Best In Class, the organisation that supports and champions working class comedians, has announced its Fringe 2026 line-up. The acts taking part are Bert Broadbent, Chloe Reynolds, Christian Jegard, Jonny Brook, Lorna Gray, Lulu Simons, Selam Amare and Tabish Akbar.
Best in Class has been providing a platform for comedians at the Edinburgh Fringe since 2018. With many Best in Class alumni going on to achieve success across TV, radio and live comedy, the showcase is widely regarded as a launch pad for working-class talent in the comedy industry.
Best in Class has won both the Edinburgh Comedy Award Panel Prize and the Ish Edinburgh Comedy Award, alongside receiving rave reviews across the press. The Scotsman described it as “a fantastic crowd-funded initiative which brings working-class comics to the Fringe”, while Broadway World called it “wonderfully funny” and The Wee Review praised it as “a great showcase of genuine talent”. The Best in Class showcase has firmly established itself as one of the hottest tickets at the Fringe.
Founder Sian Davies said: “This year we received more applications than ever before, which goes to show how many brilliant working-class comedians are out there. When I started this, it was because I felt excluded from the comedy industry due to being working class. Now we have a programme that is an integral part of the Fringe landscape, and we’ve created a community of working-class comics across the UK.”
This year saw a record breaking 160 applications to the scheme, with just 8 places available. The selected acts will work alongside Best in Class directors Sian Davies, Tom Mayhew and Dani Johns to plan and deliver the Fringe showcase. As well as performing, the scheme offers invaluable insight into Fringe planning and production, opening doors to future solo shows while building networks, experience and confidence.
Co-Director Dani Johns said: “The showcases themselves are absolutely brilliant, but what’s also incredibly important is becoming part of something that feels so special. As an alumni of Best in Class myself, I can’t over-exaggerate how much this scheme helped me. I learned so much about the Fringe and all the behind the scenes work, which was massively helpful when I came to producing my own show.”
Co-Director Tom Mayhew added: “We also work really hard to support our cohorts post-Fringe. We offer training workshops, networking events and bursaries, all of which are hugely beneficial and another key part of being involved with Best in Class.”
During August, the 2026 cohort will perform as a mixed bill on a rotating line-up, giving each act the opportunity to fully experience the Fringe. Ahead of this, Best in Class will also be hosting 2 fundraiser shows where audiences can get a sneak peek of the line-up: 20th February at The Big Difference, Leicester, and 19th March at Unity Theatre, Liverpool.
Leicester tickets: https://events.comedy-festival.co.uk/events/best-in-class-3/
Liverpool tickets: https://www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk/whats-on/best-in-class/
You can support Best in Class by donating here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/best-in-class-2026
Line up:
Bert Broadbent
Bert Broadbent is a stand-up comedian whose observational material looks at class, culture, masculinity, and everyday happenings through a slightly skewed lens.
Chloe Reynolds
Chloe Reynolds used comedy as a way of coming out, turns out it'd have been easier to post on Facebook. Her comedy is sharp, self deprecating with an absurd edge. She was a finalist In the LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year 2025 and featured on the BBC New Comedy Awards.
Christian Jegard
“Mr Showbusiness” Christian Jegard is a vaudevillian alternative comic from Brighton. As recently seen on TV in the BBC New Comedy Awards, Christian can also be heard on Radio 4 Extra, was runner up Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year, Komedia New Comedy Award finalist, Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Runner Up and won Audience Favourite at the Musical Comedy Awards.
Jonny Brook
Jonny Brook, an award winning Sat Down Stand up. His legs are worse at their job than Austerity was at its. Thankfully though, his disability has given him hilarious tales to share, of what it's like to be the human you'd get if you could order one off Temu.
Lorna Green
Lorna started doing comedy because it's cheaper than therapy and she might as well invite people to laugh at her since they're doing it behind her back anyway. Using self deprecation and dark humour as a way to cover topics such as getting older, dating, being *actually* neurodivergent and being a part of the woke generation, her unique perspective on the world offers light relief in the mundane.
Lulu Simons
Lulu Simons brings the important topics to the stage - like the Spice Girls and your dad’s holiday pics. A proud Welsh, working class stand-up, writer, and performer; her latest show, “Council Estate Gap Year”, debuted to sell out audiences two years in succession for: Women in Comedy Festival and the inaugural Rik Mayall Festival; earning outstanding reviews. Winner of Best Newcomer 2025 Women In Comedy Festival.
Selam Amare
From stand-up to standing up for her roots, Selam’s comedy is as rich and layered as an Ethiopian coffee ceremony - bold, warm, and guaranteed to keep you coming back for more. She was awarded the winning spot at TimeOut x Nando’s Extra Hot Comedy Club Competition 2025, and placed as a finalist in the Newcomer LoungesTV 2025, Semi-finalist at Funny Women 2025, and "So You think You're Funny?" 2025.
Tabish Akbar
Tabish Akbar is known for his punchy, inventive comedy, drawing on his own life and ideas shaped by growing up on council estates and navigating life from Dudley to London to Manchester. He has performed at top clubs including The Comedy Store, Top Secret and Hot Water.
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