Bang! It’s time to get cracking on those festive funnies in Gold’s Christmas cracker competition

If you’ve ever moaned at the quality of the gags in your Christmas crackers – so that’s everyone – then now you’ve got the chance to do something about it.

TV channel Gold has launched its annual Christmas Crackers joke competition and the top prize is £1,500 in holiday vouchers and a bespoke set of crackers featuring your winning witticism.

Nine runners-up will also get their gag in a bunch of crackers, plus a hamper. So get gagging, everyone, and tweet your best efforts along with #GoldCrackers so the good people of Gold can find it.

Here’s what Bruce Dessau, who knows a thing or two about this sort of thing and will head up the panel of judges to choose the winner, said.

“What a year 2018 has been – despite everything this year has thrown at us, we can usually manage to find something to giggle about. From England’s remarkable performance at the World Cup, to Theresa May’s questionable dancing, there is certainly plenty of scope for jokers to play with this Christmas. I’m so excited to see what comic gems emerge from Gold’s Christmas Crackers competition this year!”

And here’s Gold channel director Gerald Casey.

“2018 has undoubtedly been a year of ups and downs – whilst it may feel like the world’s still a bit topsy-turvy around us, our sense of humour remains as strong as ever. I can’t wait to hear what our nation’s jokers come up with this year – I’m sure we’ve got a lot of crackers to look forward to this Christmas!”

Don’t forget to follow @GoldChannel so they can tell you you’re won (because yes, you are going to win). Oh, and no swearing please.