Waller-Bridge (picture above is from her Instagram) performed her one-woman play, Fleabag, at the Underbelly venue during the 2013 Fringe.

The show earned her an Olivier Award nomination and a special commendation from the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and was then adapted into a hit TV series for BBC 3/Amazon.

Waller-Bridge said:

“From leaking caves to cobbled streets to the glamour of the Traverse Theatre up to Arthur’s Seat, this festival is a beating heart of an industry that has been all but crushed by the pandemic, and I’m proud to be a part of the fight with the Fringe Society for its much needed survival and glorious return.”

The honorary appointment was unanimously confirmed by the charity’s board of directors, and she will attend events and speak on behalf of the society. At present The Edinburgh Festival Fringe will take place from 6-30 August 2021, either digitally, or live, or both. Until then Shona McCarthy, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society chief executive, said:

“The Fringe Society is here to keep advocating for the Fringe and the thousands of amazing creatives who make it happen every year. I am absolutely thrilled to have the fantastic Phoebe in our corner, championing those calls.”