27 June 2025
The winner of VoiceBox 2025, a national joke telling competition for primary school children, was announced at Scottish Parliament.
Ezra Pasifull, from Oakbank Primary School in Perth and Kinross, has been crowned Scotland’s funniest young comedian after leaving MSPs in stitches during the grand final of VoiceBox 2025.
Ezra’s winning joke was: “I bought 10 bees but the beekeeper gave me 11 bees. I asked him why there is an extra bee and he said, because that one’s a ‘Free Bee!’
Held earlier this month at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, the final featured 32 pupils from across Scotland, with a regional winner representing each Local Authority. Every finalist performed their joke live before an audience of MSPs, families, and supporters, and received £100 worth of books from sponsors Collins Big Cat, the UK’s leading whole-school primary reading programme.
The overall winner’s school received £500 worth of Collins Big Cat books, while the runner-up and third-place winner from were awarded £200 worth of books for their schools. In addition, the top three finalists received toy gift cards – £100 for the winner, £75 for second place, and £50 for third place.
The final was hosted by the Presiding Officer, Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, and compered by BBC journalist and comedian Zara Janjua, who returned for her second year with the competition.
Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament said: “It was a pleasure to welcome so many young people from across Scotland to their Parliament. Following a strong nation-wide competition, I want to congratulate all our finalists. The effort, imagination and thought that went into their contributions was extremely impressive. I’m pleased that once again the Parliament was able to support such a worthwhile competition.”
VoiceBox was created by the RCSLT to spotlight the importance of early speech, language and communication development and the power of speech and language therapy. While rooted in fun, the competition’s purpose is to raise awareness of the vital role communication plays in a child’s confidence, learning, and life outcomes.
Glenn Carter, Head of RCSLT Scotland, said: “While the event is full of joy and laughter, its purpose is serious. Speech, language and communication are essential skills that underpin a child’s learning, relationships, and long-term opportunities. VoiceBox shines a light on this by showing just what children can achieve when they’re supported to express themselves.”
