You don't say? VEGEMITE reveals British and Aussie humour is most associated with sarcasm

Sunday roast vs Sunday barbeque, walk in the park vs walk on the beach, bangers and mash vs chicken parmigiana – Britain and Australia have a lot of cultural parallels. However, do they have cultural crossovers too? According to VEGEMITE'S new research, humour is the ultimate bridge between the two.

As an Australian icon placing its roots firmly in the UK, VEGEMITE highlights that although Australia and Britain have their own distinct sense of humour, they have stronger similarities than many realise.

While nearly half of Brits (47%) say sarcasm best defines British humour, more than a quarter (27%) also associate the trait with Australian humour. The findings suggest the two nations' humour traits are more alike than many might think. To celebrate this VEGEMITE has partnered with Comedy Bandits to host a one night only comedy club night on the 30th of September, bringing together British and Australian comedians to celebrate the shared traits, unique quirks and cultural differences that shape humour on both sides of the globe.

The one night only event aims to celebrate the similarities and differences between Australian and British humour, bringing audiences together through a shared love of comedy and conversation.

Robin Lewis, Marketing Manager, VEGEMITE (Euro Food Brands) said, "Brits are craving more opportunities to laugh, which is why we're bringing together some of the best British and Australian comedic talent to London. We're celebrating humour in all forms at our VEGEMITE Spread the Laughs comedy night - the act of making people laugh, whether it is out of something dark or something truly belly aching, is a beautiful thing that isn't culturally specific."

The research also highlights that, while Brits may disagree on who is funniest, many share similar tastes when it comes to humour. Over 1 in 5 (21%) Brits say innuendo, humour that hints at a secondary meaning beyond its literal interpretation, is their favourite guilty pleasure.

Along with guilty pleasures, humour is also seen as a part of national pride, with nearly 1 in 3 suggesting that humour is the UK's greatest national trait. Although many Brits find humour an important aspect of British culture, some think they are better at it than others. When asked to name the funniest part of the UK outside of their own region, Scotland, the North East and the North West all clinched the top 3 spots.  At the other end of the scale, Wales and the South West ranked among the UK's least funny regions, while the East Midlands was crowned the country's comedy no man's land.

Although, Brits may disagree on who is the funniest, they are largely united on what makes them laugh. Everyday frustrations come out on top, with more than 1 in 4 (28%) saying they'd rather joke about life's little inconveniences than anything else. Whether it's the sun being too hot, the rain being too cold, a delayed train or a phone that won't cooperate, Brits seem to find humour in the daily grind. Britain's knack for finding humour in everyday life extends to personal misfortune and unpredictable weather, with around one in four citing their own bad luck (27%) and the weather (26%) as top sources of comedy.

While "The Cackler" is the UK's most common named laugh type overall, regional differences reveal that laughter isn't one-size-fits-all. Wales tops the table for Cacklers, with 15% admitting their laugh can be heard across an entire pub, while Scotland is home to the nation's biggest Snorters (15%), suggesting accidental farmyard noises are a regular feature north of the border. The North East, meanwhile, stands out as the UK's capital of the Hyena laugh, with 14% saying that if something's funny, everyone within a five-mile radius knows about it. Together, the findings suggest that while Brits may share a love of humour, how they express it varies considerably depending on where they call home.

VEGEMITE'S 'Spread the Laughs' Night will put the research to the test and see if these unique laughs are only exclusive to British audiences and can only be elicited by "British humour".

VEGEMITE'S Spread the Laughs comedy night, hosted in partnership with Comedy Bandits will be hosted by acclaimed comedian, Ray Badran, and the evening will bring together Alexandra Haddow, Will Owen, Peter Jones and headliner Felicity Ward for an evening of laughter, international nuances, and naturally, a couple of iconic VEGEMITE cheese toasties to top off the night.

Limited tickets are free and available to attend VEGEMITE Spread the Laughs comedy night at The Railway, Clapham on 30 September. Reserve your place on Ticket Tailor.

Survey methodology: Opinium research conducted on behalf of VEGEMITE among 2,000 UK adults. Fieldwork took place between 31st of July and 4th August 2026.