Footage from Assembly Rooms launch

The venue’s artistic director said that the world’s largest arts festival was often marginalised by newspapers and broadcasters, despite it’s significance.

Speaking at the press launch of his venues’ 2007 programme, Burdett-Coutts said: ‘It’s very hard to get editors to make time on the radio and the television and get space in newspapers [for the fringe]

‘I find it extraordinary that an event like Glastonbury, that is a three-day event, seems to get almost more coverage than the Edinburgh festival and I think we all have a job making Edinburgh more known to the rest of the world.

Addressing the journalists in the room, he said: ‘We survive on your presence. May you do more to persuade your editors to do more on the festival.

'I do believe this is the greatest showcase in the world. I’ve been at it a long time and I’ve travelled to festivals all over the world and this remains true great live event in the world. It nurtures more live performance than I’ve seen anywhere. Let this Olympics of the arts carry on.’

Here are some of the comedy highlights from the launch, hosted by Jason Byrne and Adam Hills.

Jason Byrne’s magic trick:

David O’Doherty on awarding stars to shows:

Kristen Schaal:

Adam Hills:

Impropera:

Jason Byrne again:

Published: 2 Aug 2007