Cain is left reeling after unexpected new discovery in Emmerdale
A few days ago, Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper) received confirmation that she was now officially divorced from Tom King (James Chase).
Once Tom's relatives Nicola and Jimmy King (Nicola Wheeler and Nick Miles) discovered the development, they offered Belle some support, and Nicola wondered how long it would be until she started getting back into the dating scene.
Belle set up a profile on an app and Nicola managed to grab her phone and swipe on a few accounts, one of them being Kammy's.
Of course in the moment his phone pinged with the notification, Kammy didn't know that Nicola had swiped, which meant the next time he saw Belle, he was coy and giggly, wondering how long it would be until they went out on a date.
Because of Belle's anxieties surrounding relationships, she quickly shut Kammy down and said she wasn't interested at all. In tonight's episode though, it was clear that wasn't entirely true.
Belle arrived in the café and found Kammy. They joked about Kammy lying on his profile and pretending that he's the boss at Cain's garage.
And then he arrived.
Cain questioned Kammy about this and it left him fearful, but it was clear he wasn't being totally serious. As he approached the counter for a drink, Cain glanced back at Belle and Kammy. They were laughing together and Cain realised that his sister was very much enjoying Kammy's company.
A while later, Cain found Kammy in the village. He apologised again about the profile lie, but then found himself feeling even more awkward when Cain wondered if there was something going on between him and Belle.
Kammy reassured Cain and said they're just mates.
Cain can clearly sense something is going on though as if not, he wouldn't have felt the need to remind Kammy that Belle has been through an awful lot, and doesn't need someone messing her around. More Trending
In the pub, Belle discovered what Cain had said to Kammy, and reiterated that they were just friends.
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It certainly left Kammy feeling a little bit crushed, but he will find himself smiling in the coming days, as he spends more time with his new pal.
Belle is encouraged by Lydia Dingle (Karen Blick) and decides to relish in the good vibes Kammy brings. If this is Belle's new romance storyline, overcoming her worries in her first relationship post-Tom will be a lot for her.
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But will Kammy end up being the right match after all?
MORE: Here's where you've seen Vinny's attacker Mike in Emmerdale before
MORE: 31 Emmerdale spoiler pictures for next week confirm Mack's game-changing discovery
MORE: Emmerdale favourite 'to get the blame' for devastating Vinny attack in ITVX release
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Metro
6 minutes ago
- Metro
'I was a top UK cocaine smuggler and I think Top Boy is completely ridiculous'
When you've lived a life 'comfortably in the top 1% of cocaine smugglers', watching the drug trade play out on the small screen can make the flaws hard to ignore. Take Ronan Bennett's Top Boy, which was touted as a realistic portrayal of life on a Hackney council estate with the 'shotting' (selling), 'food' (drugs) and 'Ps' (cash) in the mix. Yet reformed drug smuggler Andrew Pritchard, 58, says elements are 'completely ridiculous' and 'exaggerated'. Pritchard hails from Hackney and Stoke Newington and so knows a lot of the cast of the Netflix show. 'It's so far from the mark it's unreal,' he tells the Metro. He says shows like it 'raise the bar with kids' for what they might expect from a life in London's criminal underworld. 'They think it's normal to go and shoot and spray people,' he said. 'They don't realise that one drop of blood costs more than 100 kilos of cocaine. The minute you put blood on the street, the police are all over you.' If you're in the market for the more genuine article, Pritchard recommends This City Is Ours on the BBC. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. The way he tells it, his own story is ripe for screen adaptation – and he would undoubtedly be a stickler for authenticity. Retreading his own misspent youth is part of what he does now with The AP Foundation, giving young offenders a glimpse into the life of a top drug smuggler; one that was a thrilling, addictive ride but that hurt people and ended with 15 years in prison. By the time Prtichard was 21, it was the height of the 1980s house party craze, and he was behind some of the largest illegal warehouse raves in the country. The guest lists weren't anything to be sniffed at either, with Pritchard reeling off names like Milli Vanilli, Boy George and the Pet Shop Boys. It was through these parties that he also became 'open to the criminal elements' and started to build an elaborate drug smuggling operation, spanning Europe and the Caribbean, where his mother arrived in the UK from as part of the Windrush generation. As Pritchard details in the new Sky docu-series Amsterdam Narcos, first came ecstasy, then cocaine. To be more specific, 'vast' amounts of ecstasy, which wound its way into clubs and venues. He used friends at the fruit markets in New Covent Garden and New Spitalfields to get the stuff over from Holland – where the round design-stamped pills was booming. