A one-liner described by its author as “stupid” has topped the poll for best joke of the Edinburgh fringe.

Lorna Rose Treen was voted winner of the annual competition with: “I started dating a zookeeper, but it turned out he was a cheetah.”

Treen said she was “blooming chuffed” at the award. “A huge thank you for awarding my stupid joke with this title!”

She is the second female comedian to win the award in the 14 years it has been running. Zoe Lyons took the title in 2008. The competition did not run in 2020 or 2021 because of the Covid pandemic.

This year there were three female contenders in the top 10, a marginal increase on last year’s two out of 10.

Dave’s Funniest Joke of the Fringe is organised by the television comedy channel Dave. A shortlist is drawn up by a panel of comedy critics who attend hundreds of shows at the Edinburgh festival fringe. Two thousand members of the public are then asked to pick their three favourite jokes out of 25.

Treen won 44% of the vote, with Liz Guterbock in second place with 41% for: “The most British thing I’ve ever heard? A lady who said ‘Well I’m sorry, but I don’t apologise’.”

In a tight finish, third place went to Amos Gill on 40% with: “Last year I had a great joke about inflation. But it’s hardly worth it now.”

Masai Graham, who won the award last year and in 2016, came fifth this year with: “I thought I’d start off with a joke about the Titanic – just to break the ice.”

Treen was born in Redditch in the Midlands, and has won several awards for her comedy shows. In 2022, she became the first double award winner at the Funny Women awards. This year was her debut at the Edinburgh fringe.

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Top 10 jokes

  1. I started dating a zookeeper, but it turned out he was a cheetah. Lorna Rose Treen 44%

  2. The most British thing I’ve ever heard? A lady who said ‘Well I’m sorry, but I don’t apologise.’ Liz Guterbock 41%

  3. Last year I had a great joke about inflation. But it’s hardly worth it now. Amos Gill 40%

  4. When women gossip we get called bitchy; but when men do it’s called a podcast. Sikisa 34%

  5. I thought I’d start off with a joke about The Titanic – just to break the ice. Masai Graham 33%

  6. How do coeliac Germans greet each other? Gluten tag. Frank Lavender 32%

  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 29%

  8. I entered the ‘How not to surrender’ competition and I won hands down. Bennett Arron 29%

  9. Nationwide must have looked pretty silly when they opened their first branch. William Stone 28%

  10. My grandma describes herself as being in her ‘twilight years’ which I love because they’re great films. Daniel Foxx 26%

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