Our first show of the day is one of the best reasons to come to the Edinburgh Fringe – it’s Joe Wells Doesn’t Want to Do Political Comedy Anymore! at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Sneaky Pete’s, at 12:05 on Tuesday 20th. Here’s the blurb: “The news is too horrible to joke about, so Joe’s looking for a new shtick. Support for Frankie Boyle, Stephen K Amos and Alexei Sayle. Writer for BBC1’s Have I Got News for You. As seen on BBC3’s Quickies. ‘Some of the most surprising and thought-provoking material coming from any comedian’ (Guardian). ‘A genuine hidden treasure of the Fringe’ **** (Chortle.co.uk). ‘Recommended’ (Heat).”

We started catching Joe Wells at Edinburgh a few years ago as a word of mouth success, and, boy, was that word of mouth correct. If you like your comedy intelligent, incisive, and on the nose, he’s your man. Check back around 1.15 pm to see if he’s as great this year as in previous years (no pressure, Joe). By then the next preview blog should be available to read too.

Another cleverly crafted show where Joe regrets that political comedy is virtually redundant in this Trump/Johnson age, so searches deeper into his family and childhood to mine more great comic insights. Intelligent and incisive as always, and I loved the metaphor for not having labels in life. It’s not spoiling anything if I say Mrs Chrisparkle chose the can… Highly recommended!