The Stage

BBC to broadcast from pop-up venue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Published Friday 10 June 2011 at 17:36 by Matthew Hemley

The BBC is to broadcast live from a special pop-up venue in Edinburgh for this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The venue, to be based near Bristo Square, will host the activities of BBC Radio and BBC Television at the festival, as well as the Corporation’s online output.

Content to be broadcast from the venue includes BBC Comedy Presents, which will be transmitted from the venue twice a day, and BBC Radio Scotland’s MacAuley and Co, which will be broadcast in front of an audience.

Radio 4 meanwhile will showcase a selection of its comedy programming, including Just a Minute, while Penny Smith will host the Radio 2 Arts Show.

Also in the venue there will be masterclasses, including one from Ricky Gervais, who will discuss his new comedy Life’s Too Short.

Meanwhile, BBC Learning will host the Comedy School, offering attendees the chance to take part in writing and performance workshops.

Abigail Appleton, head of commissioning at BBC Learning, said: “I hope the Comedy School’s wonderful curriculum of workshops and masterclasses will appeal to a wide range of people in Edinburgh and at home online. The classes will not only give insights into the craft, creativity and business of comedy for budding comedy writers and performers but I hope will help develop skills and confidence for many different situations”.

Head of comedy Mark Freeland said: “Edinburgh Festival Fringe is one of the highlights of the UK’s cultural calendar and gives the BBC an unparalleled opportunity to nurture and showcase the best of the UK’s creative talent.”