Britain's Best Loved Sitcoms. Tony Robinson. Copyright: North One Television
Britain's Best Loved Sitcoms
- TV factual
- Channel 4
- 2015
- 2 episodes (1 series)
A new poll across all age groups to find the nation's most loved sitcom. Narrated by Tamsin Greig. Features Brendan O'Carroll, Richard Wilson, Tony Robinson, Ricky Tomlinson, Wendy Craig and more.
Episode menu
Series 1, Episode 2
The concluding half of a two-part special, celebrating the very best of homegrown sitcom from the past six decades, narrated by Tamsin Grieg.
Further details
Tonight's show reaches a climax, counting down the Top 25 UK comedies, as decided in a specially commissioned Channel 4 poll conducted with viewers across the age ranges from all over Britain.
Vying for top spot are an eclectic mix of sitcoms from down the years - and of vastly varying styles - including experimental hits The Young Ones, Father Ted and Outnumbered, traditional favourites Dad's Army, The Good Life and Porridge, recent big-hitters Gavin & Stacey, The Inbetweeners and Red Dwarf - and perennial contenders for 'people's choice', Blackadder, Fawlty Towers, One Foot In The Grave and Only Fools And Horses.
Featured interviews include Brendan O'Carroll, Richard Wilson, Tony Robinson, Ricky Tomlinson, Patricia Routledge, Leslie Ash and Alison Steadman - as well as pioneering writers such as Dick Clement and Iain la Frenais.
Packed with great clips from all our favourite comedies, there are also some more fascinating but little-known facts and insights - like the Hollywood roots of foul-mouthed Mrs Brown and the secrets of filming improvised scenes with kids in Outnumbered.
The List
Rising Damp. Image shows from L to R: Ruth Jones (Frances de la Tour), Rupert Rigsby (Leonard Rossiter). Copyright: Yorkshire Television
25. Rising Damp
Gavin & Stacey. Image shows from L to R: Nessa (Ruth Jones), Gavin (Mathew Horne), Stacey (Joanna Page), Smithy (James Corden). Copyright: Baby Cow Productions
24. Gavin & Stacey
Outnumbered. Image shows from L to R: Ben (Daniel Roche), Jake (Tyger Drew-Honey), Karen (Ramona Marquez), Sue (Claire Skinner), Pete (Hugh Dennis). Copyright: Hat Trick Productions
23. Outnumbered
The Royle Family. Image shows from L to R: Barbara Royle (Sue Johnston), Jim Royle (Ricky Tomlinson). Copyright: Granada Productions / Jellylegs
22. The Royle Family
The Young Ones. Image shows from L to R: Vyvyan (Adrian Edmondson), Neil (Nigel Planer), Mike (Christopher Ryan), Rick (Rik Mayall). Copyright: BBC
21. The Young Ones
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Frank Spencer (Michael Crawford). Copyright: BBC
Steptoe And Son. Image shows from L to R: Harold Steptoe (Harry H. Corbett), Albert Steptoe (Wilfrid Brambell). Copyright: BBC
19. Steptoe And Son
Dad's Army. Image shows from L to R: Private Godfrey (Arnold Ridley), Lance Corporal Jones (Clive Dunn), Private Walker (James Beck), Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe), Private Frazer (John Laurie), Sergeant Wilson (John Le Mesurier), Private Pike (Ian Lavender). Copyright: BBC
18. Dad's Army
Birds Of A Feather. Image shows from L to R: Dorien Green (Lesley Joseph), Tracey Stubbs (Linda Robson), Sharon Theodopolopodous (Pauline Quirke). Copyright: Alomo Productions / Retort
The Inbetweeners. Image shows from L to R: Will Mackenzie (Simon Bird), Neil Sutherland (Blake Harrison), Jay Cartwright (James Buckley), Simon Cooper (Joe Thomas). Copyright: Bwark Productions
16. The Inbetweeners
Keeping Up Appearances. Image shows from L to R: Hyacinth Bucket (Patricia Routledge), Richard Bucket (Clive Swift). Copyright: BBC
Absolutely Fabulous. Image shows from L to R: Bubble (Jane Horrocks), Saffron (Julia Sawalha), Edina (Jennifer Saunders), Mother (June Whitfield), Patsy (Joanna Lumley). Copyright: Saunders And French Productions / BBC
My Family. Image shows from L to R: Janey Harper (Daniela Denby-Ashe), Susan Harper (Zoë Wanamaker), Michael Harper (Gabriel Thomson), Ben Harper (Robert Lindsay), Abi Harper (Siobhan Hayes), Roger Bailey Jr. (Keiron Self). Copyright: DLT Entertainment Ltd. / Rude Boy Productions
13. My Family
