Ian Smith: Foot Spa Half Empty A show about stress, love and buying a magic spell off Amazon Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Top 20 Best Reviewed Fringe Comedy Show

20th January 2026

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'The combination is relentless and irresistible, an hour of gimmick-free stand-up with a world-class gag rate.' ★★★★.5 Chortle
Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Award nominee, Ian Smith (Live at The Apollo, Have I Got News For You, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown) has extended the UK tour of his acclaimed new show, Foot Spa Half Empty, an hour of shouting into the wind about everything he’s stressed about - big and small. Only this time the wind answers back.
A working class Northerner struggling to adapt to his slow creep towards becoming middle-class, Ian is managing to find life more stressful than ever.
Then, when a fertility test brings back some genuinely stressful results, Ian has to contend with his own anxieties and the plethora of useless information he can find online. He realises he has to try harder than ever to do all the right things and relax, but of course he’s willing to try some of the weirder stuff too, like going to see a dodgy acupuncturist and ordering a fertility magic spell from Amazon.
‘The show that made me laugh the hardest. Smith cast a spell over the audience.' ★★★★ Evening Standard
Ian Smith is a multi-award-winning comedian and co-host of the Northern News podcast - as seen on Live at the Apollo,Have I Got News For You(BBC), 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown(Channel 4), The Stand Up Sketch Show(ITV)andComedy Central Live. He is a regular on BBC Radio 4, appearing on The News Quiz, The Now Show,Just A Minute and The Unbelievable Truth. Last year, as well as guest-hosting The News Quiz, Ian had his own Radio 4 stand-up series, Ian Smith is Stressed.
Ian’s 2023 Edinburgh Fringe show Crushing was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award, a Chortle Award for Best Show, shortlisted for the (ISH) Edinburgh Comedy Award and was runner-up in Next Up's Biggest Award in Comedy. It was named as one of The Guardian’s Top 10 Comedy Shows of 2023, and one of British Comedy Guide’s Top 50 Shows of 2023 and ranked by them as among the Best Reviewed Edinburgh Fringe Shows of 2023. His sold-out run transferred to Soho Theatre, followed by a UK tour and run at New Zealand Comedy Festival in 2024.
In 2025, Foot Spa Half Emptywas also nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award and long-listed for the (ISH) Edinburgh Comedy Award.It received a total of twenty reviews of four or five stars and was once again on the list of British Comedy Guide’s Best Reviewed Shows. Ian’s previous Fringe shows have received critical acclaim, an Amused Moose Comedy Award, ThreeWeeks Editors’ Award and seen him invited to perform at the prestigious New Zealand, Adelaide, and Melbourne International comedy festivals. In 2015 he was also part of the hugely successful, multi-award-winning Fringe show, Richard Gadd: Waiting for Gaddot.
'Do go and see Ian-Smith: Foot Spa Half Empty, and it is when you go and see it - not if.' ★★★★★ EdFringe Review
'Ian is a top tier performer and had the crowd howling with laughter.' ★★★★★ Reyt Good Magazine
‘Ian Smith is at the top of his game.’ ★★★★ The Scotsman
'A straight down-the-line constant stream of laughs. Who needs more?' ★★★★ Mail on Sunday
'You may not see a funnier show all year … a wonderful hour of unadulterated laughs.' ★★★★ Beyond the Joke
‘A warm, effortlessly funny hour.' ★★★★ Edinburgh Festivals Magazine
'This sell out crowd ate up Ian Smith’s every word. A stressful life is rarely this entertaining.' ★★★★ On the Mic
'A triumphant return to the Fringe for Smith.' ★★★★ Little Lark of London
'Quite how many laughs are packed into Foot Spa Half Empty is pretty mind-boggling.' ★★★★ Entertainment Now
'An hour of sheer laughter. Ian Smith is a top notch comedian!' ★★★★★ Bookmarks and Stages
★★★★ The List
★★★★ The Comic’s Comic / ★★★★ The Herald / ★★★★★ One4Review / ★★★★ EdFinge Review
British Comedy Guide - Recommended

Full Listing:
Title: Ian Smith: Foot Spa Half Empty
All info:http://www.iansmithcomedian.co.uk/
Age: 16+
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High resolution press images available HERE Credit: Matt Stronge
ClipsHERE
Social media links via:https://linktr.ee/iansmithcomedy
Media contact: Julian Hall, Textual Healing PR on 07810 486658 / textualhealingpr@gmail.com

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