Gail Porter hits out at Edinburgh Fringe Festival bosses as she claims she can’t perform this year after venue and accommodation prices skyrocket

Gail Porter says she cannot perform at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival because it is too expensive.

The television presenter and actress, 53, has performed a number of sold-out stand-up comedy shows at her hometown festival in the past, but this year she claims she has been ‘priced out’.

Venues can cost up to £10,000 per week and performers must also find money for Fringe registration fees, ticket commission, marketing and advertising, equipment hire and transport, public liability insurance and accommodation for themselves.

It is estimated that the total cost for a theater show in a 150 seat venue could be £25,000 for 23 performances, while a comedy show in a 30 seat venue for 23 afternoon performances could be £2,000.

Gail took to Instagram to share a photo of herself in the Scottish city, writing: ‘Edinburgh… you priced me out of the market. I can’t afford to perform at the festival.

“All these new sweet hopefuls who want to perform, want to make people think, smile, cry, laugh… they can’t afford to stay in my hometown.

‘I am so incredibly upset. Greed is never fun.”

She added on Twitter: ‘I was so excited to go to the @edfringe this year. But I’m priced out by the rising costs of B&Bs. My residence.

‘I feel so sorry for new young artists who can’t afford housing.

‘I am devastated that Edinburgh has done this. Greed is terrible.”

A response from the festival’s official Twitter account read: ‘Completely understand your frustration, Gail – please know that we are doing what we can to find solutions, be it through discussions with government or negotiating affordable options for artists.’

Gail replied: ‘Thanks for your response. I just feel sorry for so many people I know who don’t come to my house. Just very disturbing x x.”

MailOnline has contacted festival bosses for comment.

Gail’s followers took to the comments section to sympathize with the star.

One person wrote: ‘Oh that’s one hell of a Gail. I know exactly what you’re saying. It’s off the scale.’

While someone else shared: ‘Yes. I haven’t even had a chance to afford a stay there this year.’

Another follower posted: ‘First time in 15 years we’re not coming this year. We have always been able to make sacrifices to ensure we could come and enjoy the festival, but this year the accommodation prices are insane and if we continue to pay these prices they will only continue to rise. We’re devastated.’

‘Crazy prices. I haven’t been since 2019 and don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do a full run again,” another Gail fan commented.

Another Gail Porter enthusiast shared: ‘Artists need to arrange a boycott before anything changes. But of course that won’t happen and punters and entertainers will continue to be ripped off.’

And someone else commented: ‘Ticket prices have gone up, but the pay for the acts has remained pretty much the same over the last 25 to 30 years (and all associated costs, i.e. fuel/car insurance, have grown exponentially). Also Edinburgh Fringe every year, but that is also unaffordable.’

Another person wrote: ‘Will there be exceptions for artists performing at the Edinburgh Fringe? Apart from established well-known artists, it is becoming increasingly expensive. and unaffordable for lesser-known and emerging artists. That seems at odds with the spirit of the original Fringe.”

And someone else wrote: ‘I have a crazy fantasy about doing a live cartoon show at the Edinburgh Fringe but yeah. I think for a lot of artists it’s a very expensive hobby that we tried to justify as an investment because it works for someone every now and then.”

This year’s festival will take place between Friday, August 2 and Monday, August 26.