The Good Life. Image shows from L to R: Tom Good (Richard Briers), Barbara Good (Felicity Kendal), Jerry Leadbetter (Paul Eddington), Margo Leadbetter (Penelope Keith). Copyright: BBC
12. The Good Life
Red Dwarf. Image shows from L to R: Rimmer (Chris Barrie), Cat (Danny John-Jules), Kryten (Robert Llewellyn), Lister (Craig Charles). Copyright: Grant Naylor Productions / BBC
11. Red Dwarf
Mrs. Brown's Boys. Agnes Brown (Brendan O'Carroll). Copyright: BBC / BocPix
10. Mrs Brown's Boys
Men Behaving Badly. Image shows from L to R: Tony Smart (Neil Morrissey), Gary Strang (Martin Clunes). Copyright: Hartswood Films Ltd
Open All Hours. Image shows from L to R: Nurse Gladys Emmanuel (Lynda Baron), Albert Arkwright (Ronnie Barker), Granville (David Jason). Copyright: BBC
The Vicar Of Dibley. Geraldine Grainger (Dawn French). Copyright: Tiger Aspect Productions
Father Ted. Image shows from L to R: Father Ted Crilly (Dermot Morgan), Mrs Doyle (Pauline McLynn), Father Dougal McGuire (Ardal O'Hanlon), Father Jack Hackett (Frank Kelly). Copyright: Hat Trick Productions
6. Father Ted
Porridge. Image shows from L to R: Mr. Mackay (Fulton Mackay), Fletcher (Ronnie Barker), Godber (Richard Beckinsale). Copyright: BBC
5. Porridge
One Foot In The Grave. Image shows from L to R: Margaret Meldrew (Annette Crosbie), Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson). Copyright: BBC
Blackadder. Image shows from L to R: Captain Kevin Darling (Tim McInnerny), Baldrick (Tony Robinson), Captain Edmund Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson), General Melchett (Stephen Fry), Lieutenant George Barleigh (Hugh Laurie). Copyright: BBC / Tiger Aspect Productions
3. Blackadder
Fawlty Towers. Basil Fawlty (John Cleese). Copyright: BBC
Only Fools And Horses. Image shows from L to R: Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst), Del (David Jason), Grandad (Lennard Pearce). Copyright: BBC
Broadcast details
- Date
- Saturday 10th October 2015
- Time
- 8pm
- Channel
- Channel 4
- Length
- 60 minutes
Repeats
Show past repeats
| Date | Time | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 13th October 2015 | 3:00am | 4seven |
| Tuesday 13th October 2015 | 8:00pm | 4seven |
| Thursday 15th October 2015 | 2:10am | 4seven |
| Friday 25th December 2015 | 6:55pm | More4 |
| Friday 1st January 2016 | 9:00pm | More4 |
| Sunday 4th September 2016 | 10:05pm | More4 |
| Friday 30th June 2017 | 11:05pm | More4 |
| Monday 8th January 2018 | 1:45am | More4 |
| Sunday 29th December 2019 | 6:55pm | More4 |
| Saturday 26th December 2020 | 12:10am | More4 |
| Sunday 4th April 2021 | 11:05pm | More4 |
| Monday 5th April 2021 | 2:15am | More4 |
Cast & crew
| Brendan O'Carroll | Self |
| Richard Wilson | Self |
| Tony Robinson | Self |
| Ricky Tomlinson | Self |
| Wendy Craig | Self |
| Dave Spikey | Self |
| John Challis | Self |
| Stephen K Amos | Self |
| Sally Phillips | Self |
| Sue Holderness | Self |
| Jon Plowman | Self |
| Grace Dent | Self |
| Lynda Baron | Self |
| Ralf Little | Self |
| Morgan Jeffrey | Self |
| David Quantick | Self |
| Edgar Wright | Self |
| David Schneider | Self |
| Paul Jackson | Self |
| Emily Atack | Self |
| Roy Chubby Brown (as Roy 'Chubby' Brown) | Self |
| Laurence Marks | Self |
| Maurice Gran | Self |
| Steve Berry | Self |
| Guy Jenkin | Self |
| Andy Hamilton | Self |
| Andrew Collins | Self |
| Caroline Frost | Self |
| Dick Clement | Self |
| Ian La Frenais | Self |
| Michael Hogan | Self |
| Jean Boht | Self |
| Tamsin Greig | Narrator |
| Patricia Routledge | Self |
| Leslie Ash | Self |
| Alison Steadman | Self |
| Tyger Drew-Honey | Self |
| Nigel Planer | Self |
| Eric Chappell | Self |
| Christopher Biggins | Self |
| Mark Jenkins | Self |
| Mike Williams | Series Producer |
| Mike Williams | Producer |
| John Quinn | Executive Producer |
| Kevin Hylands | Edit Producer |
| Nigel Alred | Edit Producer |
| Willy Norton | Edit Producer |
| Lucy Kenwright | Producer/Director |
| Marcus Harben | Producer/Director |
| Dan Ablett | Editor |
| Sam Bennett | Editor |
| Mark Heasman | Editor |
| Ewen McLeod | Editor |
| Nick Searle | Editor |