Schoolboy's James Bond 'fart' joke leaves judges shaken and stirred in national competition
An East Kilbride school pupil has turned a good gag into a golden ticket for Holyrood after being named a finalist in a national joke-telling competition.
Harry McElhiney, a P7 youngster at Halfmerke Primary, has been crowned the winner of South Lanarkshire's regional heat in the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' (RCSLT) VoiceBox competition – a national joke-telling contest celebrating the power of communication.
With a joke that had judges in stitches, Harry now heads to the grand final at the Scottish Parliament on June 5, where 32 of Scotland's funniest primary school pupils – one from each local authority – will compete for the title of VoiceBox Champion 2025.
Harry's joke which earned a place in the final, was: 'Why does James Bond not fart in bed? Because it would blow his cover.'
The event will be hosted by the Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament, with Zara Janjua, BBC journalist and stand-up comedian, taking the mic as compère.
Now in its second year, VoiceBox launched on Blue Monday – the so-called 'saddest day of the year' – with a very different energy, thanks to last year's winners from Cockenzie Primary in East Lothian. Since then, schools across Scotland have been submitting their funniest entries in a joyful celebration of confidence, creativity and communication.
Harry has already secured £100 worth of Collins Big Cat books for their school, and is in the running for the top prizes:
■ £500 of books for the winning school
■ £200 of books for second and third place
■ Plus, a £100 toy gift card for the top three finalists
Glenn Carter, head of RCSLT Scotland, said: 'We're incredibly proud of all the regional winners who've earned a place in the national final.
'VoiceBox is about much more than making people laugh. It's about highlighting the vital role that communication plays in every part of a child's life. Speech, language and communication, skills are the foundation for learning, social connection, mental wellbeing and future employment. Yet too many children still struggle without the support they need, often going unnoticed.
'Competitions like VoiceBox show just how powerful a child's voice can be when given a platform and why it's so important that we continue to invest in speech and language therapy to support children's communication. These children aren't just telling jokes. They're showing us how the ability to communicate can positively impact confidence, creativity and connection.'
Lizzi Jones, head of sales and marketing for HarperCollins Scotland, added: 'Supporting VoiceBox allows us to champion children's literacy and communication, all through the simple joy of telling a joke. We can't wait to hear all the jokes at Holyrood.'
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