Not your standard merchandise
We're long used to buying books and DVDs around our favourite comedies, but what else has been on offer?
Calendars
Calendars have long been a merchandising staple, and whilst big-name American brands like Friends seem available year-in year-out, British comedies also make appearances from time-to-time, with normally one or two available each year. Recent offerings have included Dad's Army and Derry Girls, with the likes of the Carry On films also catered for.
Calendars may only last a year before they're a bit out-of-date and needing to come down from your wall, but what a great 365 days you can have, when you've got your favourite sitcom characters letting you know what's going on in your life?
Board games
Board games have also proved popular in the past and have been experiencing somewhat of a renaissance in the last decade (indeed you can play the best Monopoly casino games online nowadays).
Classic comedies to have been exploited as board game faces range from 'Allo 'Allo! and Dad's Army to George & Mildred, On The Buses and Danger Mouse.
More recent examples have tended away from themed games and towards actual recreations of TV comedy entertainment formats: a Would I Lie To You? game was released in 2012, whilst QI distributed a board game in 2011.
One of the best TV-to-board transfers in recent years must be hit challenge show Taskmaster. Alex Horne's popular format released its own game in 2019, with an expansion pack of further challenges published in time for Christmas last year. Contents include a fold out board complete with the zones you'll recognise from the telly show, plus a scoreboard, playing pieces and sealed task cards. Bringing board games into the digital age, there are also video tasks available from Little Alex Horne himself too.
Soft toys
Cut-price German supermarket Aldi has also got into the comedy merchandising game, with its own limited range of soft toys in the last year. Each 'speaking' a classic tune or phrase, the iconic BBC sitcom properties covered to date include Only Fools & Horses and Dad's Army.
Marketing their OFAH characters, the supermarket points out they're from "the classic TV show that everyone knows and loves", and are "bound to bring a smile to the face" of whoever it is bought for. It's certainly a good way to get kids interested at an early age in some classic British comedy.
A purchase may, in time, also become a collector's item. For example, there's a Mr Bean's Teddy is available as a Beanie Baby. A list of the most expensive Beanie Babies in the world reveals some particular Beanie Baby designs are worth more than $1000 now, so perhaps Rowan Atkinson's character will get rich one day by trading in his beloved companion at the right time?!
Toy cars
There's also a surprising number of die-cast toy cars out there linked to British comedy too. The aforementioned Mr Bean features in this category, with his iconic mini available as a model. Basil's abused car from Fawlty Towers is perhaps, unsurprisingly, another vehicle you can pick up in tiny format.
Army comedy It Ain't Half Hot Mum even cashed in in this area at one point. If you look on eBay you might be able to find a limited edition model of the concert party truck that Battery Sergeant Major Williams and his Royal Artillery Concert Party made use of in the 1944-set comedy by Croft & Perry!