'Arrive with an idea, leave with a career'
Actor and writer Richard Gadd reflects on how the Edinburgh Festival Fringe served as the catalyst for his career, specifically citing his show 'Baby Reindeer'. He notes that the festival's exposure led to major streaming deals and international success.
Why it matters
It illustrates the critical role of arts festivals in discovering talent and launching global entertainment careers.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Pauline McLean Scotland arts correspondent, Edinburgh Getty Images Richard Gadd's career began at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Richard Gadd says he owes everything to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
His show Baby Reindeer, a dark comedy about his experience of a stalker, won a string of awards, and enjoyed a sell-out run in Edinburgh before transferring to the London stage.
But it was the arrival of executives from the TV Festival in the final week of August in 2019, which took his career on a whole new trajectory.
"The show had sold out before the festival had even begun," he told a gathering at a Screen Scotland event to launch a new TV festival.
"This was exactly 10 years after my debut at the Fringe where I had to cancel a show because nobody had turned up.
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