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Festivals

Edinburgh Fringe's Funniest Joke Award Scrapped for 2025

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Edinburgh Fringe's annual Funniest Joke award has been scrapped for 2025, with UKTV citing the need to "reflect on how we continue to support comedy in the best way possible" due to evolving commissioning practices. Despite this, the channel remains committed to promoting great comedy and will continue to bring laughter to audiences in new and exciting ways. The award, launched in 2008, has been held annually, apart from during the pandemic, and has been criticized for not capturing the full depth of comedy on offer at the Fringe.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Edinburgh Fringe's Funniest Joke award will not be held in 2025, with UKTV citing the need to reflect on its commissioning practices.
  • The award was launched in 2008 and has been held annually, apart from during the pandemic.
  • The winner is chosen by 2,000 members of the public who vote from an anonymous shortlist drawn up by a judging panel made up of comedy critics.
  • The award has been criticized for not capturing the full depth of comedy on offer at the Fringe, with some joking that the jokes are "rejected from a discount Christmas cracker".
  • The Edinburgh Fringe begins on August 1 and will run throughout the month, with some acts performing previews later this month.
  • UKTV remains committed to promoting great comedy and will continue to bring laughter to audiences in new and exciting ways.
  • Previous winners of the award include Masai Graham, Tim Vine, and Olaf Falafel, with the most recent winner being Lorna Rose Treen in 2023.

Statistics:

  • The award has been held annually for 17 years, apart from during the pandemic.
  • 2,000 members of the public voted for the winner in the most recent year.
  • The award period is usually held during the Edinburgh Fringe, which runs for 24 days.
  • The Edinburgh Comedy Award (formerly known as the Perrier), the festival's most prestigious prize, has been running for 43 years.
  • The Edinburgh Fringe begins on August 1 and will run throughout the month.

Sources:

  • Ellie Muir, "Edinburgh Fringe's Funniest Joke Award scrapped for 2025", no date.
  • The Independent's Ryan Coogan, "Edinburgh Fringe 2023: the 10th Funny Joke of the Fringe revealed as chosen by public vote", August 2023.
  • PA, "Comedian Masai Graham was the winner of 'Dave's Funniest Joke of The Fringe' Award at the 2016 Edinburgh Festival", no date.
  • PA, "Comedian Lorna Rose Treen took home the 2023 award for funniest fringe joke", August 2023.

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