The subject of today’s Q&A with debut comedians heading for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe is Cerys Bradley 

^{Picture: Miranda Holms}

What’s the best bit of advice you’ve been ever been given from a seasoned comic? 

Sarah Bennetto once told me that if you’ve had a bad gig you should use the fee to buy yourself a gift. My gift is usually cake. 

And what has proved to be the least useful? 

I haven’t been given any bad or un-useful advice from ‘seasoned’ comics. I don’t actually, usually, get given advice by seasoned comics. I do get a lot of advice from unseasoned comics, though, who want me to ‘just go out there and have fun’ or similar. I guess I must look nervous before I go on stage, even when I’m not, given that they normally follow it up with a ‘you were actually really good’ after my set. 

Is there one thing that keeps cropping up when people talk to you about Edinburgh in August? 

How much it is going to cost/is costing/costs more than last time… 

What’s your favourite word that begins in ‘e’? 

Easy (as in easy peelers).

Is there one act you absolutely HAVE to see in August?

I have a very long list of shows that I absolutely have to see. However, so far, the only ticket I’ve bought in advance is Liz Kingman: One-Woman Show because I already missed it in London and I’m worried it’ll sell out super-quick again. 

Picture yourself in early September: what would constitute a successful Fringe for you? 

My goals for the Fringe are to do every show, to meet some new people and to be able to down a pint without breaks. Therefore, I will have had a successful Fringe if, come early September, I’m completely exhausted, have a beautiful new beer belly and am constantly anxious from the psychological pressure of trying to actually send those follow-up emails I’ve promised to my new contacts. 

What percentage of your early stand-up performances is likely to appear in your Fringe debut? 

I was going to say not much but then I kept remembering bits. It depends on what you mean by ‘early’ because if we’re talking my first ever stand-up then 0% but I would say there are three routines that I have repurposed for this show that are from the BeforeTimes. I think, in total, they come in at just under 20% of the whole show. 

A successful Fringe is if I’m completely exhausted and have a beautiful new beer belly

Which other new comedian do you feel a special kinship with? And do you reckon it’s reciprocated? 

Leila Navabi made the mistake of calling me a friend on stage in front of witnesses recently so that’s now official. I wouldn’t really call her a new comedian given her sitcom, multiple other TV appearances, industry experience and writing career, but I will say that I really appreciate the support she’s given me.

Which side of your family do you get your funny bones from? 

I do not wish to give either side of my family the satisfaction. I think both my parents think they’re funny and they certainly give me a lot of drama to work with but if I had to attribute my sense of humour to anyone it would be my partner. I’ve gotten a lot funnier since I met her and had to work desperately hard to make her laugh so I’m going to say my funny bones are acquired rather than inherited.  

What will you do to keep fit and healthy (relatively speaking) during August? 

My show is about playing sports and mostly involves eating Snickers on stage, which seems pretty balanced to me. I’ve technically signed up to do a duathlon with some of my teammates on the first weekend in September and currently can’t run 5k so I have a lot of training to do in preparation. I’m hoping to run most days and, subsequently, do a lot of yoga to recover from the running but we shall see how long that lasts. In reality, I think I’m going to be spending the vast majority of the time I’m not on stage eating hummus in my pants and rewatching Fire Island.

Which word of six letters or more will crop up the most in your Edinburgh show? 

I do say the word ‘sportsperson’ a lot in my show. And ‘Snickers’. I also say ‘sorry’ to my audience a fair amount, but that’s only five letters. 

Cerys Bradley: Sportsperson, Gilded Balloon Teviot, 3–29 August, 4.40pm.