Huge Davies returns to the Edinburgh Fringe next week with his new show Whodunnit?, which will be performed at 9.40pm in Pleasance Courtyard. Here he shares his Perfect Playlist of comedy favourites.

Bill Bailey

I watched Part Troll and Bewilderness on a loop when I was a teenager. Something about it was different to other comedians I’d seen. 

Many musical comedians are musicians who can also do comedy, but Bill is a comedian who can also do music. And make it about music. Manipulating everyday sounds – your doorbell, police sirens. Breaking down musical genres, musical keys, time signatures and rhythm. All while playing to large audiences and making it all accessible. 

Bill was a huge influence on me, as anyone can see from my act. He is the reason I started being interested in comedy and how it works. The delivery of ‘the duck lies shredded in a pancake’ in this clip is my all time favourite bit of stand-up comedy. 

Philomena Cunk

Every single episode of the show is comedy gold. The commitment to make everything look as authentic as possible to trick people into watching it makes it all the more funny. From the wandering shots of Cunk walking mindlessly through random landscapes and the stupid voiceovers, to the top-notch satirical commentary and the way Cunk stares emptily at her guests as they’re explaining what potatoes are; it’s all wonderful.

 The professors she interviews who play their part so well are all incredible sports and all have wonderful comic timing. The clip about nuclear war starts funny, then genuinely gets sad, then funny again. All in one minute.

 Shaun Of The Dead

I’ve seen many ‘Disc 2 Bonus Features’, especially comedy films, but this was the first that wasn’t blooper shots of the actors messing about or saying how funny everyone was.  In Shaun Of The Dead, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg show you the creative process it takes to make a comedy that hits every minute you watch it. Every scene feels necessary, every scene is hilarious and satisfying. 

You’ve already all seen it; perfect cast, perfect jokes, perfect direction. And of course, the record sequence.

Futurama

Watched the entire first five seasons in one sitting with my friend when we were both ill for a weekend. ‘It’s like the Simpsons, but funnier’ he explained. 

Yes, but not just that. 

Every episode takes on a new planet or a new species and you could tell the writers were having so much fun. The show was also never afraid to tap into Fry’s melancholy, often dedicating entire episodes dealing with the loss of his friends, girlfriend, family and dog (yes, the dog episode). 

Packed full of references to films, sci-fi, video games; there was something for me in every episode. Even the celebrity cameos were great, all bobbing around in jars, recycled for eternity. 

The episode The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings is astonishing. The thought they put in this episode, eclipses many of the efforts made on most full-length comedy feature films of that era. Also, Zapp Brannigan.

The Onion News Network

Similar to Cunk, blink and you’ll think this is a real news show. The care put into the sets, the graphics, the cheesy music, the anchors, reporters; it’s like you’re actually watching a real news segment about the annual Ninja Parade in which nothing can be seen. 

The kids they used to play the parts of murderous psychopaths (see below) or perverse horndogs are some of the best child actors I’ve ever seen, it’s almost unbelievable how good they are. 

At the time, people must have been so confused about what they were watching; it looked so genuine, which is half the fun. The number of times I’d get in a YouTube hole watching clip after clip, instead of doing work were countless, including just now.

 Just had to tear myself away from the discovery of a paedophile dinosaur; ludicrous and always funny.

James Acaster Netflix specials

For James to have made these incredible shows in sequence, with only one year in between them, is full-on depressing. The way James structures a stand-up show about something in his life, but frames it hidden within an abstract concept, whether that’s being an undercover cop or being on jury duty, is creative, intelligent and very difficult.

 It’s also flawless stand-up comedy. No easy jokes, no tricks, no shock-value, completely original, smart and silly. The best stand-up comedy shows ever made, back to back and when you finish the last one it all starts over again. Something that no comedian will ever be able to repeat. No one clip to recommend, just find four hours.

• Huge Davies’s 2019 show The Carpark is also available to stream here.