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'Holland was a very big exporter of apples and potatoes,' Pritchard explains, speaking rapid-fire, because he knows this inside-out. 'But apples were a really good choice because of the boxes they come in. They had different crates on them and also they were quite heavy. 'So what I discovered was that if we could simply place a bulk of ecstasy at the bottom of each crate, and obviously put trays of apples above them, they were quite a good transport. They were perishable goods so they would come through customs very quickly.' The Sky docu-series gets into this, but it's staggering to hear the number of places you can hide drugs in transit. 'Places you possibly couldn't imagine,' says Pritchard. 'We had them everywhere from the nose of the plane to the cargo bins. 'Everywhere you could imagine, on a ship, plane or passenger, we hid drugs.' With drugs, violence inevitably follows. Pritchard doesn't shy away from the brutality, describing people he's seen 'shot in the head, put in the boot of a car and set fire to'. But there was never any point in having a security team, he says, because 'the kind of people you deal with will just drive by and spray everyone'. 'You're your own security. It's how you do business with people,' he explains. 'You have to become a person they can't afford to lose in that chain, because a lot of people rely on you, so they wrap you in cotton wool.' He says that was his 'protection blanket', alongside a good deal of luck. When a close call forced Pritchard to flee to Jamaica, with the help of extended family on his mother's side, he moved into cocaine. In the noughties, an estimated 20% of the cocaine in Britain came through Jamaica. Pritchard's contact book was stuffed: people on the wharfs, docks, planes, from Montego Bay into Schiphol Airport, to Heathrow and Gatwick. So how much money was he making? That, he's less candid about. 'It's very difficult to put a button figure on it,' he says. 'Turning over hundreds of millions, yes, but what you could actually say you may have at some point received would be a different figure altogether.' As with every great crime drama, from Goodfellas to Scarface, there's always the third act looming, when it's time to pay the piper. Pritchard's arrived in 2015, when he was sent down to Belmarsh. But since he was released and set up his charity to help young offenders, Pritchard's life has been a series of 'surreal' moments. Including attending a knife crime conference at the Old Bailey, only to meet the judge who sentenced him. When the judge, no longer wearing his wig and gown, started to apologise for issuing such a lengthy sentence, Pritchard stopped him. 'Don't apologise, I said, because you changed my life. If I hadn't put in that time and come to my senses, I would be here in front of you in handcuffs again, not sitting here advising kids why not to live this lifestyle,' he told the judge. Prtichard has even brought in a number of fellow reformed offenders to help with his foundation, including Stephen Mee (former drug lord turned artist) and Kenneth Noye (of the Brink's Mat heist, or Jack Lowden's real-life character in The Gold, for TV fans). More Trending 'They know what it's like to sit in prison for 30 odd years and watch people you love die while you're wasting away,' says Pritchard. Now their role is to tell those at the start of a life of criminality that it isn't all it's cracked up to be in shows like Top Boy and Gangs of London. 'You have to tell them the truth, tell them what it is. It seems glorious. And I'll say to you, yes, it's glorious in parts. 'There's two sides to this coin, but when it flips, that other side is not a nice side.' View More » Amsterdam Narcos airs 13 August on Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW . Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. 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Metro
40 minutes ago
- Metro
We tried every item from Lidl's bakery — 39p item with ‘no faults' was the best
