Christmas Cracker joke competition

UKTV Gold Christmas Crackers

TV channel Gold has launched its 2014 search for the best new Christmas cracker jokes.

The national competition is aiming to find the best modern festive gags "to get the country roaring with laughter on the big day".

The competition was launched last year, with the winning gag announced last December as "What does Miley Cyrus have at Christmas? Twerky."

The channel explains: "Gold are searching for the best modern festive jokes that put a comedy twist on the current news agenda or pop culture phenomenons to keep the laughter fresh this Christmas. Brits will pull an incredible 300  million crackers on Christmas day and to keep the groan count low, we are searching for the very best seasonal gags."

This year the winner will receive holiday vouchers worth £1,500 and "a chance to feel like a member of the royal family by having their very own personalised Christmas crackers made". The nine runners-up will receive a Christmas hamper.

All entries must be within 140 characters, "short and snappy as a cracker joke should be", and submitted by Twitter.

The best jokes will be shortlisted by a comedy panel led by critic Bruce Dessau and then put to a public vote, with the top ten best new jokes being announced in December.

Dessau says: "I'm sure the witty wordsmiths out there will once again rise to the challenge of creating some brand new Christmas cracker jokes - but will they be able to beat last year's winner about Miley Cyrus and her twerky? I'm hoping for short and snappy gags that will have us laughing all through Christmas day."

Steve North, General Manager of Gold, adds: "Puns about celebrities or the news agenda are a great way to update a typical cracker joke. Last year's joke entries set the bar high, we're looking forward to seeing what people can come up with this year."

The deadline to enter is 6pm on Tuesday 28th October.

Last year's top ten gags

How to enter

This competition is open to all aged above 18. The jokes must be suitable for a family audience and must be original content.

To enter:

1. Tweet a Christmas-themed joke via your personal Twitter account including the hashtag #GoldCrackers

2. The joke must not be more than 140 characters including the hashtag.

3. Follow @GoldTVChannel (so you can be notified if you win).

Multiple entries are allowed, but all jokes submitted must be your own original creations.

Full terms and conditions are on the Gold website

Published: Tuesday 7th October 2014
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