Phoebe Waller-Bridge launches Fleabag-inspired gin – and it comes with a note from the hot priest

Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival is returning at a smaller scale after last year’s event was cancelled due to Covid-19

Phoebe Waller-Bridge debuts ‘Fleabag’ inspired gin to support Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Edinburgh Gin)

Fans of BBC Three’s Fleabag will be more than familiar with the hot priest’s penchant for a tinny of M&S G&T, and now they can get their hands on their own holy water - as the show’s creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge is launching her very own bottle of gin. Amen.

The limited-edition liquor has been created in collaboration with Edinburgh Gin, and the bottle has been designed by Waller-Bridge herself.

It features an illustration of her looking up at the Edinburgh night sky alongside inscriptions of stand-out lines from the show.

On one side, it says “I love you”, in reference to the moment Fleabag reveals her true feelings to the hot priest (played by Andrew Scott).

The other side features the words “It’ll pass”, which is written in Scott’s handwriting, in reference to the heartbreaking moment the duo go their separate ways.

100 per cent of profits from each bottle will be donated to artists taking part in this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, after 16 months of closure across much of the entertainment industry.

Waller-Bridge and Edinburgh Gin said they hope the proceeds from the gin, which will be sold at £48 apiece, will raise upwards of £150,000 for the arts industry.

Funds raised from sales of the bottle will be used to support artists’ expenses such as travel, accommodation, rehearsals spaces and venue costs. The gin used is the distiller’s Classic London Dry gin, which the brand describes as a clean, zesty spirit made with orange peel, lemongrass and lime peel.

The collaboration comes after Waller-Bridge was announced as the first-ever President of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society in February.

Fringe Festival is returning at a much-reduced scale this summer after it was unable to go ahead as planned in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The actor and screenwriter said the bottle’s design shares her perspective on the journey from a one-woman theatre production, to writing and starring in a multi-award-winning TV show.

“Gin and theatre are my two great loves. We wanted this bottle to capture a glimpse of Edinburgh in all her mystery and wonder, through the eyes of Fleabag who found her first home there,” she said.

“I hope every purchase inspires outrageous and creative conversations over ice while bringing the beloved Fringe festival back to life. It’s important to add that Andrew Scott hand wrote a message on the bottle… if that isn’t incentive enough to hunt one down and hold it against your cheek, I don’t know what is,” she continued.

“It’s not cheap to stage a production but bringing a show to Edinburgh is an incredible experience – and we’re determined to make it a reality for as many artists as we can. That’s why we’re donating 100% of our profits,” Neil Mowat, brand director at Edinburgh Gin said.

The gin will be available for pre-sale orders from 20 July here.