Greggs might have the monopoly on sausage rolls in the UK, but when it comes to cheese twists, brownies and pizza slices, there's another place people head to. Lidl's in store bakeries are the unlikely favourite of many Brits, who can't get enough of the low prices and large array of pastries, cakes and savoury items. Don't believe me? The retailer has been crowned the UK's favourite supermarket bakery for two years running and they sell 122 All Butter Croissants every single minute. The permanent selection of baked goods includes 41 different items, and they regularly add limited-edition treats to the range. But which items are actually worth buying? Metro decided to find out by trying every item from Lidl's bakery – and we've ranked them all. Below are our completely honest reviews, from the best of the bunch, to the ones we wouldn't buy again. We scored each item out of five and have grouped all the ones with the same scores together, going from highest to lowest score, but in no particular order. Chocolate Iced Doughnut, 39p You can't go wrong with Lidl's chocolate doughnut. It's a perfect afternoon sweet treat and not overly-indulgent. It's an underrated classic and far better than the supermarket's other doughnut options (looking at you Pink Iced Ring Doughnut). I honestly can't fault it. Score: 5/5 Cheese Twist, 99p Lidl's cheese twist is particularly good – and did I mention it only costs 99p!? The pastry strikes just the right balance between flaky and buttery, with a sharp mature cheddar filling that cuts through the richness. The only issue is I could inhale a dozen without thinking, but that's a 'me problem' Score: 5/5 Ultimate Chocolate Brownie, 89p Rich, fudgy and super gooey, this ultimate chocolate brownie is basically a chocolate lover's dream. Full of deep cocoa flavour with that perfect dense, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Score: 5/5 Reviewed by Anushka Suharu, audience growth editor Toffee Filled Yum Yum, 79p Being a Northerner I know a thing or two about Yum Yums – they were the 'go-to' treat when you did something good, and I was always good! I have to say without question this was the best Yum Yum I've tried, the addition of the melted toffee in the middle has turned a once tasty treat into an absolute taste sensation. Everyone needs to try this, it was delicious! Score: 5/5 Chocolate Cronut, 79p Like heaven in one bite… if you have an ultra sweet tooth it's totally delicious however could not finish a whole one. Score: 5/5 Seeded Sourdough Loaf, £1.99 Very good – the type of loaf that you buy 'for the weekend' and then find yourself having eaten it all just with butter by Saturday morning. Seeds give it a hint of healthy respectability. Score: 4.5/5 Pretzel, 79p Pretzel is salty and chewy, but not too tough even after sitting around for a while. There's a lovely colour to the bake and it tastes wonderful with some cream cheese. Overall, I'm a big fan it looks visually appealing and I would buy it again. Score 4.5/5 Mozzarella and Pesto Pizza, £1.29 The perfect size for a small lunch or snack where each bite provides a delicious flavour-bomb of generous globs of cheese on a pesto-slathered base. The bread is mostly fluffy but after I popped it in the microwave for 20 seconds, the dough around the cheese went a little soggy. I would have liked a little more tomato for taste. Score: 4.5/5 White Crusty Roll, 29p Crusty on top, nice and soft on the bottom. Not the biggest roll, would be disappointing if I only had one as a sandwich for lunch, but if it was being served in a bread basket, I'd be very happy with it. Score: 4/5 Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant, 69p This tastes great. It's got the right amount of chocolate filling inside and it's even better when paired with a cup of tea. Score: 4/5 Apple Turnover, 69p Beautifully sweet and chewy on the inside, with a crunchy, flaky shell on the outside. It tasted fresh but would benefit from being warmed up. Score: 4/5 Blueberry Filled Muffin, 89p If I were rating this as part of a technical challenge on the Great British Bake Off, it would probably be a bit of a fail – the blueberries have all sunk to the bottom and whoever made it hasn't been very generous with the blueberry jam filling. However, we're not on Bake Off, so I'll let those things slide. The muffin itself is super soft, but the crumble topping adds a nice contrasting texture, and the whole thing is just on the right side of being too sweet. Paired with a cup of strong coffee, this would be a delightful breakfast or mid-morning treat. Large White Sourdough Bloomer, £1.99 The bloomer is big, easy to slice, and light but not crumbly – meaning it'll be the perfect addition to a weekend fry-up. I can already tell this sourdough is going to become a firm staple in our house, especially on Saturday mornings, served warm from the oven. Score: 4/5 Ancient Grain Roll, 35p I really liked the texture, it has a good crunch when you bite into it – it's crusty, but not too crusty. The seeds go all the way through the bread and it's got a nice flavour. This would be top notch served warm with butter. Score: 4/5 Vegetable Pizza Slice, 99p If you are going into Lidl expecting the best pizza of your life then don't. But, if you are looking for an affordable, pizza option for a snack or lunch then it is brilliant. The veg toppings taste fresh, the dough is soft (which some may dislike) but gives it a nice bread-y texture which is filling