Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023: Lorna Rose Treen wins funniest joke as 10 best ranked - what was her joke?

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is almost over, meaning the best of the fest is ready to be announced.

The annual Dave Funniest Joke of the Fringe award is just one of those given out to performers to celebrate their work, and this year's recipient is comedian Lorna Rose Treen. Treen's joke was voted the funniest of the bunch this year after it was selected by a panel of 10 industry experts and voted on by 2,000 people.

The lighthearted pun was: “I started dating a zookeeper – but it turned out he was a cheetah."

The joke came from Treen's debut Fringe show Skin Pigeon, which has been playing at the Pleasance Courtyard throughout the month. She is a rising star on the comedy circuit, having won Chortle's best newcomer award earlier this year and was the first ever double winner at the Funny Woman Awards in 2022.

Treen said: “I am blooming chuffed to have won Dave’s best joke of the fringe! Are you kidding! I can’t wait to tell my mum!

“It is already such a wonderful joy to be debuting at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, and this is a lovely thing on top. A huge thank you for awarding my stupid joke with this title!”

Now in it's 14th year, previous winners of the Dave Funniest Joke at the Fringe award include Zoe Lyons, Stewart Francis, Nick Helm and Tim Vine. Treen has also become the first woman to pick up the award since Zoe Lyons took home the inaugural trophy in 2008.

Cherie Hall, channel director of Dave, said: “We’ve got an amazing mix of jokes and comedians in our Top 10 list this year, the quality of submissions will keep us laughing until next year.

“This is the 14th year of our sponsorship of the Joke of the Fringe, and Dave remains as committed as ever to showcasing the best in new comedy on the channel.”

What jokes are in the top 10 funniest gags of Edinburgh Fringe 2023?

1. 'I started dating a zookeeper – but it turned out he was a cheetah.' - Lorna Rose Treen
2. 'The most British thing I’ve ever heard? A lady who said, “Well I’m sorry, but I don’t apologise”.' - Liz Guterbock
3. 'Last year I had a great joke about inflation. But it’s hardly worth it now.' - Amos Gill
4. 'When women gossip we get called bitchy; but when men do it’s called a podcast.' - Sikisa
5. 'I thought I’d start off with a joke about The Titanic – just to break the ice' - Masai Graham
6. 'How do coeliac Germans greet each other? Gluten tag.' - Frank Lavender
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
8. 'I entered the “How not to surrender” competition and I won hands down.' - Bennett Arron
9. 'Nationwide must have looked pretty silly when they opened their first branch.' - William Stone
10. 'My grandma describes herself as being in her “twilight years” which I love because they’re great films.' - Daniel Foxx

The shortlist of jokes was compiled by 10 industry experts. Around 2,000 people voted on their favourite gags, with Treen winning with 44%.