Chris Cantrill, the 42-year-old standup from Bradford and one half of The Delightful Sausage, has won the 2026 Edinburgh comedy award for his show Rewilding. The prize, often called the “Oscar of live comedy”, comes two years after his comedy partner Amy Gledhill won the same award. Cantrill’s victory was announced alongside the best newcomer gong for Marty Gleeson, whose show Dog Ear took the prize.
Cantrill’s winning show and its rural inspiration
Rewilding is based on Cantrill’s new life in rural Northumberland, where an act of vandalism shocks the local community, leading to a spoof whodunnit. The show builds on his 2024 work Easily Swayed, which documented his move to the countryside and earned him his third nomination for the award, his first as a solo act. This year’s win marks his fourth nomination overall.
According to the organisers, Cantrill’s comedy is “uproarious, fun-loving and relatable”, with “palpable mainstream potential”. His victory stands out against a shortlist that, in both the best show and best newcomer categories, trended leftfield.
Marty Gleeson takes best newcomer with Dog Ear
Marty Gleeson received the best newcomer award for Dog Ear, an eccentric set inspired by her experiences at art school in her native Limerick. The show features a live bodhrán accompaniment and a setpiece that requires shaking the hand of every single audience member, marching “entirely to the beat of its own drum”.
The awards are known as a star-maker in British comedy. Previous winners of the main prize, first awarded in 1981, include Steve Coogan, Frank Skinner and Bridget Christie. The best newcomer gong, introduced in 1992, has been won by Harry Hill and Sarah Millican.
Panel prize and festival statistics
This year’s panel prize, which rewards initiatives that best sum up “the spirit of the fringe”, went to One Joke, a new event asking “how many comedians can tell one joke each, in an hour?” Produced by Liebenspiel, compered by Jonathan Oldfield, and headlined by comic Lorna Rose Treen, it featured contributions from 60 comedians and raised money for charity.
The winners were selected from more than 550 eligible shows at a festival claiming to be bigger than ever, with just over 4,200 registered shows across 299 venues. As winner of the best show prize, Cantrill receives £10,000, while Gleeson wins £5,000. BBC Radio 4 will broadcast a special showcase featuring nominees for the two awards tonight.
