Comedian Chris Cantrill has won the 2026 Edinburgh comedy award for his solo fringe show Rewilding, a spoof whodunnit inspired by the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree. The win, on his fourth nomination, comes as he prepares to write for a new series of the sketch show SNL UK, meaning he cancelled his final two fringe performances to start work immediately after the festival.

The Bradford-born comedian, 42, is the oldest winner of the prize since Bridget Christie took it 13 years ago, and had previously been nominated twice as a solo act and twice as part of double act The Delightful Sausage with Amy Gledhill, who won in 2024. Rewilding, set in a fictionalised Northumberland village, follows on from his 2024 show Easily Swayed and beat nominees including Lara Ricote and Harriet Dyer; Cantrill says the award has changed his career trajectory but downplays the practical impact of actually winning it.