Breaking The News, BBC Spiegeltent, St James Square, BBC at the Edinburgh Festivals

 A recording of the BBC Scotland comedy panel show, on one of the hottest days we've had this year.  There was no warm up act (warming up was the last thing the audience needed!), but one of the producers explained what was going to happen, what was expected of us, and read out a few funny comments to get the laughter going.

Then on with the show, and chair Des Clarke promising to get it over as quickly as possible to get everyone out of the sauna.  A few sound checks for applause levels and bring on the guests.  Jim Smith and Sophie Duker 'against' Val McDermid and Andrew Maxwell.  All weel kent faces.

The show's well established format brings up recent news stories in various forms and asks the panellists to comment.  Today the subjects included the Scottish schools exam results, the cost of rising energy bills and much more.  Plus a lot of Liz Truss gags (but they almost write themselves).  You can listen to the half hour edit of the show from tomorrow to get a flavour, but there was so much more to the live version which lasted well over 90 minutes.

Smith was his usual laconic self, relating everything back to farming (handy hint - if you can't pay for your heating in the winter take in a cow or sheep, instant heat and you can cuddle them as well...).  Duker remained bubbly despite the oppressive atmosphere, and produced some unexpected slants.  McDermid was sharp, almost sensible compared to the others, but threw in some great one liners.  And Maxwell was... Andrew Maxwell.  Rambling non sequiturs, firing off at tangents and occasionally saying something that actually related to the question being posed.  And so, so funny.  He talked and talked and his 20 plus minutes of comedy should make for a wonderful 25 seconds in the final edit!  But long before the end he was beginning to flag from the heat and that gave rise to some of his funniest comments.  

That was the show.  There are plenty more BBC shows on this month, but most will have had all their tickets allocated by now.  If you are going to the Spiegeltent I'd advise getting there at least 90 minutes before the show and get registered early; find somewhere to go for a while, out of the sun; and if it's still anything like this hot, take water in with you.  Lots of water...