Home › Comics › British Comics › Comedian Harry Hill joins Beano to hunt for Britain’s funniest primary school class

Comedian Harry Hill joins Beano to hunt for Britain’s funniest primary school class

By John Freeman on May 2, 2019

Harry Hill. Image courtesy Beano Studios

Iconic British comedian and author Harry Hill has been announced as special guest judge in Beano’s nationwide search to find Britain’s Funniest Class.

Teachers up and down the country have until 10th May 2019 to put forward their class’ very best jokes, gags and funnies to be in with a chance of being crowned the winner.

The top ten jokes chosen by Harry Hill and Beano’s gag makers will appear on Beano.com with kids voting to decide who will be Britain’s funniest class. The winner and two runners-up will each receive a bundle of Beano annuals comic subscriptions and a special VIP Beano visit, including a joke workshop.

Primary school across the UK can submit their classes’ jokes up until 10th May 2019 online at https://schools.beano.com/

Harry Hill on the cover of The Dandy, cover dated 30th October 2010

Last year, the iconic TV presenter – who has long associations with Beano publisher DC Thomson, including his strip in The Dandy , “Harry Hill’s Real Life Adventures in TV Land“, written and drawn by Nigel Parkinson – released his second book in the ‘Matt Millz’ series to inspire kids to start out in comedy.

Matt Millz Stands Up!, illustrated by Steve May, tells the story of the youngest comedian in the world facing the fickle finger of fame.

“This competition is an incredible opportunity for British kids to release their inner-comedian and let loose their imaginations,” Harry Hill says.

“It’s a great way for kids to show they know best when it comes to telling rib-tickling jokes and show the adults how it’s done.”

Mike Stirling, Editorial Director at Beano Studios said: “At Beano we’ve been giggling with kids for 80 years and we are on a mission to spread their much needed humour across the UK.

“Jokes are meant to be silly, naughty and imaginative; they are also the perfect way of injecting some much needed LOLZ into the classroom whilst encouraging kids to develop their literacy skills.

“We’ve had some fantastic entries so far and we are looking forward to reading more of the best jokes from across the country.”

Classes can source further inspiration from Beano’s ‘Joke Generator’ which hosts 80 years’ worth of classic jokes at www.beano.com/jokes
.
• Beano’s Funniest Class competition closes for entries on 10th May 2019.Teachers can enter via schools.beano.com

Harry Hill in The Dandy – in November 2011. Script and art by Nigel Parkinson

• Nigel Parkinson talks about his work on “Harry Hill’s Real LIfe Adventures in TV Land” for The Dandy, working with Harry Hill here on his blog

Harry Hill’s Real Life Adventures in TV Land was published in The Dandy between 2010 and 2011, featuring a cartoon-version of Harry Hill, his sidekick, Knitted Character, and often spoofed television celebrities – 144 pages in all

[amazon_link asins=’0571332498,0571345689,0571345670,0571341209,1787412792,1787412784,B01N6QTBY7′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’downthetubes’ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’374b33d0-1a42-4090-b67c-497742e43e6c’]

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.