Survey reveals North is top of the class for comedy

Nov 22 2009 Sunday Sun

A NEW survey has found Southerners admit they aren’t as funny as Northerners. KIM CARMICHAEL looks at how the region won the comedy crown . . .

BRITAIN is divided on many subjects, depending on where you’re from.

From the best places to live, to the best accent to have . . . it’s all up for debate.

But a new survey has found that even our Southern neighbours have admitted they aren’t nearly as funny as Northerners.

The study, carried out on behalf of This England magazine, revealed that barely one in 10 people across the country find Southern wit superior.

The results echo the fact that some of the country’s most beloved comedians hail from the North East, with acts such as the Likely Lads cracking the country up for decades.

More recently, the likes of Ross Noble, Ant and Dec and Roy Chubby Brown have had audiences rolling in the aisles.

While slightly further afield, fellow Northerners Caroline Aherne and Victoria Wood are also known for their side-splitting shows.

And now there’s a definite reason why Morecambe and Wise were regarded as one of Britain’s most brilliant comedy duos.

The survey revealed that 63% of the country believes that “there is nothing like the comedy of the old greats, such as Morecambe and Wise”.

The survey also highlighted the fact that 40% of the country finds “observational, comical interpretations of everyday situations, such as Northerner, Peter Kay’s brand of humour, to be their favourite.

Stephen Garnett, editor of This England magazine, says: “We were rather surprised at these results because we thought southerners might be a bit more positive about themselves and their sense of humour.

“The idea behind Northerners being funny could be because northern humour is seen as more down-to-earth, warm and inclusive, rather than really intellectual and too clever.

“Even northern ‘put downs’ seem to embrace their victims, so that they feel they’ve been let in on the joke.