Awards brew sponsor deal
The former Perrier awards, which for 25 years has recognised the best comedian at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, will now be backed by Australian drinks giant Foster's in a reported 150,000 deal.
Perrier pulled out the awards in 2005, but a new deal with banking firm Intelligent Finance lasted just three years before the global financial crisis led to the arrangement being cancelled.
Efforts to attract a new backer drew a blank last year.
A source said: "It's fair to say the event would have been in serious doubt if a major sponsor hadn't come on board this year."