Debutant Lorna Rose Treen wins funniest joke of the fringe

Treen is the first female winner of the award since 2008

Author: Finlay JackPublished 22nd Aug 2023

The winner of the funniest joke of the fringe says she's "blooming chuffed" to win with her "stupid joke".

Lorna Rose Treen won the award for her zoo quip from her show Skin Pigeon at Pleasance Courtyard.

Her award winning pun was: "I started dating a zookeeper - but it turned out he was a cheetah," taken from her show, Skin Pigeon at Pleasance Courtyard.

She came out on top after a panel of 10 comedy experts nominated their list of the 10 best jokes.

It was then voted on by 2000 people, with Treen's joke winning after 44% of those surveyed said it was the festival's funniest.

Treen's joke topped the list, with 44% of those surveyed saying it was the annual festival's funniest.

The top 10

The judges produced a list of the top 10 funniest jokes of the fringe:

  • I started dating a zookeeper - but it turned out he was a cheetah. (Lorna Rose Treen 44%)
  • The most British thing I've ever heard? A lady who said, "Well I'm sorry, but I don't apologise". (Liz Guterbock 41%)
  • Last year I had a great joke about inflation. But it's hardly worth it now. (Amos Gill 40%)
  • When women gossip we get called bitchy; but when men do it's called a podcast. (Sikisa 34%)
  • I thought I'd start off with a joke about The Titanic - just to break the ice. (Masai Graham 33%)
  • How do coeliac Germans greet each other? Gluten tag. (Frank Lavender 32%)
  • My friend got locked in a coffee place overnight. Now he only ever goes into Starbucks, not the rivals. He's Costa-phobic. (Roger Swift 29%)
  • I entered the "How not to surrender" competition and I won hands down. (Bennett Arron 29%)
  • Nationwide must have looked pretty silly when they opened their first branch. (William Stone 28%)
  • My grandma describes herself as being in her "twilight years" which I love because they're great films. (Daniel Foxx 26%)

'I can't wait to tell my mum!'

Treen has already scooped a number of awards in the last 12 months.

She picked up Chrotle's coveted best newcomer award this year and was the first ever double award winner at last years Funny Women Awards.

She's now just the second women to pick up the award after Zoe Lyons won it in 2008.

Treen said: "I am blooming chuffed to have won Dave's best joke of the fringe! Are you kidding! I can't wait to tell my mum!

"It is already such a wonderful joy to be debuting at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, and this is a lovely thing on top. A huge thank you for awarding my stupid joke with this title!"

The prize is now in its 14th year and previous winners of the award include Masai Graham, Ken Cheng, Olaf Falafel, Tim Vine, Rob Auton, Stewart Francis, Zoe Lyons and Nick Helm.

Jokes are listed with no reference to the name of the comedian meaning it is judged purely on the humour of the joke itself.

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