Set phrases to pun ... Fife's Richard bids for comedy title

That one-liner from Tim Vine, master of the pun, won the Edinburgh Fringe joke of the year.

Now a Burntisland comedian is hoping to unveil some award-winning puns of his own.

Richard Pulsford is flying the flag for Fife again at this year’s UK Pun Championships, which are to be held at the Leicester Comedy Festival on Monday, February 13.

He competed in the event last year, and was runner-up to the eventual winner, Masai Graham, another comedian who won the joke of the year (“My dad suggested I register for a donor card, he’s a man after my own heart”) at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Now in its fourth year, the UK Pun Championships have been growing as an annual event, moving to bigger venues every year due to the huge demand for tickets.

This year is already a sell-out, with comedian Jason Byrne, well-known to the Kingdom’s comedy fans for his riotous performances at the Alhambra Theatre, is lined up as the host.

Richard said: “I was absolutely delighted when I heard I had been selected to take part in the finals again this year.

“The event is a key part of the Leicester Comedy Festival, England’s longest running comedy festival, and to be performing on stage with Jason and the other acts in front of 800 people is surely going to be an amazing experience.”

The day that the championships are held is being promoted as UK Pun Day, where people around the country are being invited to enjoy one of the things Britain does best, puns, using the hashtag #UKPunday.

Richard performed his first comedy spot at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe back in 2004, and has since done hundreds of gigs all over Scotland and England.

He has run shows in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, including solo shows at The Beehive Inn in 2015 and 2016, and at the Glasgow Comedy Festival.

Now he is preparing to take his own stand up comedy show, Phrases Ready, on tour and is already booked to perform at comedy festivals in Leicester, Glasgow, Buxton and Manchester, as well as a week’s run at the Prague Festival Fringe in May.

As well as performing his own shows, Richard also runs the Mirth of Forth Comedy agency, which began in 2010, with fellow Burntisland resident Mark Kisby.

From its humble beginnings in The Star pub, it continues to grow and the pair are now regularly involved with the Aberdour Festival, booking headliners Gary Delaney, Craig Hill and Patrick Monahan.

For more information about Richard and his gigs visit www.richardpulsford.com.