and delicious. The only real complaint is the lack of a true pizza feel, but for something tasty and cheap then you really can't go wrong! Score: 4/5 Triple Chocolate Cookie, 55p Chewy with a little crumble around the edge, super chocolatey with crunchy milk and white chocolate chips. Quite decadent but perhaps a little too rich if you've not got a massive sweet tooth. Score: 4/5 Belgian Bun, 79p A soft and squidgy bun, exactly as it should be. Good icing to bun to raisin ratio – not quite as good as one you would get from an independent bakery but a very enjoyable afternoon treat nonetheless. Score: 4/5 White Artisan Baguette, 99p Looks like something you'd buy from your local bakery or cafe and it tastes pretty darn good too. Had this been garlic bread, it would have achieved full marks. Score: 4/5 Margherita White Cheddar Pizza, 99p Has flavour, does the job and overall enjoyed it however base felt slightly too soft is my only critique but I have and would buy it again! Score: 4/5 Petit Pain, 29p Not overly exciting as far as bread rolls go, but it's a perfectly solid option for a little sandwich – like a jambon beurre, or if you wanted a roll to go with a meal. It's pretty tough and crusty though, so I imagine you'd want to add lots of butter. Score: 3.5/5 Chocolate Twist, 69p Pastry could have done with being a little more flaky, slightly on the stodgy side however there was a nice buttery taste and a generous amount of chocolate filling, overall tasty! Score: 3.5/5 Crusty Wheat & Rye Bloomer, £1.99 Honestly, if you gave me this and told me it came from Gail's, I wouldn't bat an eyelid. It's got a decent amount of flavour and it's a fraction of the price, so that's a win. Score: 3.5/5 Reviewed by Kristina Beanland, lifestyle editor Pastel de Nata, 69p Not quite like the ones you get in Portugal, but if the pastry was a bit crispier and there was a bit more flavour through the custard it would have been spot on. Score: 3.5/5 Reviewed by Jack Moore, commercial team Chocolate Hazelnut Doughnut, 79p Very Krispy Kreme vibes, a good classic filled doughnut but, and I can't quite believe I'm saying this, there was almost too much filling, which made it a bit too rich for one. Score: 3.5/5 Reviewed by Ross McCaffery, deputy opinions editor Sticky Cinnamon Bun, 79p Rich cinnamon flavour which is good and the bun is light and moist, but gets a bit sticky while eating. Missing icing on top which is a shame. Good portion though. Score: 3/5 Rosemary and Sea Salt Focaccia Roll, 69p A focaccia that isn't hot and fresh out of the oven is a bit of a hard sell, but this one still tasted good and was nicely soft. Can't really see where you might use it though, it's a little too garlicky for a snack on the go, and you'd feel a bit short changed getting served it with some pasta. Score: 3/5 Pain aux Raisin, 69p As far as pain aux raisins go, this one is mediocre at best. Like Lidl's pain au chocolat, the pastry is squishy and floppy, but there are lots of raisins inside, so that's a plus if you love those. Score: 3/5 Demi Baguette, 39p It's hard to get too excited about a plain baguette, but for the price this is a decent option. It looked slightly anaemic and didn't have the crispy crust you might expect from a classic French bread baton. That said, I was impressed by how fresh it still tasted after a day in my breadbin – a solid choice for lunchtime sandwiches. Score: 3/5 Reviewed by Jessica Lindsay, assistant lifestyle editor Almond Croissant, 69p Like many of the other pastries, this croissant looks very pale, is rather floppy and a bit doughy. There's not a consistent amount of frangipane all the way through, just a big lump in the middle. But it's got a strong almond taste. It's nice but not a high quality croissant. Score: 3/5 Cheese Pretzel Roll, 35p If you want the saltiness and firmness of a pretzel, but the texture and shape of a bread roll, look no further than the pretzel roll. The whole thing is topped with cheese, so there's a lot going on and while it tastes perfectly acceptable, the fusion of ingredients perhaps gives the bread somewhat of an identity crisis – I didn't know whether to toast it or dive straight in. Score: 3/5 Maple and Pecan Plait, 69p As far as sweet treats go, I consider maple and pecan plaits to be an elite flavour combo. However, Lidl's take was lacklustre and leaves you with a dry and sticky mouth. The filling is smooth and strong but the pastry is soft and stodgy, not crisp and crumbly as you would like. The pecans are a nice addition but unfortunately don't do much for the overall result. Score: 3/5 Stonebaked Panini Roll, 35p This is essentially a vehicle for fillings. Stuff it with molten cheese, some kind of sauce and meat and you'd have yourself a good panini. Not exciting on its own, rather bland and spongy, but who is just eating a panini like that anyway? Score: 3/5 Milk Chocolate Cookie, 55p There is nothing worse than a hard cookie – and thankfully, this