Pound coin gag named Edinburgh Fringe’s funniest

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‍A joke by a British-born Chinese comedian about the new one-pound coin has been named the funniest at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Ken Cheng won the 10th annual Dave’s Funniest Joke of the Fringe with the one-liner, “I’m not a fan of the new pound coin. But then again, I hate all change.”

Cheng’s joke – which the comedian himself described as a “groaner” – won after getting 33 percent of the public vote on a shortlist of gags chosen by comedy critics.

“Audiences tend to groan a lot,” Cheng told the BBC. “I’m generally going after laughs, but I’ll take the groan.”

The new 12-sided pound coin was the inspiration for the Edinburgh Fringe's best joke for 2017. /AFP Photo

Cheng said he was inspired to write the wisecrack after the government announced in 2014 it would introduce a new, 12-sided one-pound coin.

Cheng, who was born in the UK, studied math at Cambridge University before dropping out to become a professional online poker player.

He got his break in showbiz in 2015 when he made it to the finals of the BBC Radio New Comedy Award.

On scooping the best joke prize, Cheng told the BBC, “I am very proud to have won. As a tribute, I will name my firstborn son after this award and call him ‘Joke of the Fringe’.”

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