Comedy channel Gold has announced the return of its annual Christmas cracker joke competition to discover the best festive gags – inspired by the ups and downs of the tumultuous 2021 – as written by the British public.
Last year’s winning joke was a lockdown-themed jest about political advisor Dominic Cumming’s drive to Barnard Castle during Covid restrictions: Which read: “What is Dominic Cummings’ favourite Christmas song? Driving Home for Christmas.” The 2019 winner was inspired by then US President Donald Trump and his political attitudes: “Why does Donald Trump have his Christmas dinner on a plastic plate? He doesn’t get on with China.”
For nine years running, Gold has launched the joke-writing competition to encourage the nation to get creative with a comedy Christmas twist on current events and trends. With topics such as the sporting moments of 2021, including England getting to the final of the Euros, British tennis player Emma Raducanu winning the US Open and Tom Daley’s knitting at the Olympics, to the progress of the ship that blocked the Suez Canal for six days and Jackie Weaver’s handling of a Handforth Parish Council meeting, the aim is to get the country chuckling and keep spirits high this Christmas.
The competition is open from today until 11.59pm on Monday 18th October 2021, and individuals can enter by tweeting original, witty and family friendly Christmas jokes with the hashtag #GoldCrackers.
The winner will receive £1,500 experience vouchers, a festive-themed food and drink hamper and their joke will be included in a personalised set of crackers ready to pull on the big day.
The nine runners-up will also receive a festive Christmas hamper and a box of bespoke Gold Christmas crackers, which includes the top six winning jokes.
HOW TO ENTER
Open to all UK residents aged 18 and over. To enter:
· Follow @GoldChannel and tweet a Christmas-themed joke via your personal Twitter account including #GoldCrackers
· Gold is looking for the most original festive jokes that put a comedy twist on the news agenda or pop culture across the past year
· Jokes must be original content and suitable for a family audience (e.g. no swear words or offensive content)
· The joke entry must be included within one tweet (i.e. not be more than 280 characters), including #GoldCrackers
· Multiple entries are allowed
· All entrants must follow @GoldChannel (so we can notify the winners) – but the @GoldChannel twitter handle does not need to be included in the joke entry
· Competition ends at 23:59 on 18/10/2021
For further information on the terms and conditions, please visit https://gold.uktv.co.uk/article/gold-crackers-competition-2020-terms-conditions/
The best jokes will be shortlisted by a panel led by comedy critic and editor of comedy website Beyond The Joke, Bruce Dessau.
Bruce Dessau said “2021 has been a rollercoaster, with moments that shocked, surprised and made us all grin! I’m looking forward to what classic British humour will emerge from this year’s Gold Christmas Crackers competition following a year of unbelievable sport and getting used to our ‘new normal’ as we all venture into the outside world again.”
Gerald Casey, Gold channel director, said “Every year I look forward to the Gold Christmas Cracker jokes, the British public’s wit is always so impressive. It will be interesting to see what our viewers come up with to make sense of 2021”
With the success of Gold’s ‘Christmas Cracker’ competition across the last nine years, the channel is welcoming back the chance to enjoy the festive cheer. As entries are made via Twitter, all gags must be within 280 characters, to keep jokes short and snappy like the very best crackers!
