Chortle's Fast Fringe is back!

This year's comedy showcase is a digital download

Chortle’s Fast Fringe is back - as a virtual event.

Richard Herring, Nick Helm, Kevin Eldon and Lucy Porter are among the comedians featured in the video version of our acclaimed annual showcase, released today.

Every year we highlight some of the best comedy performers heading to the Edinburgh Fringe with a major London gala and a daily sampler show at the festival itself.

But with live performances on hold we have instead teamed up with leading indie label Go Faster Stripe to offer this fast-paced selection of bite-sized comedy morsels as a digital download.

Twenty acts feature in the show, which runs just over an hour long. Highlights include an eerily prescient routine from the late Sean Hughes, pictured, talking about making his will; a sneak preview of Porter’s next stand-up special, People Person; and an exclusive contribution from Tony Law recorded during lockdown.

However, most of the sets come from professionally recorded shows released by Go Faster Stripe, including such cult hits as Rob Kemp’s The Elvis Dead; John-Luke Roberts’ All I Wanna Do Is [FX: GUNSHOTS] With a [FX: GUN RELOADING] and a [FX: CASH REGISTER] and Perform Some Comedy!; and Pat Cahill’s brand new release Uncle Len Needs A New Part For His Hoover.

Others featured are: Tom Parry, Thom Tuck, Bethany Black, Noman Lovett, Arnold Brown, Scott Agnew, Ben Moor, MJ Hibbett (and Steve), Wil Hodgson, Phil Nichol and John Hegley. The full specials are all available from GoFaster Stripe.

The video costs £6, of which £3 will be donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee coronavirus appeal and £2 will go to Chortle, helping keeping this website going at a time when all revenue from comedy - including our advertising income - has all-but vanished. The final £1 is VAT.

And if this proves a hit, more lockdown Fast Fringe could be on the way!