British Comedy Genres
This page provides a guide to the main genres of British comedy. Click on any of these sections to access a list of the comedies in that genre...
Situation Comedy (aka Sitcom)
A humorous series featuring the reactions of a regular cast of characters to unusual situations, such as misunderstandings or embarrassing coincidences. These comedies are usually centred around a common environment, for example a family home or workplace.
Sketch Shows
Sketch shows are made up from a series of un-connected short comedy scenes (aka 'sketches' / 'skits'). These shows are normally performed by a small group of actors who play multiple roles. The emphasis is very much on a punchline or character trait.
Stand-Up Shows
In this section we list the broadcast shows that feature the brave souls who are prepared to stand in front of a microphone and tell a succession of stories, jokes and one-liners to make a studio audience laugh.
Panel Shows
This genre of comedy is particularly popular in the UK. Also known as 'Panel Games', 'Parlour Games' or 'Quizcoms', these shows pit teams against each other via quiz questions - but getting the right answers is not normally the real aim, it's just an excuse to be funny!
Comedy Dramas
Many people get confused about the difference between sitcoms and comedy dramas. Typically, we class a programme as a comedy drama if it has strong dramatic elements and heavy emphasis on plot - i.e. it isn't just about the laughs. Comedy drama episodes tend to be double the length of sitcom episodes too.
Other Forms Of Comedy
Here's some of the more obscure genres that are also used to categorise comedy shows:
Monologue - just one person talking.
Prank Show - playing tricks on the public.
Improvisation - making things up without a script.
Impressionism - Comics copying the voice and/or look of famous people.
Musical - Comedy delivered via the medium of music.
Chat Shows - Most chat shows are boring, but some aim to be funny... like those hosted by Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton.
Factual - The programmes in this genre aren't funny in themselves but we've listed them because they look directly at British comedy.
Variety - Shows which provide light entertainment through a range of methods and are too varied to be boxed into one genre.
To find all the shows in a genre, see our list of programmes