Matt Winning recalls his most embarrassing Edinburgh experience; what he can't get enough of at the festival; and the worst thing about the Fringe. Apart from the cost of accommodation, obviously.

Fringe cringe

I feel that every day something embarrassing happens. You are introduced to another comedian for the first time and have a pleasant conversation, maybe you will even become friends. Later that afternoon you wave at that person, who you now consider an acquaintance, but they do not wave back. And late at night said person walks past in a group and spots you eating noodles alone next to a bin. Repeat ad infinitum.

The most embarrassing event that happened to me was when an ex-girlfriend showed up to a midweek show and saw what was easily the worst gig of the whole run.

The entire audience, of which there was maybe 15 people, were sat in a V shape. Everyone was alone. And she was sat at the very back, at the point of the V. The entire show played to silence. Nothing. Cringe, I certainly did.

Fringe binge

I am going to binge on Edinburgh. The place. The city. I have missed it so much. The many smells: of the brewery, of baked potatoes in the sun, of urine running between cobbles, of desperation of a one-man sketch show flyering you at midday outside a toffee shop.

Until I did my tour show in April at the Stand I hadn’t been in Edinburgh since March 2020. My last live show for some time and my first foray into online gigs was an event at Edinburgh Castle which cancelled the audience on the day and was streamed instead.

That was two full years away. And I realised that that had been the longest time I hadn’t stepped foot in the glorious city since I moved there aged 17. I’d lived there for five years and afterwards been back for at least a month every year since for the Fringe. I felt absolute joy to be back in the beautiful city with the best pubs in the world and hundreds of my favourite adult memories, and I cannot wait to spend sustained time there this summer. Although I will be living in Glasgow.

Fringe whinge

The worst thing about the Fringe is either:

1) The month-long internal battle with your own ego whereby you wake up every morning in a jolt with your heart already pounding ready to do battle with your own internal demons because you’ve staked your annual savings on your own brilliance whilst being surrounded by brilliant people day in, day out for a Groundhog Day month of surviving on vegan sausage rolls, Irn-Bru and adrenaline or

2) Walking Silent Discos.

• Matt Winning: Hot Mess is on  at Assembly George Square Studios at 8pm. His debut book, also called Hot Mess, is out now.