Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live

For those who couldn't make it to Edinburgh for the feast of comedy served at the recent Fringe festival, here's the next best thing. Kevin Bridges, no mean comic himself, playing host to the first of two stand-up selections. Russell Kane, Seann Walsh and Jason Byrne are the biggest names but don't miss the chance to catch the deliciously downbeat Andrew Lawrence, an underrated talent who's been known to squeeze laughs out of euthanasia. You'll die laughing.

TV commissioners must breathe a sigh of relief when the Edinburgh Festival comes around, offering as it does an opportunity for cheap programming with mass appeal. This week offers two such easy wins. On Friday at 10pm, the ubiquitous Seann Walsh introduces the slightly edgier end of popular stand-up at in BBC Three's Late Night Comedy Spectacular, which showcases Tom Rosenthal and The Rubberbandits.

But two-parter Comedy Festival Live 2013 is a more mainstream affair, packed to the gills with familar faces from Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo et al: Jason Byrne, Russell Kane, Andrew Lawrence, Seann Walsh (again)... And all hosted by Kevin Bridges. At some point this televised stand-up bubble will burst. But not for a good while yet, it seems.

If you're missing Josh Widdicombe from Adam Hills's Paralympics show The Last Leg, then you get another dose of the droll comic in this belated Edinburgh dispatch as he hosts Welsh wonder Mark Watson, cosy Iranian Shappi Khorsandi and Radio 4 regular turned Spamalot star Marcus Brigstocke.

Having recently come back from the Fringe this week I thought to myself: "Do you know what I need? To watch some more stand-up comedy."

BBC Three has been broadcasting a selection of Fringe programmes. One of these is Edinburgh Comedy Fest, hosted by Jon Richardson, featuring a selection of stand-up comedians and musical comedians performing at the Fringe.

Alongside Richardson were Josh Widdicombe, Neil Delamere, Abandoman, Seann Walsh, Mark Watson, Russell Kane, David O'Doherty, Andrew Lawrence, Ron Vaudey, Jimeoin, Tom Stade, Ed Byrne and Shappi Khorsandi. I don't know about you, but to me that seems a bit too much.

This programme only lasted an hour, and there were 14 different acts. On average they performed less than 5 minutes each. Also, as far as I know, Vaudey isn't even performing at the Fringe. What's more, it was not exactly that diverse. Granted there were comedians from abroad (Canadian, Irish, Iranian), but there was only one woman performing and one non-white person performing - and that was the same person.

In this short format, some comedians did come across better than others. Widdicombe, Delamere and O'Doherty got the laughs, while Vaudey seemed to be a bit flat. I think it would've been a better show if there were more episodes that were of a shorter length. And more variety in terms of style of performers and their backgrounds would be nice, too.

First of two showcases hosted by Jon Richardson, featuring stand-up acts at this year's Edinburgh Fringe festival. Comedians slated to appear include laconic Irishman Ed Byrne, whimsical Welshman Mark Watson, and razor-sharp, wide-eyed Shappi Khorsandi. This and The Culture Show have the festival pretty well covered but it would be nice to see more of the new, breaking comic talent on the fringe this year. Still, this makes you miss the half-lit caves crammed with damp tourists who've been drinking since midday.

BBC3's Edinburgh Fringe coverage peaks with this, their own live comedy show recorded two days ago at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre, held in aid of a local charity that provides support to people with HIV and hepatitis C.

It's just about the closest you'll get on the TV to the cream of the Fringe. Dependably funny
big names are everywhere, starting with the two comperes: Jon Richardson, who's been bringing his diffident wit to Eight Out of Ten Cats this year, and the smart Andi Osho, who should be a bigger TV property than she is. On the bill are Ed Byrne, Mark Watson, Shappi Khorsandi and Seann Walsh, among others.

An hour of stand-up recorded at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh, and showcasing some of the most popular comedians from the annual August comedy festival. Among them are Sean Lock (drily witty QI regular), Jack Whitehall (startlingly young, with endearingly shambolic delivery), Emo Philips (master of the one-liner) and Adam Hills (relentlessly cheerful Australian). Presented by Shappi Khorsandi.

The "Live" in the title is a bit of a misnomer as the Fringe has been over for weeks but, nevertheless, these two shows - hosted by Glaswegian comic Kevin Bridges - showcase some of the biggest names gracing the festival, including breakout Liverpudlian John Bishopthe deadpan wit of Mark Watson, the always entertaining Sean Lock and newer lights such as Jack Whitehall. It could do with a few more of those nominated for the Foster's Awards like Bo Burnham and Josie Long, but it's still a strong lineup.