It's official: 2024 has been a tough year for Prince Andrew, and the British public isn't letting him forget it! He's become the unfortunate star of this year's most popular Christmas cracker joke, a testament to the enduring power of humor, even in the face of royal scandal.
This annual competition, orchestrated by the comedy channel U&Gold (formerly known as Comedy Gold), invites the British public to vote on the funniest topical jokes of the year. The winning joke, penned by Ben Smith from Chelmsford, perfectly encapsulates Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's fall from grace: "Why is Prince Andrew not writing any Christmas books? He hasn’t got any titles!" For his comedic brilliance, Smith receives a prize that includes a holiday worth £1,500.
But the jokes don't stop there. Another jibe at the former Duke of York secured the fourth spot, highlighting just how deeply this story has resonated with the public. This one goes: "What do Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and a snowman have in common? They’re both out in the cold."
The top 10 jokes this year are a veritable who's who of 2024's headlines. The list includes jabs at politicians like Angela Rayner and Nigel Farage, as well as celebrities such as Lily Allen and David Harbour, whose divorce was the subject of Allen’s latest album, pop star Sabrina Carpenter and the Traitors host Claudia Winkleman.
In second place, Oasis's long-awaited reunion tour last summer became a massive pop culture moment. "Why don’t Noel and Liam want to open their presents early on Christmas morning? They need a little time to wake up."
Comedy critic Bruce Dessau, the chair of the judging panel, praised the quality of this year's entries, calling it "an absolutely stellar list of jokes this year – possibly one of our best ever in the 13 years U&GOLD has been running this competition.”
Gerald Casey, the UKTV director, added: “Another fantastic year of hilarious entries, showing that the British public are a funny as ever when it comes to the news”.
Last year's winning joke poked fun at Keir Starmer, and the year before that, the British Museum was the target.
Here’s the complete list of this year’s top 10 jokes:
- Why is Prince Andrew not writing any Christmas books? He hasn’t got any titles.
- Why don’t Noel and Liam want to open their presents early on Christmas morning? They need a little time to wake up.
- Which pop star carves her own wooden nativity scene? Sabrina Carpenter.
- What do Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and a snowman have in common? They’re both out in the cold.
- What is a French burglar’s favourite Christmas film? Louvre, Actually.
- Could Lily Allen and David Harbour get back together for Christmas? Stranger Things have happened.
- Why won’t Angela Rayner get any Christmas presents this year? Santa can’t decide which address to deliver to.
- What is Claudia Winkleman’s favourite part of Christmas dinner? The Taters.
- Does Celia Imrie beat her family at Christmas party games? Yes, she trumps them all.
- Where has Santa been more than Nigel Farage? His house in Clacton.
What do you think? Do you agree with the public's choice? Which joke made you chuckle the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below – let's get a conversation going!
