Interview: Craig Hill, ‘I’ve Been Sitting On This For A While!’

Ahead of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024, we’re chatting with a range of creatives who will be heading to the city over August to find out more about their shows. Today we’re chatting with Craig Hill about their comedy show, I’ve Been Sitting On This For A While!’

Can you tell us a bit about you and your career so far?

Yeah! I’m an ex hairdressing Glaswegian who moved to Edinburgh to study drama and after working in box office at the Gilded Balloon was inspired to try stand-up comedy and 25 years later I still love it! 

I was really lucky to be picked up by BBC Scotland earlier on my career to be on a programme called Live Floorshow featuring 5 comedians every Friday night, including Frankie Boyle, Miles Jupp, Reverend Obadiah Steppenwoolf III, Bob Doolally and myself. This led to some presenting at T in the Park music festival and ultimately into me finding an audience at the Fringe which I’m so grateful for. This year is my 25th Fringe Show which I can hardly believe. 

What is your show about? 

I usually don’t have a theme because I really want to talk about everything that’s happened to me in the last year that’s made me laugh and sometimes having a theme can restrict telling stories that aren’t related. Also my show really becomes about the audience because it’s becomes so, spontaneous which I love and which seems to be the part that the audience enjoy the most. So it’s a combination of funny stories we can all relate to, a lot of audience banter where the comedy comes out in the moment and singing - this year that a lot more singing! 

What was the inspiration for I’ve Been Sitting on This for a While! and what’s the development process been to get to this stage?

That might make it sound more theatrical than it is, but it’s just straightforward stand-up and my titles have always been double entendres so I now couldn’t call it anything else other than something cheeky. So the inspiration is that it has to be a cheeky title. And the development process is really me just keeping a note of everything that may be laugh this year and working my ass off to make it funnier! 

What made you want to take I’ve Been Sitting on This for a While! to the Fringe?

I think, if you live in Edinburgh and you do stand-up comedy and there’s an amazing Fringe on your doorstep, it would be mad not to do it. Also, I’ve done it every year so it’s just become my annual August highlight. 

Apart from seeing I’ve Been Sitting on This for a While!, what’s your top tip for anybody heading for Edinburgh this summer?

Go see Ray O’Leary. I saw him when I was in Australia at Melbourne comedy festival and he just made me laugh so much. I love discovering people I’ve never seen before. I think that’s what the Fringe is about.

Why should people book I’ve Been Sitting on This for a While!?

Well, it depends on what you like, but if you like spontaneous, off the cuff, energetic camp comedy, it might just be your thing! 

When and where can people see I’ve Been Sitting on This for a While!?

In a beautifully converted church which is a joy to perform in, called Just The Tonic Nucleus at 7pm.