From its new Edinburgh venue

The BBC has announced more additions to its coverage of the Edinburgh Fringe, as well as the shows it is staging.

The corporation has built its own large, tented pop-up venue behind the Pleasance Dome this year, from which it will operate from tomorrow.

A big attraction is the BBC Comedy Presents show, which takes place twice-daily or the rest of the festival. The Late Show on August 19, featuring Lee Nelson, Russell Kane and Charlie Baker, will go out live on BBC Three.

Channel controller Zai Bennett also promised ‘loads of exclusive gigs online and on the red button’. Festival-goers can also leave funny 15-second video messages in a booth at the BBC venue, with the best being broadcast on the channel.

Meanwhile, BBC Four is recording Edinburgh Comedy Live, an evening of ‘dynamic and intelligent comedy’ to go out as an hour-long show later this year.

Arthur Smith will be the BBC’s voice of the festival, with duties including presenting Radio 4’s red-button coverage and Radio 4 Extra’s The Comedy Club with Andi Osho for Radio 4 Extra. Other Fringe shows for the digital radio channel include Jason Cook hosting the comedy round-up show What’s So Funny, Fred MacAulay’s traditional Radio Scotland festival show, and Mel Giedroyc’s family-friendly 4 O’Clock Show.

On Radio 4, Stephen K Amos’s show Life: An Idiot’s Guide; Comic Fringes with Sarah Millican, Bridget Christie and Joe Lycett; and Just A Minute will also come from the festival.

Radio 2’s Ryan Turbidy will present his Saturday morning show from the site on August 27, with guests Paul Merton, Nicholas Parsons, Richard Herring, Frisky & Mannish, Russell Kane and Roisin Conaty; while Radio 5 Live’s Nick Hancock will also present his comedy discussion show The Back End of Next Week from the festival.

Published: 11 Aug 2011