“Possibly the best political comedy show on the Fringe” ★★★★★ Dominic Cavendish, The Telegraph
It was announced today, Monday 22nd July, that the former leader of the Scottish Labour Party Kezia Dugdale will join Matt Forde for a Political Party Edinburgh Festival Fringe special on the 14th August at 3pm at the Gilded Balloon Debating Hall. The First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon will join Matt for the second special on the 20th August at 1.30pm at the same venue.
Already in 2019, Matt has been invited to chair the One Nation Conservative leadership hustings, interviewing Michael Gove, Matt Hancock, Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Raab, to host the People’s Vote rally featuring speeches from figures including Lucianna Berger, Vince Cable, Michael Heseltine and Caroline Lucas and to debate Britain’s withdrawal from the EU with Tony Blair for the Institute Of Global Change. In his Political Party podcast, which has been a sell-out during its monthly residency at Westminster’s The Other Palace for nearly six years, he has spoken to guests ranging from former Change UK MPs Heidi Allen and Chuka Umunna, David Blunkett, Momentum’s Jon Lansman, George Osborne and Rory Stewart to name a few.
Previously on the Political Party Matt has brought Parliament to life through interviewing some of politics’ most powerful and notorious figures, including Ed Balls, Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell, Ruth Davidson, Nigel Farage, Harriet Harman, Alan Johnson, Dame Tessa Jowell, Neil Kinnock, Michael Portillo, Lord Prescott, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Jack Straw. The Political Party is now released weekly as a podcast and has amassed over 1 million downloads on Soundcloud and over 50,000 subscribers, is regularly in the Top 10 comedy podcasts on iTunes, has received a 2018 Best Comedy Podcast nomination from the British Podcast Awards and a Internet Award nomination from the Chortle Awards and has been highlighted in The Observer’s top political podcasts picks and The Daily Telegraph’s podcast of the week.
Alongside two Political Party specials, Matt is performing his new stand-up show Brexit, Pursued By A Bear, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 31st July to 25th August at the Pleasance Forth at 8.30pm
A former advisor to the Labour Party, Matt has hosted four series of Unspun on Dave. The highly topical political comedy chat received a nomination for the Best Entertainment Programme Broadcast Digital Award last year, following a nomination for the same award in the previous year. In the lead up to the 2017 General Election, Matt was a regular guest on the One Show, commenting on the best and most bizarre moments of the campaign trail. Matt presents Absolute Radio’s weekly Rock n Roll Football Show, with other broadcast credits including: Have I Got News For You (BBC One), The Royal Variety Performance (ITV), Mock The Week (BBC Two), Rory Bremner’s Coalition Report and Rory Bremner’s Election Report (BBC Two), Question Time (BBC One), This Week (BBC One), Newsnight (BBC Two) and Daily Politics (BBC Two).
What the Press Have Said About Matt Forde
“Forde is as gratifyingly sane as comedians come… smart, funny ideas” ★★★★Dominic Maxwell, The Times
“Is there a better political comic than Matt Forde currently working in the UK? I can’t think of another to touch him”
★★★★½ Jay Richardson, Chortle
“a stand-up of rare skill” ★★★★ Stephen Armstrong, The Sunday Times
“Singlehandedly fulfilling comedy’s brief of taking our political masters to task. Combining spot-on impressions with up to the minute observations” ★★★★ Mark Wareham, The Mail On Sunday
★★★★ Veronica Lee, The Arts Desk
★★★★ John Nicholson, The New European
★★★★★ The Herald
For more information and press tickets, please contact: Victoria Wedderburn at vwedderburn@avalon-entertainment.com / 0207 598 7222
