The Scottish comedian Scott Gibson, who has been receiving warm reviews at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe, is in the running for one of its top comedy awards.

The Glaswegian comic is in the running for the Best Newcomer prize at the annual Edinburgh Comedy Awards, which are this year sponsored by lastminute.com.

The best comedy show short list has been announced, and it comprises Al Porter, James Acaster, Nish Kumar, Kieran Hodgson, Randy Writes a Novel, Scottish comedian Richard Gadd, Tom Ballard, and Zoe Coombs Marr.

The nominations for Best Newcomer are Bilal Zafar, Brennan Reece, Jayde Adams, Michelle Wolf, Nath Volvo and Mr Gibson.

Nica Burns, producer of the awards, which have honoured a host of leading comics over the last three decades, said: “Two great nomination lists.

"2016 reflects the breadth and quality of comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe with eight nominations for Best Comedy Show for the second year running.

"Four outstanding stand-ups, a female comic performing in character as Dave, a novel-writing puppet [Randy], a wonderful story teller and a comic who is as moving as he is funny.

"An international list with four UK artists, three Australians and a Dubliner."

She added: "The six nominees for the Newcomer award are equally international with an Australian and an American, and the vibrancy of the Scottish stand up scene is reflected in the nomination of Glaswegian Scott Gibson and the Best Show nominee, Richard Gadd.

"Our hard-working judging team made over 1400 visits to shows. Congratulations to all the comics at the festival for a brilliant year of comedy."

The winners will be announced on Saturday 27 August at the Dovecot Studio, Infirmary Street.

The Best Comedy Show comes with a cash prize of £10,000.