Bad Fatty: Welsh comedy talent readies for Edinburgh Fringe

Molly Stubbs

Comedian Stuart Thomas is set to bring his sharp and unapologetic stand-up show, ‘Bad Fatty’, to the stage as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

In a hilarious exploration of life as a fat Welshman, Stuart blends his working-class roots with a modern, no-nonsense approach to comedy that is both thought-provoking and outrageously funny.

In Bad Fatty, Stuart grabs diet culture by the scruff of the neck, exposing society’s absurd expectations of fat people with a blend of biting wit and heartfelt humour.

Stuart Thomas isn’t afraid to tackle the big stuff. Bisexual and open about his mental health struggles, he masterfully combines vulnerability with laugh-out-loud moments, flipping fat-shaming on its head and turning it into a celebration of self-acceptance and joy.

His bold show is of high standard, and the praise has come from some trustworthy sources.

Chortle said: “An appealing presence with an engaging way of raising an eyebrow to the wry observations he makes.” While Notts Comedy Review called it as “Impressive as it was impeccable”.

Stuart’s idol, Sofie Hagen, is another fan, writing: “Bad fatty; great comedian! Oh so freaking funny!”

Turning point

Ahead of his return to Edinburgh, Stuart sat down with Nation.Cymru to discuss all things Bad Fatty.

Explaining how he first got into comedy, he said: “I’d long been a comedy fan — I basically grew up on VHS tapes of Billy Connolly, and every Christmas I’d ask for whatever new comedy DVDs were out that year.

“I first started writing when I was about 16, but didn’t pluck up the courage to perform until I was 25 — yes, I’m quite the coward!

“I did my first gig at the much-missed Gwdihŵ Bar in Cardiff, shortly before moving to Manchester for work, where I’ve been bopping about the Northern circuit ever since.”

One specific event helped light the spark, and that was lockdown. He shared: “During lockdown, I did an online comedy course run by Sofie Hagen, who’s a massive influence on me. They’re a fat activist, brilliant comic, and unapologetically political without ever losing the funny.

“That really showed me there was space for comedy that was sharp, personal, and made you feel something. That course—and being invited to perform in Sofie’s show afterwards—was a turning point.

“I did a new bit about being a Bad Fatty, and the reaction was so strong, I thought, “Right, this might be something.”

Defence mechanism

In the words of Stuart, comedy is “joy, it’s fun, it’s just messing around, it’s clever mischief”.

He told Nation.Cymru: “Of course, growing up fat, queer, nerdy, and Welsh with glasses—well, let’s just say I ticked all the boxes for bullying. Comedy became a defence mechanism.

“If I made the joke first, I held the power. Over time, that turned into something more creative and cathartic. Now it’s not about laughing at myself—it’s about laughing despite everything.”

The show deals with themes that could be quite heavy, and we asked if making people laugh was a way to make light of some of that.

He shared: “Heavy, good one haha! Exactly that. I don’t think you make depression or fatphobia funny in themselves—you make the world around them funny.

“Like, why do we talk about fatness like it’s a character flaw? It’s those strange, awkward little moments that let people laugh without feeling like they’re being hit over the head with a TED Talk.

“If they come out chuckling but also quietly questioning some old assumptions, that’s perfect.”

Bad Fatty touches on personal struggles, and Stuart’s own journey with a number of issues—not least his weight and sexuality. He shared that he found comedy a good place to ‘work through’ things in the past, saying: “Comedy’s cheaper than therapy—although to be fair, I still recommend doing both. It gives me a place to process shame and spin it into something useful.

“A lot of the jokes in Bad Fatty started as late-night scribbles in my Notes app when I was feeling low or frustrated.

“Then over time, I sharpened them into something that could make people laugh. It’s crazy how a story that once made you feel awful can end up bringing a roomful of people together.”

Personal growth

Make no mistake, being funny isn’t enough to make a career out of comedy. There’s a lot of work behind the scenes. He shared: “Like most comics, I spent years being rubbish (to be honest with you, I’m still quite rubbish). I’ve tried a lot of things, bounced between approaches and ideas, and I’m still a human being who’s constantly evolving.

“But as a comic, I’ve developed my style by injecting more of myself into the work — drawing not just from my personal growth, but also from the influence of big-name comedians and the brilliant people around me.”

The Fringe is the Holy Grail of Comedy Performance in the UK, and perhaps even the world, and Stuart’s enthusiasm is infectious. He said: “I think of the Fringe like riding a horse—thrilling, terrifying, and best approached slowly with snacks.

“This year I’m doing a 45-minute run instead of a full hour, and I’m only up there for a week. So I suppose I’m riding a Shetland pony.

“But I can’t wait. Not just to do my show, or to host Chonk—my fat-friendly comedy showcase—but to see other comics, soak up the chaos, and hopefully come home a better performer.”

And while there, he’ll naturally be taking in the atmosphere and supporting his fellow comedians – from home and away. He said: “Honestly, one of my favourite parts of the Fringe is putting together the spreadsheet beforehand.

“I’ve got tickets for American comedian Michelle Wolf — you don’t often get to see her in the UK, so that’s a real treat. I’ve also booked a work-in-progress show by Josh Glanc. I saw his show Family Man last year and it was so ridiculously funny.

“I’ll, of course, be seeing some Welshies — Leila Navabi: Relay and Jake Cornford: Fair Play are two shows I’m particularly looking forward to.”

Unapologetically alive

As for his aims from his own show, he said: “I want fat people to walk out thinking, “Maybe I don’t have to apologise for existing.” And I want non-fat people to go, “Oh, I hadn’t thought about it like that.”

“If people are laughing and then later side-eyeing diet culture or BMI charts with suspicion, my work here is done. That, and I hope they want to see me again for another show!”

It’s not quite the family affair though. He shared: “I haven’t run the full thing by the farm crew, but they know bits and pieces. My dad’s been to a gig or two and is mostly just glad the farm’s getting some free advertising.

“My mum refuses to watch my stand-up — she says it’s because she doesn’t like the fruity language, but I think she’s just afraid I’ll fall off stage again (check out my Insta for that video).

“Then again, when I last asked my mum if she was proud of me, she replied, “Well, you’ve made your own choices.” So I guess her opinions are… mixed. Haha.”

One of Stuart’s strengths is his ability to spin fatphobic experiences into relatable, and important, comedy. He said: “One of my favourite bits is about the people who seriously think clothing brands shouldn’t make clothes for fat people — like that’s some kind of noble stance.

“You’ll see them ranting in comment sections or on daytime telly, claiming that making clothes in larger sizes somehow “promotes obesity,” as if a cardigan has the power to collapse society.

“But here’s what they never seem to consider: if you don’t make clothes for fat people… what’s the alternative? The only logical outcome is more nude fat people in public. And if that’s what they secretly want, they should just say so.”

“Honestly, it’s giving ‘We fear you, but we also want to see your arse at Tesco’.”

And for those that can’t make it to Edinburgh, fear not. Stuart added: “I’ve got work-in-progress shows for Bad Fatty in Stoke, Buxton and Wolverhampton this month.

“And then post-Fringe I’m mainly knocking about the North West but you’ll find info about all my latest gigs (plus videos, socials etc.) on my linktree.”

Stuart Thomas: Bad Fatty takes place at The City Cafe, 19 Blair St, Edinburgh, EH1 1QR at 8.40pm from 18-24 August 2025. Entry is free.