Friday June 12th 2026
Best in Class act Lulu Simons
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
A crowd funded profit sharing show that ‘champions the rich talent of working class comedians’ is returning to this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe showcasing a line-up of some of the UK’s most exciting working-class comedy talent.
Founded in 2018 by Sian Davies, Best in Class was created to tackle the growing financial barriers facing working-class comedians at the Fringe.
Since then, the showcase has become a celebrated fixture of the festival, earning critical acclaim, selling out audiences, and receiving the Dave Panel Prize in 2022.
Entirely funded through public donations and fundraising, Best in Class covers performers’ costs and pays comedians for their appearances, helping to ensure talented working-class artists can access opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. Alongside the annual showcase, the organisation now offers bursaries to support working-class comedians developing their own Fringe shows.
Sian Davies Comedian & Bets in Class Founder explained:
“Every year it gets more difficult for working class comedians, with costs continuing to rise and talent being squeezed out. We’re so pleased to be back at the Edinburgh Fringe for our 7th show with a new line up of brilliant working class acts. We greatly encourage everyone to come along and support the next generation of talent.”
Fellow comedian and Best in Class act, Chloe Reynolds, added: “I’m so excited to be a part of this year’s best in class. They’ve been doing great work in breaking barriers for working class acts and I’m grateful to have the chance to go up to the fringe with the support of Best in Class.”
Another act, Lulu Simons, said: “Best In Class is grabbing the problem of the Working Classes, being priced out of participation in The Fringe, by the lapels, and making real space and a meaningful impact to working class creatives, during their initial run with the showcase, their debuts and beyond. The BIC alumni speaks for itself.”
Line up:
Christian Jegard:
“Mr Showbusiness” Christian Jegard is a vaudevillian alternative comic from Brighton. As recently seen on TV in the BBC New Comedy Awards, Christian can also be heard on Radio 4 Extra, was runner up Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year, Komedia New Comedy Award finalist, Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Runner Up and won Audience Favourite at the Musical Comedy Awards.
Lorna Green:
Lorna started doing comedy because it’s cheaper than therapy and she might as well invite people to laugh at her since they’re doing it behind her back anyway. Using self deprecation and dark humour as a way to cover topics such as getting older, dating, being *actually* neurodivergent and being a part of the woke generation, her unique perspective on the world offers light relief in the mundane.
Tabish Akbar:
Tabish Akbar is known for his punchy, inventive comedy, drawing on his own life and ideas shaped by growing up on council estates and navigating life from Dudley to London to Manchester. He has performed at top clubs including The Comedy Store, Top Secret and Hot Water.
Chloe Reynolds:
Chloe Reynolds used comedy as a way of coming out, turns out it’d have been easier to post on Facebook. Her comedy is sharp, self deprecating with an absurd edge. She was a finalist In the LGBTQ+ new comedian of the year 2025 and featured on the BBC new comedy awards.
Jonny Brook:
Jonny Brook, an award winning Sat Down Stand up. His legs are worse at their job than Austerity was at its. Thankfully though, his disability has given him hilarious tales to share, of what it’s like to be the human you’d get if you could order one off Temu.
Selam Amare:
From stand-up to standing up for her roots, Selam’s comedy is as rich and layered as an Ethiopian coffee ceremony – bold, warm, and guaranteed to keep you coming back for more. She was awarded the winning spot at TimeOut x Nando’s Extra Hot Comedy Club Competition 2025, and placed as a finalist in the Newcomer LoungesTV 2025, Semi-finalist at Funny Women 2025, and “So You think You’re Funny?” 2025.
Bert Broadbent:
Bert Broadbent is a stand-up comedian whose observational material looks at class, culture, masculinity, and everyday happenings through a slightly skewed lens.
Lulu Simons:
Lulu Simons brings the important topics to the stage – like the Spice Girls and your dad’s holiday pics. A proud Welsh, working class stand-up, writer, and performer; her latest show, “Council Estate Gap Year”, debuted to sell out audiences two years in succession and earned outstanding reviews. Winner of Best Newcomer 2025 Women In Comedy Festival.
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