- Comic Originality: Harriet Dyer, Jim Judges, Kate Smurthwaite, Mad Ron, Thermos Museum, Yogie Belle
- Cunning Stunt: Dru Cripps, Kate Smurthwaite, Nate Kitch, Thermos Museum, Zoe Wohlfeld
- Act That Should Make a Million Quid: Demi Adejuyigbe, Harriet Dyer, Kate Dolan, Kate Smurthwaite, Lou Wall, Peter Michael Marino
The increasingly prestigious Malcolm Hardee Awards, started in memory of one of comedy’s most outrageous comedy pioneers, has announced its shortlists for 2026.
Comic Originality
Absolute Bus Stops of Northern Europe and Beyond (Jim Judges)
Auditory Awakenings With Mr Tingles In The House Of ASMR (Yogie Belle)
Mad Ron Presents Identity Theft – The Gameshow
Cunning Stunt
Dru Cripps
For putting up a blue memorial plaque commemorating where he won the Cunning Stunt award last year.
Kate Smurthwaite
For creating and performing a brand new show every day.
Nate Kitch
For buying the website domain name Chortles.co.uk and setting up a review site on it, to give himself a six star review.
Thermos Museum Books
For producing a magazine-like flyer detailing the entire story of the show.
Zoe Wohlfeld
For staging funeral for Greyfriars Bobby.
Act That Should Make a Million Quid
Demi Adejuyigbe (Demi Adejuyigbe Sells Out)
Harriet Dyer (Harriet Dyer: Easily Distra…)
Kate Dolan (Kate Dolan: Trout)
Kate Smurthwaite (Kate Smurthwaite Writes And Performs A Brand New Full-Length Stand-Up Show Every Single Day For The Entire Edinburgh Fringe Based On Audience Suggestions From the Previous Day (Not Tuesdays))
Lou Wall (Lou Wall: Where Are All The Tall Grandmas?)
Peter Michael Marino (Planet of the Grapes – An Epic, Tabletop, Sci-Fi Adventure!)
Originally started by comedy connoisseur John Fleming, the awards are now supported by British Comedy Guide, with the blessing of Malcolm Hardee‘s family.
Esteemed comedy critic and panel member Bruce Dessau, of The Standard and Beyond the Joke, said: “Malcolm Hardee was a comedy legend who carved out his own path. The performers here may or may not have heard of him but they undoubtedly channel his maverick spirit, whether they realise it or not.”
Scotsman comedy critic and panel member Claire Smith says: “I have learned so much by being a part of the Malcolm Hardee panel. The judges are all genuine comedy fans, and the awards have given me an extraordinary experience of the wilder fringes of the Fringe. We also sometimes get biscuits.”
Longest serving Hardee judge, broadcaster and critic Kate Copstick, says: “The shortlist this year is home to everything from a Thermos Museum with no thermos to Uxbridge’s third hardest man turned game show host. The Hardee legacy lives on. Oy oy.”
The panel also includes comedy critic Marissa Burgess, and comedy aficionado Ian Wolf of British Comedy Guide, who since 2010 has been collecting every single Edinburgh Fringe comedy review for the public’s perusal.
This year the judges have been joined by performer Mark Dean Quinn, aka The Cheese Man, a previous two-time winner of the awards whose show this year at the Free Fringe is called Mark Dean Quinn Tries To Walk Towards A Flip Chart. A former conceptual artist, he is also known for offering help and support to other acts through the Edinburgh Fringe Performers Forum.
He says: “I’m really excited and pleased to be part of the panel because comedy, particularly alternative comedy has been a passion of mine and I have always liked the weird and the wonderful acts and this is a way to recognise what they bring to the Fringe.”
