2011 Edinburgh Fringe

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Star of BBC3's hit sitcom Him & Her, Joe Wilkinson debuts his full solo show at the Edinburgh Fringe having established himself as a rising star on the comedy circuit - but in his own eyes he still hasn't done anything of interest in his life.

My Mum's Called Stella and My Dad's Called Brian is Joe's acceptance of that fact. He isn't married, he doesn't have any children, and nor has he overcome an alcoholic father. The nearest he came to domestic abuse was when his mum would interrupt his post-school TV watching, though he insists the fact that his parents ensured he lives a sheltered life as a child was abuse in itself, neglecting that he may one day need such stories to pen an Edinburgh Fringe show.

Despite his relative lack of tasty issues, Joe has established himself as one of the most hotly tipped new acts on the stand-up circuit. The Kent-born comic combines a warm, likeable but entirely odd persona with sharp, absurdist observations and, having debuted in 2006, he soon caught the attention of major players in the comedy world when he finished runner-up in the So You Think You're Funny? final and won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year. He was subsequently invited to appear in The Comedy Zone.

Joe built a following at the Fringe as one half of Two Episodes of MASH, the cult and off-beat sketch act he formed with female comic Diane Morgan (Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights, Mount Pleasant). The duo won widespread acclaim and earned a BBC Radio 2 pilot which was equally-well received, being picked as a radio choice in The Independent, Time Out, Heat Magazine, The Telegraph and the Financial Times. As well as earning a full Radio 2 series, Joe was asked to support Alan Carr, Russell Howard and Stephen Merchant on tour.

The comic's major breakthrough came when he landed the role of creepy neighbour Dan in Stefan Golaszewki's sitcom Him & Her, which returns for a second series in September. Series 1 is also being repeated on BBC 1 in July. Joe has appeared on shows including Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Russell Howard's Good News, Show & Tell and The Rob Brydon Show. In June he made his debut on BBC's Have I Got News For You.

This is the first chance to see Joe's hour-long debut at the Fringe, and audiences are advised to see him now before he is but a speck in an arena - just don't expect sensationalism.