Pointless star Richard Osman has likened the debate over whether Jaffa Cakes are a cake or a biscuit to Brexit, and insisted he will defend them as the latter “against anybody”.

The TV presenter is running a World Cup of Biscuits competition in aid of Red Nose Day, and is locked in a heated Twitter campaign as to whether the chocolate orange treats should be in the running or not.

Richard also said it is “lovely” to be able to encourage people on social media to get into a discussion about “something so lovely and inconsequential” in the current political and social climate.

Richard’s courting of controversy online is two-fold as he has asked people to vote for their favourite biscuits while also opening the debate about Jaffa Cakes.

He told the Press Association: “My vote would be for a Jaffa Cake, but that’s a whole other issue.”

Of his reasoning as to why he considers the popular McVitie’s product a biscuit, he said: “No one will ever, ever offer you a slice of Jaffa Cake. If you turned up at your nan’s house and she offered you a slice of Jaffa Cake you’d be very, very surprised.

“The EU said a biscuit when it’s stale goes soft, and a cake goes hard, which is why they say Jaffa Cakes aren’t a biscuit, but my personal opinion is, if you are leaving Jaffa Cakes long enough to go stale then I’m not interested in your opinion on biscuits.

Richard Osman
Richard Osman (Mark Yeoman/BBC)

“They never go stale in my house.

“You buy them in packets with other biscuits on the biscuit aisle, it’s a biscuit and in my mind, biscuit means biscuit.”

But Richard said he fears the poll – which after five hours had over 28,000 votes on Twitter – will resemble the Brexit result with a close split in favour of cake winning.

“I have a terrible feeling it’s going to end up 52/48 and Britain will be split once again,” he said, adding that he knows “how Theresa May feels at the moment”.

He added: “It looks like a biscuit, it’s the size of a biscuit, people can say the hard or soft thing, I don’t care, that’s the EU ruling and we don’t have to listen to them any more!”

The World Cup of Biscuits follows on from Richard’s similar campaigns for crisps and chocolate last year, and the results will be revealed during Comic Relief’s live Red Nose Day telethon on Friday.

He said that while it may divide people with a heated debate, due to the strong connection Brits have with biscuits including chocolate digestives, chocolate fingers and Hobnobs, it is a good distraction from reality.

Richard said: “People get furious if you prefer a bourbon to a custard cream, and if you vote for a Choco Leibniz instead of a Jammie Dodger.

“And people love arguing about it, people love the stupidity of it.”

He said: “It’s lovely to have everybody arguing about something so lovely and inconsequential.

“I think it’s a real treat for everybody and its raising money for a good cause, too.”

To vote in the World Cup of Biscuits, go to @richardosman on Twitter.

Red Nose Day viewers can donate on the night either online at bbc.co.uk/rednoseday or by phone using 03457 910 910 or through text. To donate £10 by text, text YES to 70210 and to donate £20 text YES to 70220.