This list is just all wrong.

No Les Dawson and no Marty Feldman, both of whom are easily in my Top 10. as well as the other omissions people have mentioned. Hancock and Chaplin would be my 1 and 2. French and Saunders each get a place, conveniently equally, when Corbett, Wise etc don't get a place. The great Dave Allen was Irish. Plus I'm not quite sure how or not comedy actors fit in here. Kenneth Williams was very funny even in his own right. Julie Walters is totally brilliant but really as an actor only. Which is to say that she has rarely done stand up or even a sit down, ie reading from somewhat unconventional diaries.

Of course it's wrong, lists like this are always wrong. We've all got our favourites and won't be persuaded by the choices of others. Personally I prefer a well written sit com with good acting to a stand-up comic.

Charlie Chaplin said, A day without laughter is a wasted day. And he was right. That's why I never watch Charlie f**king Chaplin.

Quote: john tregorran @ 14th January 2020, 10:27 PM

Of course it's wrong, lists like this are always wrong. We've all got our favourites and won't be persuaded by the choices of others. Personally I prefer a well written sit com with good acting to a stand-up comic.

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Me too. I can take about 10 minutes of a stand up and that's about it. Too self-congratulatory.

Quote: Michael Monkhouse @ 5th April 2020, 9:24 AM

Charlie Chaplin said, A day without laughter is a wasted day. And he was right. That's why I never watch Charlie f**king Mrs Chaplin.

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You don't? That's a surprise.

In all lists, I always have that "why is Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest" feeling?? Dave Allen was superb and a legend but he was Irish and Ireland is not Britain or British. Imagine a "best Irish Comedian" list with Tony Hancock at number 2?
That said: Victoria Wood is deserving of the top 3 top British comedians. I watched clips of Bernard Manning and laughed out loud.
I saw Ken Dodds Dicky Mint sketch and could hardly breathe from laughter.
I find Count Arthur Strong a genius of comedy. The number one funniest comedy skit for me is Graham Norton as a priest in Father Ted when he is singing the Queen classic - Bohemian Rhapsody. So subjectivity will always be the hand on the tiller.
Caroline Aherne (an IQ of 160+) gave out one-liner classics that are embedded in history (Mrs Merton).
But my most gut-busting, a heart-stopping instance of humour ironically also emanated from a LIST, was when my wife and I were watching the Greatest Britan of the Millenium. Churchill was number 1 but Stephen Hawkins was 3rd.... my wife turned to me and sai...."If he is rated a best Britan why does he speak with an American accent" !!!!??? I have never laughed so much in my whole life. I literally could not breathe. Timing, thats what it is - TIMING. LOL

Quote: diggy @ 20th April 2020, 6:54 PM

In all lists, I always have that "why is Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest" feeling?? Dave Allen was superb and a legend but he was Irish and Ireland is not Britain or British.

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But his Mum was English, and he spent the majority of his life living and working in Britain, for British TV and audiences primarily.

LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEvans.

A combination of Michael McIntyre and Bob Monkhouse.

Claire Bloom said that when she worked with Chaplin he sometimes made her cry so she'd get the scene just right. It says a lot about him. It says you bullying sexist c**t.

Quote: Michael Monkhouse @ 23rd April 2020, 11:16 AM

A combination of Michael McIntyre and Bob Monkhouse.

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You know what? Sometimes I think you really are a bit too good for this place.

Something like this would be more interesting if it were one person doing it rather than a group. The subjectivity should be acknowledged, it's futile trying to create a universal canon in something as flippant and personal as comedy.