is not that. In fact, it might be too chewy. I reckon this is 5/5 when it comes out the oven but loses its moisture quickly. Luckily for us, tea exists, and this was back up to a 5/5 once I'd given it a quick dunk. Score: 3/5 Pink Iced Ring Doughnut, 39p It would be 2/5 but it gets an extra point for looking like the Simpson's donut. It didn't really blow me away, the dough was chewy but was overall a bit bland. Still a nice afternoon sweet treat nonetheless. Score: 3/5 White Chocolate Cookie, 55p Anyone who knows me will know that I LOVE a cookie, especially a white chocolate one, so I was pretty excited to try this one. It was soft and chewy in the middle, looked a little under baked (which I like) and had lots of chocolate chips on top. I loved the texture but it's not as good as an M&S cookie. There's a slightly weird flavour to the cookie itself, it almost tastes like gingerbread. Score: 3/5 Jam Filled Doughnut, 49p This doughnut has a lot going for it. It's the perfect collapse-in-the-mouth texture, it's got a deliciously powdery outside that has you licking your fingers after, it's got a good dough-to-jam ratio. What it does not have, however, is depth of flavour. I like my doughnut fillings with a bit of kick – a nice tart jam – and this jam was just nice, no tart. I'm not averse to a seed in my jam either, but alas this filling was smooth and sweet, depriving Lidl of the perfect score. Score: 3/5 All Butter Croissant, 59p Lidl's croissant is a cult bakery item, but if I'm being honest I'm struggling to see why it's so popular. I love Lidl, but this just didn't hit the mark. When I buy a croissant, I expect layers of fabulously flaky pastry – I'm looking for lovely lamination, but I can't find it anywhere here. The pastry looked a little dry (although I'm pleased to say it didn't taste that way). It wasn't overtly bad, but a bit bland and stodgy, with only a slight sweetness to it. Score: 2.5/5 All Butter Pain au Chocolat, 69p The colour of the pastry is waaaaay too light, it looks like it needs to go back in the oven and it feels like it too – it's very soft and floppy. But there's a good amount of chocolate inside. I wouldn't want to start my day with one of these, but it would satisfy a hunger craving in a pinch. Score: 2.5/5 Low GI Multiseed Cobb, £1.99 The crust on this is nice, very satisfying to cut a slice, or tear into it if you just can't wait. But the bread itself has little flavour, which is rather disappointing. Score: 2/5 Reviewed by Kristina Beanland, lifestyle editor Chocolate Filled Muffin, 89p This chocolate muffin is moist and has a nice texture with tasty chocolate chips BUT the gooey centre is thin and metallic and the sponge is pretty bland. It's not a terrible choice if you're in a pinch, but there are definitely supermarkets that offer more decadent, tastier versions of this treat. Score: 2/5 Reviewed by Laura Harman, senior entertainment reporter Stonebaked White Roll, 35p This roll ticks every box, except for one and sadly, it's the most important one it misses the mark with. More Trending All the places you can get free food on A-level results day Food 23 hours ago By Courtney Pochin The best curry houses in England have been revealed — find your local with our map Walkers is launching two permanent new crisp flavours for first time in decades I tried to 'beat' the Tesco meal deal — and left the supermarket with change Floury on the outside and fluffy in the middle, this bread stayed soft and fresh for ages, but it doesn't taste as good as it looks. Ultimately it's bland and boring. Score: 2/5 Reviewed by Courtney Pochin, specialist food writer The best of Lidl's limited-edition bakery items... During Metro's taste test, we were also lucky enough to try a few limited-edition items from Lidl bakery. These aren't currently available to buy at the supermarket, but there's always a chance they could return to shelves at some point in the future… (although, Lidl makes no promises about this). Either way, here's a look at our top picks to keep an eye out for in case they ever do make another appearance. White and Milk Chocolate Doughnut A good doughnut needs no ceremony. This one had sugar, fat, and the courage to be both milk and white chocolate. The white chocolate was soft and the milk chocolate was delicious. I bit in and god help me, it was good. Score: 4.5/5 Reviewed by Thomas Rawe, Metro account manager Birthday Cake Bun Lidl's Birthday Cake Bun combines all the best elements of a doughnut (pink icing and sprinkles) with a scroll-like bun (jam-filled and soft in the middle). Sure, it's sweet – but who really wants a birthday cake that's not? The only thing that could improve this would be for the softness to extend throughout the whole bun. Supremely satisfying. Score: 4/5 Reviewed by James Besanvalle, assistant opinion editor School Cake A well executed take on the classic school cake. Sponge was moist and full of flavour but the icing was a tad too thick to truly compare. Score: 4/5 Reviewed by Alex Goldsmith, head of social video While these aren't currently available, Lidl's limited-edition offering right now features a Cookies and Cream Doughnut, Tiramisu Loaf and a Pain Suisse. Yum! Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ Deals of the Day Everything a Fashion Editor is buying now in Aligne's sale for next season I'll sleep soundly through the next heatwave thanks to this game-changing item Secret behind the name of Nars' cult blush Orgasm Back-to-school coats sorted – Regatta has kids covered (literally) with up to 50% off View More » Comments MORE: All the places you can get free food on A-level results day — from Nando's to Bill's MORE: All the places you can get free food on A-level results day — from Nando's to Bill's MORE: Aldi reveals the quietest time to do your supermarket shop over summer The Slice Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews. Postcode ? DOB ? Email I agree to receive newsletters from Metro Sign Up This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy
Metro
3 hours ago
- Metro
Comedian made homeless from Edinburgh Fringe debt has idea to save festival
Barry Ferns first took a show to the Edinburgh Fringe over 25 years ago, having found his home in the comedy community as a teenager in 1995. Emotionally, being one of the 3,500 acts to take a show to the the Scottish capital, is draining. Financially, it can be crushing. Barry, who grew up on a council estate in Dorset, experienced this first-hand. 'When I came to the Fringe, it was really like finding my family, finding home, finding my tribe,' he explains to Metro. Barry would go into his overdraft and get a loan in order to make his mark on Europe's biggest celebration of the arts every August. Let's say it costs him £5,000 to take a show north, including accommodation, flyers, venue hire (which Barry thinks is the rough outgoings for many Fringe performers in 2025). For the other 11 months of the year he would work off £3,000 or so of this debt. He repeated this again and again until 2007 when he went bankrupt having clocked up £45,000 in the red. Barry, who is at the Fringe this year again, doesn't know any performer this year who has managed to find accommodation in Edinburgh for less than £1,500, and a venue for less than £2,500, unless they are doing the Free Fringe. 'I learned about compound interest the working class way,' Barry says. To avoid costs, a struggling Barry began cutting corners by giving up his permanent accommodation in order to avoid paying double rent in Edinburgh for a month, and he was eventually left homeless. 'It took me about three years to get back on my feet,' Barry says. Thankfully, when he was upright again, Barry decided to find a way to perform on his own terms, and co-founded one of London's best comedian haunts in Angel Comedy Club. This is the lengths comedians up and down the country will going to in order to take their shows to the Fringe. But while it's always been an emotional and financial nightmare for every performer, the playing field used to be much more even. Over the years Barry has noticed a shift in the festival that he says is not reflected in the Edinburgh Comedy Awards (ECA or 'the Oscars of comedy'). This is important because the awards hold a prestigious legacy and have spotted and shaped the British comedy scene since its inception in 1981. To give you a taste: the ECA launched the careers of Stephen Fry, Steve Coogan, Lee Evans, Al Murray, Sarah Millican, Frank Skinner, Omid Djalili and Eddie Izzard, to name a few. They mean so much more than their £10,000 reward for best show, and £5,000 best newcomer prize money. Barry remembers the Fringe before the comedy industry was a money machine. 'When I started comedy it was still very DIY. It didn't have too many big agencies [representing comedians]. Then in the mid to late 90s it began to take off,' he tells Metro. 'Then there was slowly increasingly more and more money in comedy, which meant producers came in to the Fringe, PR people came in.' He remembers talking to Eddie Izzard, who won the award – formerly called The Perrier Awards – in 1993. The legendary comedian's only advice for Barry going up to the Fringe was: 'Put up posters.' While everyone is still postering today, this advice shows how much the Fringe has changed. What used to be ramshackled is now a sleek, professional machine. Nevermind posters, in 2025 having an agent and PR team is the best – and perhaps only – way to get your name out there in any serious way. Any decent publicist will have chatted up critics and industry names; not to sway reviews – there's no big conspiracy here – but to get important bums on empty seats, and hopefully create a buzz around their client. If you don't have professional backing and are DIYing the Fringe yourself – that means flyering all day, performing into the night, and as Barry has done in previous years, cleaning your venue in the morning for cash – you will likely end up burnt out, out of pocket, and inevitably without that elusive 'big break'. 