Masai Graham takes the title

Comedian Masai Graham has won this year’s Joke of the Fringe award with: ‘My dad has suggested that I register for a donor card. He’s a man after my own heart.’

The comic,  a 35-year-old care worker from West Bromwich , scooped the title run by TV channel  Dave that has previously won by the likes of Tim Vine, Zoe Lyons, Stewart Francis and Nick Helm.

Graham was runner-up in 2014 and fourth in 2015 and says he has better jokes than the one that earned him the title. ‘I do a lot of darker material and dark one-liners, but only the clean material gets on the list,’ he said. ' It's an incredible honour to land Joke of the Fringe. Not bad for someone from West Brom...'

'The funny thing is that it was Dave’s Joke of The Fringe that inspired me to become a comic. I remember picking up the paper years ago, reading the top 10 gags and wondering if I could write a decent one myself.'

Steve North, general manager of Dave, said: ‘The Fringe is renowned for being the best place to spot new and emerging comedy talent and although there are some returning contenders in our top 10 this year, there is a high volume of new talent which is very exciting to see."

Dave’s Top 15 funniest jokes from the 2016 Fringe are:

1. "My dad has suggested that I register for a donor card. He’s a man after my own heart." Masai Graham

2. "Why is it old people say ‘there’s no place like home’, yet when you put them in one …" Stuart Mitchell

3. "I’ve been happily married for four years – out of a total of 10." Mark Watson

4. "Apparently one in three Britons are conceived in an IKEA bed which is mad because those places are really well lit." Mark Smith

5. "I went to a pub quiz in Liverpool, had a few drinks so wasn’t much use. Just for a laugh I wrote The Beatles or Steven Gerrard for every answer … came second." Will Duggan

6. "Brexit is a terrible name, sounds like cereal you eat when you are constipated." Tiff Stevenson

7. "I often confuse Americans and Canadians. By using long words." Gary Delaney

8. "Why is Henry’s wife covered in tooth marks? Because he’s Tudor." Adele Cliff

9. "Don’t you hate it when people assume you’re rich because you sound posh and went to private school and have loads of money?" Annie McGrath

10. "Is it possible to mistake schizophrenia for telepathy, I hear you ask." Jordan Brookes

11. "Hilary Clinton has shown that any woman can be president, as long as your husband did it first." Michelle Wolf

12. "I spotted a Marmite van on the motorway. It was heading yeastbound." Roger Swift

13. "Back in the day, Instagram just meant a really efficient drug dealer." Arthur Smith

14. "I’ll tell you what’s unnatural in the eyes of God. Contact lenses." Zoe Lyons

15 "Elton John hates ordering Chinese food. Soya seems to be the hardest word." Phil Nicol

Published: 23 Aug 2016