The pun starts here... comedy festival book will have laughs and groans in equal parts
A book full of comedians’ favourite puns is being published by Leicester Comedy Festival.
More than 30 have donated jokes which appear in the book, edited by Geoff Rowe and Leicester Comedy Festival, due to be published later this year.
All Puns Blazing is described as a brilliant tribute to that most British of jokes, the humble pun.
The jokes in the book have been donated from comedians including many who have performed as part of the annual UK Pun Championships, which takes place each February at Leicester Comedy Festival.
Adele Cliff, UK Pun Champion 2020, and contributor to the book, said:
“I love puns, they’re a joyful and silly escape from reality.
“Having so many pun champions and rising stars all together make this collection pun of a kind.”
The book is being published in support of Leicester Comedy Festival and UK Pun Day, which has become a phenomenon in recent years, receiving more than 78 million impressions in 2019 and trending at number one on Twitter on Pun Day 2020. It also ties in with the UK Pun Championships, where comedians battle it out for the best puns to cheers - and groans - from the crowd.
Announcing the book, Geoff Rowe, founding director of the Leicester Comedy Festival, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to bring together so many brilliant, groan-inducing puns in one place, kindly donated by some of our comedian friends.
“This book will help support Leicester Comedy Festival so I’m really grateful to all the acts who have allowed us to use their jokes and help us continue to celebrate British comedy.”
Claire Collins, editor at Penguin Random House, said: “Geoff and the team at Leicester Comedy Festival have really made a huge success of the annual UK Pun Championships and UK Pun Day, with thousands of people taking part in the annual celebration of puns and jokes. We are delighted to be publishing this book in support of the festival.”
The book will be out on November 4, priced at £9.99. It is now available to pre-order from all good bookshops.