By Ross Brewster

Last updated 18:11, Saturday, 31 May 2008

Muncaster Castle has got itself a new jester after half a dozen candidates battled it out for the honour in a Britain’s Got Talent style competition yesterday.

• Video: watch the jester competition

AJ the Jester collects his crown

A J James, from Penrith, won the International Jester Tournament to become the new Fool of Muncaster Castle in the Lake District. He inherits the title from last year’s winner American Paul Garbanzo.

A J got the biggest audience cheer and won the judges’ vote with a performance that included a mix of comedy, acrobatics and escapology.

He will hold the title Fool of Muncaster title for the next year and have his name carved in a replica of Tom Fool’s hat made from wood, as well as receiving a salary of a crate of Cumberland Ale every month.

He said: “I’ve been a pretender all these years but now I can tell people that I’m a real Fool. My kids aren’t usually impressed with what I do, but since I told them that they were going to see me perform at a castle they’ve been really excited. And for me the opportunity to perform at a castle has been really inspiring.”

Peter Frost Pennington, whose family are celebrating their 800th anniversary at Muncaster this year, said: “There were six great competitors but A J James had the crowd in stitches and that’s what we were looking for.

"He is a very worthy successor both to Paul Garbanzo, who has done an excellent job as our jester over the last year, and to the great Tom Fool himself.”