Stirling pupil Ru gives MSPs at Holyrood a welcome laugh
The Allan's Primary youngster was one of just 32 finalists from thousands who entered the national joke telling competition, with the final being held at the Scottish Parliament.
A P1 pupil from Allan's Primary School in Stirling had MSPs in fits of laughter recently at the VoiceBox grand final – a national joke-telling competition.
Ru McCallum had taken part in the contest, organised by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).
The final, which took place at Holyrood, 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. The final followed a nationwide call for entries that saw thousands of jokes submitted by pupils from hundreds of primary schools.
Ru's joke, which earned a place in the final, was: 'Why did the banana go to the doctor? Because he wasn't peeling very well!'
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.
Ezra Pasifull, of P3 at Oakbank Primary School in Perth and Kinross, was crowned Scotland's funniest young comedian after leaving MSPs in stitches.
The winning joke, delivered 'with confidence and impeccable timing', 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!'.'
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.'
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 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.'
The 2025 final marks the second year VoiceBox has been held at the Scottish Parliament, following its January launch on Blue Monday, a date chosen to brighten the calendar and kick-off joke competitions in classrooms nationwide.
Each of the 32 finalists 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, Freya McVie Branley from St Winning's Primary School in North Ayrshire, and third-place winner, Craig Speirs from Shortlees Primary School in East Ayrshire, 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.
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