Edinburgh Fringe 2023 is almost over, with audiences enjoying the last week of shows and comedy. Every year, the best jokes get picked by The Joke of the Fringe Award, and this year was no exception. Comedian Lorna Rose Treen was crowned as the winner with her pun: “I started dating a zookeeper, but it turned out he was a cheetah.”
Lorna’s joke was voted the best by the public, who had to pick from a shortlist of jokes. As a result, the “cheetah” joke surpassed its competition by 44%. What is more, Lorna Rose Treen is the first female comedian to have won the award since 2008, when Zoe Lyons took the first spot.
The comedian expressed her happiness after winning the award, saying: “A huge thank you for awarding my stupid joke with this title!”
In the past, the winners of the funniest joke Fringe award included Ken Cheng, Olaf Falafel, Tim Vine, Rob Auton, Stewart Francis, Zoe Lyons and Nick Helm.
Top 10 funniest jokes at the Fringe 2023
1. I started dating a zookeeper, but it turned out he was a cheetah – Lorna Rose Treen
2. The most British thing I’ve ever heard? A lady who said ‘Well I’m sorry, but I don’t apologise.’ – Liz Guterbock
3. Last year I had a great joke about inflation. But it’s hardly worth it now – Amos Gill
4. When women gossip we get called bitchy; but when men do it’s called a podcast – Sikisa
5. I thought I’d start off with a joke about The Titanic – just to break the ice – Masai Graham
6. How do coeliac Germans greet each other? Gluten tag – Frank Lavender
7. 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
8. I entered the ‘How not to surrender’ competition and I won hands down – Bennett Arron
9. Nationwide must have looked pretty silly when they opened their first branch – William Stone
10. My grandma describes herself as being in her “twilight years” which I love because they’re great films – Daniel Foxx
Now, while some will love these jokes and some won’t, the funniest joke at the Fringe award is a heartwarming tradition that gets people talking. The beauty of comedy is that