Fred MacAulay returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe stage

Scottish comedy stalwart Fred MacAuley returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe stage with not one, but two compelling shows.

After being forced to cancel his Fringe run last year following a freak near-fatal accident involving a motorised golf trolley and a prostate cancer diagnosis, this year marks both a personal comeback for MacAuley and a celebration of a comedy career spanning more than four decades.

MacAulay has enjoyed an acclaimed career across television, radio and live performance, becoming one of the country’s most recognisable comic voices.

Whether delivering finely crafted stand-up or drawing remarkable stories from extraordinary guests, MacAulay’s return to the Fringe promises two very different reasons to visit Gilded Balloon this August.

The first of his two shows in the museum auditorium, stand-up show Good Evening! (17–19 August, 7:30pm) draws on the unexpected events that interrupted his 2025 Fringe. Fred reflects on life’s unpredictability with the warmth, wit and razor-sharp observations that have made him one of Britain’s most respected comedians. Asking whether there’s humour to be found even in life’s toughest moments, Good Evening! is a funny, honest and uplifting new hour from a comic whose timing has only improved with experience. 

Commenting on the show, MacAuley said: “I really hope that a lot of people come out to see this show. I think it’s the best show I’ve done since the last one.”
 
Following the stand-up run, MacAauley returns with the hugely popular Fred MacAulay in Conversation (21–30 August, 1:15pm).

Each afternoon, he’ll welcome a different guest from the worlds of sport, entertainment, business and politics for an unscripted hour of stories, laughter and conversation. Drawing on relationships built over more than 30 years interviewing some of the UK’s biggest personalities, every show offers audiences a unique opportunity to hear fascinating guests in an intimate festival setting.

“I enjoy these In Conversation shows so much,” he said. “We’re bringing them back because it’s always the perfect mix of guests and audience, who help make every show truly unique.”

With a different line-up every day of top comedians, authors and Fringe audience favourites, no two performances are ever the same.

 
Here is the full line-up:

21st August — Alex Edelman and Jay Lafferty

22nd August — Connor Burns and Rosco McLelland

23rd August — Frankie McNair and Jack Dee

24th August — Phil Nichol and Rich Hall

25th August — Jo Caulfield and Jack Docherty

26th August — Maisie Adam and Jason Byrne

27th August — Guy Barnum, Seann Walsh and Paul Black

28th August — Kim Blythe and Sean McDonald

29th August — Marjolein Robertson and Rosie Jones

30th August — Ian Rankin and Grant Stott


Tickets cost £17.25 (including £1.25 booking fee)at: https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:7140/