Winehouse joke wins festival prize

12:09am Friday 22nd August 2008

A dig at troubled singer Amy Winehouse has been declared the funniest joke of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Comedian Zoe Lyons took the top spot after her jibe about the star was chosen in a public vote.

Her winning one-liner is: "I can't believe Amy Winehouse self-harms. She's so irritating she must be able to find someone to do it for her."

The 33-year-old, from Brighton, makes the joke in her show, Mangled Mantra of the Messed-up Modern Mind.

She scooped the prize in the inaugural comedy award from TV channel Dave, which bills itself "the home of witty banter".

Lyons said: "I am absolutely delighted to have won the award. I know self-harming is not funny but it's just a joke, so I'm not going to beat myself up about it."

She received almost 12% of the public vote and takes home the Dave Award for the Funniest Joke of the Fringe and a cash prize.