Rob Preston is a character and sketch comedian whose solo work has earned him shortlists for the BBC New Comedian of the Year 2024 and Pleasance Reserve 2025, as well as a semi-finalist spot in the Leicester Square Sketch Off 2025. As a comic actor, Rob starred in the comedy play Brainsluts at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, which received four-star reviews from The Guardian, The Times, and The Stage. August 2026 sees Rob bring his debut character comedy show, ‘Amazing Global Solutions’ to the Edinburgh Fringe. We spoke to Rob about the show, his first character creation, and the horror of no free seats in Mosque Kitchen.

Can you tell us about ‘Amazing Global Solutions’?

I can, yes. It’s a character comedy show exploring people I’ve come across and barely, barely, attempting to conceal their identities. I feel confident that if I am ever confronted by any of the people I’ve based the characters off I will fold under the pressure and beg for their forgiveness. It’s a fast paced, and slow-paced show, so you’re getting a nice mix of pacings in there. The thing I’d say that unites all the characters is that you’d hate to have to speak to them for longer than about four minutes.

How have you structured the various characters and vignettes into a full Fringe show, and how much trial and error was involved in getting it to the point where it felt right?

All trial no error. I’ve never made a mistake in my life. Each day of my life is a trial, and I deal with it head on with grace and a steely calmness. I’ve knitted them together with an overarching narrative, but not in a way that is overbearing or that shoehorns the characters into some lofty story that doesn’t make sense. I think the characters should do the talking.

For those who might be unfamiliar with you, how would you describe your comedy and your approach to performance?

I would describe my approach as amateurish and my style as bracing. People will come away and say things like ‘wow that flew by and I feel really unwell.’

What is about character comedy that appeals to you as a writer and performer?

It’s just much more fun to pretend to be another person. I don’t know how stand-ups go from being this version of themselves on stage to being a different version of stage. What if they get them mixed up? I’m a huge advocate for separation of church and state with that sort of thing.

Who was the first comic character you created, and did they get a lasting place in your personal Pantheon?

When I was at university I did a rugby player character for a sketch, where the punchline was that he had chlamydia, which was based off a real friend of mine who was a rugby player who contracted chlamydia. I’m not sure it would work in settings outside of Leeds University winter of 2018.

How do you navigate satirising the more grotesque characters of the social media landscape through the very same platforms they themselves inhabit? Is that irony part of the appeal?

Blimey! I think you have to try and make these platforms work for you (whatever that means). I’ve curated my algorithm to be populated almost entirely by freaks. I’m tapped into the freakernet. I think I navigate it by just cracking on and not thinking about it too much. We’re all trapped in these social media doom loops, so at least if I’m making something that is honest and not disingenuous that’s good? Is that a good answer do you think?

You were at the Fringe in 2025 as part of Brainsluts. What are the best and worst things about the Fringe?

I was yeah. Best thing is Mosque Kitchen. Worst thing is when there’s no tables at Mosque Kitchen and you have to eat your curry on the steps 🙁

Can we expect to see you performing elsewhere during August; guest spots, compilation shows, etc?

100%. I must get those organised.

Are there any other shows/ performers at the Fringe that you would recommend?

So many. Too many. Dom McGovern. Emmeline Downie. Em Humble. Target Audience. Rockpools. Maia Tassalini. Freddie Meredith. Rory Marshall. I love those guys! I also want to see something that’ll confuse and upset me.

‘Amazing Global Solutions‘ is Below at Pleasance Courtyard from Wed 5 to Sun 30 Aug 2026