The UK Pun Championships have taken place at De Montfort Hall in Leicester as part of the Leicester Comedy Festival. After a battle royale of puns, Adam Ernest Pickard (pictured) emerged victorious, claiming the 2026 championship title.
This year’s event saw an exciting lineup of contestants from across the UK, including, Adam Ernest Pickard, Katie Pritchard, Louie Falls, Mary Cross, Nayim Ali, Paggy Gacheva, Richard Stott and Richard Woolford. The event was hosted by Jason Byrne.
Winner Adam commented, “I think I just won the UK Pun Championship—unless this is a very elaborate prank, which is amazing, as I thought everyone was very strong, both physically and in terms of the workplace. This is probably the biggest gig I’ve ever done, so to win it as well—it’s great!”
The puns that helped Adam claim the title included:
“The song Greensleeves was composed by Henry VIII. I'd play some of it here, but it's not royalty-free”.
“Only women can use the herbal dumbbells. Thyme weights for no man”.
“I've compiled everyone who works at my local takeaway pizza place into a book. It's my Domino's Who's Who”.
"My friend and I paid a wizard to cast a spell so that Giorgio Armani would live forever. So when he died, we went back to the wizard and said, 'We’d like Armani back.'”
Leicester Comedy Festival is the largest comedy festival in Europe, and this year features over 700 shows. The UK Pun Championships are a much-loved highlight, with comedians competing in a real boxing ring, surrounded by a live audience.
Host Jason Byrne (pictured left) shared a variety of topics, and the contestants unleashed their finest puns. The audience’s laughter and cheers determined who progressed to the next round, leading to a tense pun-off between the two finalists: Adam Ernest Pickard and Louie Falls.
The winner claimed the legendary Championship Belt, symbolic of punning supremacy, designed by Cornish comedian and 2019 champion Colin Leggo.
Michael Harris-Wakelam, CEO of Big Difference Company, the charity behind the Leicester Comedy Festival, said: “The UK Pun Championships are a highlight for anyone who loves fast-paced comedy. The skill on display this year was outstanding. This event is a flagship of our festivals programme and celebrates and champions the art involved in great word play. Congratulations to all involved and to our worthy winner.”
This year’s pun-testants were:
- Adam Ernest Pickard
- Katie Pritchard
- Louie Falls
- Mary Cross
- Nayim Ali
- Paggy Gacheva
- Richard Stott
- Richard Woolford
Picture by Tyler Bartlam.
