Rising star Andrew Ryan hasn't looked back since his comedy debut two years ago. The Irish stand-up's rise through the comedy ladder is gathering pace, with appearances in the Hackney Empire and Laughing Horse New Act finals boosting his profile, complimented by regular appearances around the UK.

This August, Andrew will embark on his first run at the Edinburgh Fringe as he teams up with Chortle Best Newcomer Joe Lycett for their show, An Hour of Humour, which is part of PBH's Free Fringe, and the event will signal the latest step in his comedic emergence.

"After my first gig that was it; I was hooked," Andrew told us. "Even after bad gigs I love it; I just laugh it off and move on. I would never consider stopping - I do one of the best jobs around. Gigging with comics I used to pay money to see before I started doing comedy such as John Bishop and Ardal O'Hanlon is one of the most ridiculous things."

Such a grounded outlook has seen the Manchester-based comic quickly develop a following, another factor that Andrew still struggles to get his head round. He has, in fact, been likened to O'Hanlon in many reviews, though his observational style continues to develop and looks set to win him many more fans during August. "I'm doing thirty minutes on incidents I have experienced or witnessed over the last few months, and I turn them in to the funnies!" he says.

With the Edinburgh Fringe bringing together one of the most complete and diverse programmes of comedy in the world, Andrew has a long list of comics he hopes to see during the festival:"I'll be going to see Gary Delaney, Sarah Millican, Chris Ramsey, Jason Cook, Tommy Tiernan, Lady Garden and many more I'm sure!"

Given the number of shows on offer, why should audiences come to see his double-header with fellow up-and-coming star Joe Lycett? "We need the money! Joe and I are both very different in styles and both upbeat, have been gigging hard over the past year and it's free!" he said. It's a good pitch.

Joe Lycett and Andrew Ryan: An Hour of Humour will be on 6th - 16th, 18th - 23rd and 25th - 30th August at 5:15pm at The White Horse, 266 Canongate (Venue 296). The show is free and non-ticketed.