From Lagos to Award Winner: Ayoade Bamgboye's Stunning Comedy Debut

Ayoade Bamgboye arrived at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as an unknown comedian. She left with its most prestigious prize for newcomers. Before her first Fringe show, Bamgboye asked for advice. Fellow comics told the 31-year-old that a debut must introduce her unique point of view and tell a story. "It filled me with dread," she says. "There’s this recurring thought that you can only debut once." Her show, "Swings and Roundabouts," explored language, family, and cross-cultural identity. It was a major success. Bamgboye won the Best Newcomer Award. Previous winners include stars like Harry Hill and Sarah Millican. She is the first Black woman to receive this honor. "The past months have been very difficult, getting out of my head," she admits. The win was life-changing. "I hate to say stuff like that," Bamgboye states, "but it did."