The winners of The Malcolm Hardee Awards 2025 have been revealed.
The awards – which are handed out in the memory of comic, agent, manager, club-owner and prankster Malcolm Hardee - celebrate and promote the spirit of anything-goes comedy anarchy at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
There are three awards - Comic Originality, Act Most Likely to Make a Million Quid and the Cunning Stunt Award.
Paul Campbell, was awarded the prize for Comic Originality for The Lost Tapes of Somerfield at Hoots. His show delves into his intense grief about the closure of his favourite branch of Somerfield in Stretford, Manchester.
Kate Copstick, who has judged the awards since they began in 2005, said: “It is thrilling to find a show and a performer like The Lost Tapes of Somerfield and Paul Campbell. This is quintessential Hardee. Unexpectable, and from the heart and the soul. Fuck knows what he will do next year ... Lidl is just not that exciting.”
Paul Campbell was presented with his trophy at the end of his show, which takes place in a shipping container at Hoots Potterow.
He said: “I am really happy because I put so much thought into this and worked hard to try and make good because I really loved Somerfield.
“I wanted to make a show that was accessible but really expressed how much I love Somerfield. So I’m so happy that I was able to create something that people seem to have enjoyed.”
Phil Ellis was picked by the judges as the Act That Should Make a Million Quid. Previously awarded the Comic Originality prize in 2023, Phil is due to take part in the next series of Taskmaster.
He was surprised with his award at the end of his show Soppy Stern at Monkey Barrel. On being told the Malcolm Hardee panel thought he should make a million quid, just before he was about to take donations at the end of his show, he said: “A million quid. That puts a lot of pressure on the bucket.”
Ellis said later: “Winning one Malcolm Hardee award was a dream, but winning two is overwhelming. It means a lot to have so much support from people, and especially people who appreciate a little bit of chaos. It’s capped off a wonderful year at the Fringe. I still haven’t met Malcolm though, which feels a bit rude, on his part!”
Dru Cripps was awarded the Cunning Stunt award - which recognises the bizarre efforts some comics make to publicise their Edinburgh Fringe shows - for fishing for punters walking through the underpass at Potterow to advertise his musical show Juicy Bits.
Surprised by awards judge Claire Smith, Cripps asked: “Are you from the council?”. He fished for the award from his perch on the bridge, successfully hooking a bag containing the trophy.
Cripps said: “I don’t care about any other awards at the Fringe apart from this one. It’s the last hope of keeping the Fringe and the Fringe spirit alive.
“The first time I came to the Fringe I did my show in a bus. This makes me feel there is support for artists like me who want to keep the Fringe a fringe.”
All round comedy guru and Malcolm Hardee judge Bruce Dessau, who runs the website Beyond The Joke, said: "If you want to see comedy in all of its mucky, inventive, irreverent glory then look no further than the acts on this list. They all channel the anarchic do-what-you-like spirit of Malcolm Hardee while harnessing it to a unique creative spirit of their own. Long live the children of Hardee!"
Comic Originality shortlist
Alan Resnick: One Funny Hour
23:25, Monkey Barrel
Johnny White Really-Really: am/pm
12:30, The Hive
Joz Norris: You Wait. Time Passes.
19:10, Pleasance Dome
Liebenspiel Fringe (Bedlam Late)
00:30, Bedlam Theatre
Lucy Pearman: Lunartic
13:00, Cabaret Voltaire
Nate Kitch: Something Different!!!!!
17:00, Gilded Balloon Patter House
Paul Campbell: The Lost Tapes of Somerfield
13:00, Hoots @ Potterrow
Stephen Catling: Moving On... Really, Really Slowly
19:30, The Counting House
Cunning Stunt shortlist
Dan Boerman
For bringing hundreds of people to the top of Calton Hill to watch him fold a fitted sheet.
Dan Boerman Folds a Fitted Sheet on His Own, Hoots @ The Apex, 18:20
Dru Cripps
For fishing for punters, using his fliers as bait.
Dru Cripps: Juicy Bits, Hoots @ Potterrow, 21:00
Narin Oz
For live-streaming a negative press review of her show.
Narin Oz: Inner Child(ish), Just The Tonic at The Mash House, 16:00
Rob Duncan
For creating flyers live in the street, using his own printer.
Rob Duncan: Printer of the Year 2024, Carbon, 18:45
Act That Should Make a Million Quid shortlist
Alice Cockayne
Alice Cockayne: Licensed. Professional. Trained. Qualified., Pleasance Courtyard, 22:40
Andrew O'Neill
Andrew O'Neill's History of Punk, Bannermans, 23:30
Christopher Macarthur-Boyd
Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: Howling at the Moon, Monkey Barrel, 21:00
Molly McGuinness
Molly McGuinness: Slob, Cabaret Voltaire, 14:55
Phil Ellis
Phil Ellis: Soppy Stern, Monkey Barrel, 12:45
Sam Nicoresti
Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer, Pleasance Courtyard, 17:40
Toussaint Douglass
Toussaint Douglass: Accessible Pigeon Material, Pleasance Courtyard, 19:25
The Malcolm Hardee Awards have run since 2005, the year of Malcolm Hardee's death. The judging panel is comprised of Marissa Burgess, Kate Copstick, Bruce Dessau, Claire Smith and Ian Wolf.
More information and previous winners can be seen via the Hardee Awards website:
https://www.comedy.co.uk/hardees
Picture of Paul Campbell by Edward Moore
