British Comedy Guide
Britain's Greatest Comedy Character. Copyright: Crook Productions
Britain's Greatest Comedy Character

Britain's Greatest Comedy Character

  • TV factual
  • U&Gold
  • 2020
  • 1 episode

A show in which a jury pick a list of the UK's best comedy characters. Features Sally Phillips, Emily Atack, Lucy Beaumont, Marcus Brigstocke, Grace Dent and more.

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Britain's Greatest Comedy Character. Image shows from L to R: Shaparak Khorsandi, Peter Egan, Nina Wadia, David Quantick, Lucy Beaumont, Sally Phillips, Grace Dent, Emily Atack, Marcus Brigstocke, John Thomson. Copyright: Crook Productions

Key details

Genre
Factual
Broadcast
2020
Channel
U&Gold
Episodes
1
Features
Sally Phillips, Emily Atack, Lucy Beaumont, Marcus Brigstocke, Grace Dent, Peter Egan, Shaparak Khorsandi, David Quantick and more
Directors
John Adams
Producers
Victoria Thomas, Matt Crook, Adam McLean, Iain Coyle and Rowena Haley
Company

A jury of comedians, actors, writers, journalists and critics battle it out under the watchful gaze of judge Sally Phillips, as they attempt to agree on who is the country's greatest comedy characters.

The shortlist was compiled by a public vote. The results the panel then picked were...

1.

I'm Alan Partridge. Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan). Copyright: Talkback Productions

Alan Partridge (I'm Alan Partridge etc)

2.

Only Fools And Horses. Del (David Jason)

Del Boy (Only Fools And Horses)

3.

The Office. David Brent (Ricky Gervais)

David Brent (The Office)

4.

Blackadder. Mr. Edmund Blackadder, Esquire (Rowan Atkinson)

Blackadder (Blackadder)

5.

Fawlty Towers. Basil Fawlty (John Cleese). Copyright: BBC

Basil Fawlty (Fawlty Towers)

6.

Fleabag. Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Copyright: Two Brothers Pictures

Fleabag (Fleabag

7.

The Young Ones. Rick (Rik Mayall). Copyright: BBC

Rick (The Young Ones)

8.

Porridge. Fletcher (Ronnie Barker). Copyright: BBC

Fletcher (Porridge)

9.

One Foot In The Grave. Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson). Copyright: BBC

Victor Meldrew (One Foot In The Grave)

10.

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Frank Spencer (Michael Crawford). Copyright: BBC

Frank Spencer (Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em)

11.

Dad's Army. Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe)

Captain Mainwaring (Dad's Army)

12.

Keeping Up Appearances. Hyacinth Bucket (Patricia Routledge)

Hyacinth Bucket (Keeping Up Appearances)

13.

Open All Hours. Albert Arkwright (Ronnie Barker). Copyright: BBC

Arkwright (Open All Hours)

14.

Rising Damp. Rupert Rigsby (Leonard Rossiter). Copyright: Yorkshire Television

Rigsby (Rising Damp)

15.

The Mrs Merton Show. Mrs Merton (Caroline Aherne). Copyright: Granada Productions

Mrs Merton (The Mrs Merton Show etc)

16.

The Thick Of It. Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi). Copyright: BBC

Malcolm Tucker (The Thick Of It)

17.

The Good Life. Margo Leadbetter (Penelope Keith). Copyright: BBC

Margo Leadbetter (The Good Life)

18.

The Vicar Of Dibley. Geraldine Grainger (Dawn French). Copyright: Tiger Aspect Productions

Geraldine Granger (The Vicar Of Dibley)

19.

Yes Minister. Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne). Copyright: BBC

Sir Humphrey Appleby (Yes Minister etc)

20.

Hancock's Half Hour. Anthony Aloysius St John Hancock (Tony Hancock). Copyright: BBC

Hancock (Hancock's Half Hour)

21.

Mr. Bean. Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson)

Mr Bean (Mr. Bean)

22.

Miranda. Miranda (Miranda Hart). Copyright: BBC

Miranda (Miranda)

23.

Da Ali G Show. Ali G (Sacha Baron Cohen)

Ali G (Da Ali G Show etc)

24.

Father Ted. Father Ted Crilly (Dermot Morgan). Copyright: Hat Trick Productions

Father Ted (Father Ted)

25.

Gavin & Stacey. Nessa (Ruth Jones)

Nessa Jenkins (Gavin & Stacey)

26.

Absolutely Fabulous. Patsy (Joanna Lumley)

Patsy Stone (Absolutely Fabulous)

27.

Mrs. Brown's Boys. Agnes Brown (Brendan O'Carroll)

Mrs Brown (Mrs. Brown's Boys)

28.

Kevin & Perry Go Large. Perry (Kathy Burke). Copyright: Tiger Aspect Productions

Perry (Harry Enfield's Television Programme)

29.

Ever Decreasing Circles. Martin Bryce (Richard Briers). Copyright: BBC

Martin Bryce (Ever Decreasing Circles)

30.

Last Of The Summer Wine. William 'Compo' Simmonite (Bill Owen). Copyright: BBC

Compo (Last Of The Summer Wine)

Additional details

Production
Location
Camera set-up
Multi-camera
Picture
Colour

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Sunday 24th May 2020 at 8pm on U&Gold
Episode length
180 minutes
Most recent repeats
  • Sunday 11th August 2024 at 11:55pm on U&Gold
  • Monday 5th August 2024 at 12:15am on U&Gold
  • Monday 9th October 2023 at 12:45am on U&Gold

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