Jokes were invented when prehistoric families ran out of baked beans and needed another form of evening entertainment other than farting towards each other. 

Anyone can tell a joke, sure. But the way you tell them normally leads to three different outcomes: laughter, booing, or deadly silence. So how do you become a world class joke teller? Follow this handy guide and we're sure we'll see you on the telly soon.

But be careful [dramatic pause], you might fall off! 

See? Comedy genius. This is exactly the sort of thing we're talking about. 

Step 1 – Practice the joke!

When starting out, all good stand up comedians practice their jokes until they can say them out loud without tripping over their words and remembering all the important parts of the joke: the chicken, the road, the purpose of going across, and so on. Are you confident in telling your joke? Then let's move to the next stage.

Step 2 – Make sure you have your audience's attention!

There's no point beginning to tell a joke if everyone's talking amongst themselves or taking one of Beano's hundreds of awesome quizzes. Maybe begin with a polite, but loud, 'Hello everyone!' or get one of those squeaky horns clowns have. Maybe that's why they carry one. Is everyone looking your direction? Good.

Step 3 – Take a deep breath!

We're not suggesting you gulp down lungfuls of air like a person diving in the sea. But before you begin your joke or funny story, take a moment and breathe – you don't want to run out of air during a particularly long sentence.

Step 4 – Tell your joke clearly!

Ready? Then begin your joke. Take your time and don't rush it. You might forget an important detail and leave your audience wondering what on earth is happening! 

Step 5 – Deliver the joke like a comedy legend!

You're near the end of your joke and about to say the punchline. Pause for dramatic effect and... BOOM! Your  audience will be clutching their sides and rolling on the floor – guaranteed!**not guaranteed