'Everyone used to be on the same ramshackled playing field. Now there are very much two-tiers,' Barry says. One is shows with help: whether that be financial, agency representation, a team behind them. Another is people who are doing everything themselves, armed with just a dream and either healthy bank accounts or a penchant for risk-taking. Introducing Barry's big idea, which he laid out in an open letter to the Edinburgh Comedy Awards and its director Nica Burns this week. 'There's such a huge divide that's come up over the last 30 years between these two types of shows [the DIY and the pro] I think that should be reflected in the awards,' Barry says. 'Not every performer has everything, but if you have support it means you're not having a manifold number of stresses. It means you could focus on the show and the show was going to be better.' But for everyone else? They're likely knackered by the time they get on stage for their 7pm show. 'You can be a bit all over the place. You've just done three hours of flyering in the rain, spoken to 100 people that are hopefully coming to your show. So by the time you get on stage, your energy is going to be totally different compared to somebody that isn't doing all those things and has spent the last four hours before getting on stage working on the show. 'The work can't be the same standard, so this should be reflected in the awards.' Currently the Edinburgh Comedy Awards has two distinguished gongs – best newcomer and best comic/comedy show – and a slightly flimsy third one: the panel prize, also known as the spirit of the fringe award. 'Like the Fringe itself, there are no rules,' the website explains of the panel prize. It's 'entirely in the gift' of the panel and may not be awarded at all. Barry's solution is to reserve this panel prize for acts who are DIYing the month of August. 'You can call it the panel prize. Call it the Spirit of Fringe Award. Call it whatever you want – it doesn't have to be called the DIY Fringe Award. You can keep the same name, but essentially, it's there. The opportunity is there, so why not make it meaningful, rather than an add on?' he asks. Of course there's a big question: where is the line? 'Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good,' Barry says. 'Even just starting a conversation and bringing language like this makes people aware that these acts exist. 'Even if it's an award category for an act that doesn't have an agent, fine. Okay, they might have a millionaire parent that's helping. Their dad might be Stewart Lee… But you start drawing what feels like a meaningful line somewhere, and then you can work from there. 'The first year might not be perfect, but what you're doing is creating an awareness that there is a gap between those people that have the support of the professional comedy industry, or people that are in that industry, and those that don't.' Before Harry Hill's excellent Fringe debut in 1992 which kickstarted the best newcomer category, the vast majority of debut acts wouldn't have been part of the national conversation. Now the chatter is dominated by who is the hottest debut act. (I was there last week as a critic, so can attest to this). Barry's hope is the same can happen to these 'DIY' shows. The Melbourne Comedy Show has done it with The Golden Gibbo Award, singling out independent shows – financially and in spirit – so why can't the Edinburgh Comedy Awards? The Edinburgh Comedy Awards told Metro: 'Writing in response to your open letter, which we read on Chortle. We want to reassure you that whether an act is unrepresented or represented is not a consideration in the Awards judging process. 'Treating every artist equally is fundamental to the principles of the Awards. Our judging team of panellists and scouts collectively see every single one of the 500+ eligible shows, with over 1,200 viewings so far, and many more still to come. 'Edinburgh Fringe is open access and offers the opportunity for everyone to come and show what they can do. We are a long way into this year's legally bound and rigorous judging process, conducted in line with the guidance published on our website. 'On a personal note, Nica still remembers sitting in an audience of six in a small back room of a pub, seeing the completely unknown Laura Solon deliver the most amazing show – she went on to win Best Comedy Show that year. To everyone who is in a small venue and unrepresented, you have the same chance of winning as everyone else.' — Nica and the Edinburgh Comedy Awards Producers Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Netflix fans stunned as controversial film about a dog 'goes too far' MORE: 'We are getting married on stage at the Edinburgh Fringe – please come to our wedding' MORE: Netflix fans rush to binge 'funniest British TV comedy ever made'
