The Middle,
Edinburgh Fringe 2026
10:00 AM
6-16 August 2026
Las Vegas Room, City Cafe
Bios
Long bio (150 words)
Award-winning writer, comedian, and tech journalist Mat Smith’s jokes have been featured on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland. He has performed at major clubs and festivals across the UK — including Komedia, Hot Water Comedy Club, the Bill Murray, and Backyard Comedy Club — as well as Bi Pride (He’s bi, it wasn’t a booking error.)
He is a semi-finalist in the Komedia New Comedy Award and the West End New Old Act of the Year, and co-founder of Gigl Comedy, which runs shows across multiple London venues.
By day he writes about the future for a major US tech publication. By night, he thinks about the middle. He speaks Japanese, holds a black belt in judo, and has failed his driving test three times.
He is not Matt Smith. He has been asked.
The Middle (of the morning) — Edinburgh Fringe, City Café, 10am, 6–16 August.
Short bio (50 words)
Award-winning writer, comedian, and tech journalist Mat Smith has been featured on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland. He's performed at major clubs, festivals, and Bi Pride. He speaks Japanese but can't drive. Join him at The Middle (of the morning) at Edinburgh Fringe @ City Cafe, 10am, August 6–16.
Press release
PRESS RELEASE
He Reviews the Future for a Living. His New Show Is About the Bit in the Middle.
VENUE Las Vegas Room, City Café, Edinburgh DATES 6–16 August TIME 10:00am, 60 minutes
TICKETS edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/mat-smith-the-middle
Mat Smith — award-winning writer, comedian and technology journalist — is headed to the Edinburgh Fringe with an hour of standup. The Middle (of the Morning) kicks off at City Café for eleven performances from 6 to 16 August. Showtime is 10am, which is either brave or reckless – and probably both.
“Precise, direct and unwavering.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Mumble Comedy
By day, Smith writes about the future for a major US technology publication. By night, he thinks about the middle. The Middle (of the Morning) is the show that lives exactly where those two impulses meet. He also might be the most ‘middle’ person at Edinburgh Fringe 2026.
At 41, Smith has never learned to drive, could have been a child star and a gym class almost killed him. He also speaks Japanese and he will mention it. It’s a sharp hour of stories and distractions from a new comedy voice old enough to remember cassettes.
His jokes have been featured on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland. He is a finalist of Hastings New Comedian of the Year 2026 and a semi-finalist in the Komedia New Comedy Award and the West End New Old Act of the Year. He has performed at Komedia, Hot Water Comedy, the Bill Murray and Backyard Comedy Club and is a co-founder of Gigl Comedy, which runs stand-up shows across multiple London venues. He has also performed at Bi Pride — he’s bi, it wasn’t a booking error.
Edinburgh audiences looking for a Fringe show that is genuinely funny, quietly clever, and considerate enough to be finished before lunch should secure tickets early. He is not Matt Smith. He has been asked.
WHAT The Middle (of the Morning) — stand-up comedy by Mat Smith
WHERE Las Vegas Room, City Café, Edinburgh
WHEN 6–16 August, 10am daily, 60 minutes
TICKETS edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/mat-smith-the-middle
IMAGES (300DPI) matsmithcomedy.co.uk/ed-fringe-2026-the-middle
ABOUT MAT SMITH
Mat Smith is a technology journalist, award-winning writer and stand-up comedian. His material has appeared on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland. He is a finalist of Hastings New Comedian of the Year 2026, a semi-finalist in the Komedia New Comedy Award and the West End New Old Act of the Year, and co-founder of Gigl Comedy. He performs regularly at clubs and festivals across the UK. He is not Matt Smith.
PRESS ENQUIRIES matsfunny@gmail.com
INSTAGRAM @thatmatsmith