Hugh Laurie to recieve Edinburgh TV festival's biggest honour

Hugh Laurie is to receive the Edinburgh TV Festival’s outstanding achievement award, it was announced today.

The comedian, musician and actor started his career at Edinburgh as part of the Cambridge Footlights team that won the first Perrier award in 1981.

Festival director, Lisa Campbell said:’"Hugh Laurie resonates with so many generations of TV viewers - for some it’s George in Blackadder, for others it’s Jeeves, Dr Gregory House or Richard Onslow Roper in The Night Manager – to name a few. 

‘It’s a phenomenally diverse range of iconic shows for one man to be across from so many different genres – he’s brilliant and I’m thrilled he’s coming to the Festival.’

Laurie himself said: ‘I’d have been excited to receive an award just for Sticking Around - but this is overwhelming.’

He will receive the award on Thursday August 22, following an ‘in conversation with…’ session about his career.

Previous recipients of the outstanding achievement awards include Michael Palin CBE and writers Russell T Davies and Sally Wainwright.

Published: 5 Jun 2019