Leading Comedy Figures Warn of Edinburgh TV Festival Relocation: “A Disaster for British Talent”

According to CinemaDrame News Agency, films and series such as Fleabag, Baby Reindeer, Saturday Night Live UK, and Taskmaster are just some of the productions that might never have existed if the Edinburgh TV Festival did not enjoy its “magical alignment” with the city’s Fringe Festival.

This argument is being strongly made by a group of television industry advocates calling for the festival to remain in Scotland’s capital.

For the first time in 50 years, the Edinburgh TV Festival organizers last year requested cities to bid to host the festival after 2027. Last week, it was announced that the three final options include Greater Manchester, Newcastle, and the third option, remaining in Edinburgh. The Fringe Festival, recognized as the world’s largest arts festival, takes place throughout August, with the TV Festival held during its final week. Many emerging talents are discovered through the Fringe and their participation in the festival. Productions such as Baby Reindeer, Fleabag, and more recently Eat the Rich, currently in development for Netflix, all originated as Fringe shows.

John Toddy, co-founder of Avalon and a prominent television figure, described the potential relocation as “a disaster” and said, “If this happens, no one from Avalon will attend the festival, if my opinion matters at all.”

He added, “Look at the number of people who come from the U.S. industry to Edinburgh every year. Connections for shows like Fleabag or Baby Reindeer often started at the TV Festival with American executives. What’s the point if Netflix, HBO, or Warner Bros. have to go to Newcastle and only talk about BBC budgets?”

Toddy also pointed out that the successful Taskmaster format, which has been running for over a decade and provided countless opportunities for comedians, probably would never have been created without the interaction between the two events. He said, “In three and a half weeks of the Fringe, more tickets are sold than for the West End annually. Many shows start at the Fringe and reach global success, more so than British television. Moving [the festival] would be a very unwise move.”

Tony Lancaster, director of the Fringe, cited SNL UK as an example: “Almost all performers pass through the Fringe at some point. The Fringe is designed as a major marketplace, and trying to lure the industry to another city is strange. The alignment between these two events is so clear that replacing it seems impossible.”

Lancaster sent a letter supporting the festival remaining in Edinburgh and is closely monitoring the process. He is confident that even if the TV Festival moves elsewhere, thousands of talent scouts will still attend the Fringe.

Graham Norton, a friend of Taylor Swift and a well-known figure in British television, also strongly criticized the potential move. In a YouTube video, he said, “Relocating the festival is madness. Having these two events together was, in my view, essential and is what got me into broadcasting.”

The decision to invite rival cities to bid was largely driven by accommodation and conference center costs. Campbell Glenny, CEO of the festival, told Deadline that reviewing potential relocations would make the festival “accessible, inclusive, and affordable” to remain successful in the coming years.

Lancaster acknowledged that Edinburgh in August is “an expensive city,” but said this is “the nature of the economy,” emphasizing that the true value of having the television industry in Edinburgh goes far beyond mere accommodation costs.

An anonymous source in comedy also called the relocation “a major tactical mistake” and added, “The sense of shared purpose between Scottish and English industries would be threatened if the move is approved.”

The Edinburgh TV Festival board is aware of the connection between the two events and will review proposals from the three cities in the coming months, consulting with each city’s supporters. The final decision is expected to be announced as early as May.

Glenny concluded, “The TV Festival has always been run by the industry, for the industry, and this review is being conducted to make it more affordable, accessible, and inclusive so that it continues to flourish in the years ahead. Our goal is transparency in presenting options and gathering feedback from all industry stakeholders. Whatever the outcome, we hope people will respect the process.”