26 gags in one minute: I say, I say, it’s a record!

HERE’S something to put a smile on your face... A British comedian has broken the world record for telling the most jokes in a minute.

Tommy Cooper impersonator Clive Greenaway, pictured, rattled out 26 one-liners, after he spent a year practising until he could tell one joke every two seconds.

Although Mr Greenaway, 57, fell two jokes short of the 28 he had hoped for, he beat the old record by five gags. The previous recordholder was Markus Weise, a German (no, really).

The strict Guinness World Records’ rules stated the live audience at the Haverhill Arts Centre in Suffolk had to laugh at a joke for it to count in the total – and luckily every one of Mr Greenaway’s gags drew a chuckle.

His jokes included: My wife and I were happy – then we met; my wife dresses to kill – and cooks the same way; my wife and I haven’t spoken in years – I don’t like to interrupt; pollen count – that’s a tough job; I ate a ploughman’s lunch – he was not happy; I went to the paper shop – but it had blown away.

Mr Greenaway, of Poole, Dorset, said: ‘I really enjoyed it although it was a bit of a blur. When I heard a German held the world record I couldn’t believe it and knew it had to be broken.’