Lovdev Barpaga is UK Pun Champion 2017

Tuesday 14th February 2017, 9:18am

UK Pun Championships 2017. Lovdev Barpaga. Copyright: Leicester Comedy Festival
  • Lovdev Barpaga has been crowned the UK Pun Champion 2017
  • He beat seven other finalists at the Leicester-based competiton, with this year's battle held in a boxing ring
  • His jokes included: "I think my Colombian neighbour's a drug lord, but I just car tell"

Lovdev Barpaga, aka 'Pun'jabi Warrior', has been crowned UK Pun Champion 2017, following a final at the Leicester Comedy Festival.

The UK Pun Championship, now in its fourth year, sees comedians going up against each other in a "rap-style" battle. This year's final, hosted by Jason Byrne, took place in a boxing ring in the 900 seater De Montfort Hall, four times the size of the previous years' events.

Barpaga, from Birmingham, has been gigging for over 10 years. His biography for the competition read: "With his brilliant and daft wordplay mixed with old fashioned jokes and storytelling, Lovdev Barpaga has featured highly in new act competitions, and regularly performs at established venues around the country."

The other finalists were Iain MacDonald, Samantha Baines, Colin Leggo, Nigel Lovell, Richard Pulsford, Julian Lee and Roger Swift.

The topics for rounds included America, Brexit and veganism. The winner's puns included:

I think my Colombian neighbour's a drug lord, but I just car tell.

Never fly with Sikh airways. Get nothing but turbanlence.

If a bullfighter dies, does it Matador?

My mother can't stop talking about her famous curry. The saaga continues.

Pakistani Pirates. Urdu they think they argh?

Highlights video

Winner photo

UK Pun Championships 2017. Image shows from L to R: Jason Byrne, Lovdev Barpaga. Copyright: Leicester Comedy Festival

Share this page