initiative backed by more than £160 million in 2026–27, which sets out a 10-year approach to reducing deaths and harms caused by alcohol and drugs.
Corra Foundation Chief Executive Carolyn Sawers said: “It is a privilege for Corra to deliver this fund on behalf of the Scottish Government. High-quality support for people affected by drugs and alcohol is vital to collective efforts to reducing harms, realising rights and supporting recovery.
“Corra looks forward to working closely alongside people with lived and living experience of drugs and alcohol as we deliver this fund.”
Thank you to everyone who rolled up their sleeves and did a litter pick as part of #SpringCleanScotland 2026.
The results are in:
– Scotland’s largest mass litter pick event
– 34,702 people involved
– 3,340 litter picks recorded
– 46,877 bags of litter removed from polluting our country
Barry Fisher, our Chief Executive, said: “I’d like to extend our gratitude to every person who has made an effort to clean up their part of Scotland – we all have a part to play and your activity is truly appreciated by us all.”
Check out the impact report and see if you can spot your litter pick photos:
A 31-year-old man has been sentenced to more than six years for attempted murder and other offences at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Lewis Burns pleaded guilty in May this year to assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and attempted murder.
It follows an investigation into an incident which occurred on Tuesday, 3 February, 2026, when police were called to a report of a collision involving a pedestrian and a vehicle on Lochend Drive.
Detective Inspector Gavin Howat said: “Burns deliberately drove at his victim not once but twice. He used his car as a weapon that day and he is now facing the consequences of his actions.
“I hope today’s outcome affords the victim a degree of justice as they continue to move forward with their life.”
Burns was also banned from driving for more than eight years.
