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Britain's Best Sitcom

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Britain's Best Sitcom
GenreDocumentary
Written by
Directed by
  • Andy Devonshire
  • Steve Franklin
  • Carry John Hughes
  • Norman Hull
  • Becky Martin
  • Andrew Nicholson
Presented bySee list of episodes
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes12
Production
Executive producers
  • Robin Ashbrook
  • Ricky Kelehar
Producers
  • Gerard Barry
  • Karina Brennan
  • Will Bryant
  • Stephen Franklin
  • Alex Hardcastle
  • Garry John Hughes
  • Norman Hull
  • Shirley Hunt Benson
  • Verity Maidlow
  • Stephen McGinn
  • Andrew Nicholson
  • Matt O'Casey
  • Cybele Rowbottom
  • Elaine Shepherd
  • Mark Turnbull
Running time60 minutes
(180-min. premiere; 90-min. finale)
Production companyBBC Manchester
Original release
NetworkBBC Two
Release10 January (2004-01-10) –
27 March 2004 (2004-03-27)

Britain's Best Sitcom is a 12-episode television programme that BBC Two transmitted from 10 January to 27 March 2004. It was part of a nationwide media campaign and opinion poll conducted by the BBC in 2003 and 2004.

The BBC asked television viewers to select their favourite British situation comedies from a list of 100, with the option to supply one write-in candidate. In the first poll, conducted in August 2003, viewers could vote via telephone or the BBC's website; the second, conducted January–March 2004, added the option of voting by text message. This second poll coincided with the television programme, which celebrated the top 50 sitcoms from the first poll, and urged viewers to vote their preference from the top 10.

In the three-hour premiere episode, Jonathan Ross summarised the progress of the poll, and presented video clips from the bottom 40 of the 50 sitcoms that received the most votes.[1] Each of the next ten weekly episodes, one hour in length, focused on one sitcom.[2][1] In each episode, a different presenter advocated a particular sitcom, delivering 20 reasons why it deserved viewers' votes.[2][1] The sitcom's writers and actors, as well as celebrity viewers, also shared their own perspectives and memories. In the 90-minute finale, transmitted live, Jonathan Ross announced the top sitcom to be Only Fools and Horses.

Britain's Best Sitcom was preceded by the BBC Two programmes Great Britons (2002) and The Big Read (2003), each of which was also based on national opinion polls.

Structure of the polls

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Round one: Selecting the top 50

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Before the opening the poll, the BBC compiled a list of 100 "top [British] sitcoms" based on input from "sitcom writers and TV comedy experts".[3] This list constituted the nominees for the first of the two rounds of votes solicited from the public.

The BBC posted a homepage and ballot web page for the Britain's Best Sitcom poll to the BBCi website on 28 July 2003. In August, they advertised the poll in the Radio Times magazine, on the BBCi website, and via the national teletext service Ceefax,[1] inviting the public to "have your say"[3] and "play your part in a major television event".[4]

The ballot required voters either to select 10 sitcoms from the list, or to select nine and then nominate a write-in candidate.[3] Voters could not rank their 10 selections by preference. Votes by telephone incurred a charge of 10 pence per minute.[4] On 30 December 2003, the BBC published a press release promoting the forthcoming Britain's Best Sitcom series on BBC Two, and listing the 50 sitcoms that received the most votes. The list was alphabetical; it did not reveal the number of votes that any sitcom received, or its rank in the list. It contained no write-in candidates.[2]

Round two: The top 10

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The launch

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On 10 January 2024, the BBC published another press release to promote the series, which was to begin that night on BBC Two.[1] The press release provided more details about the programme and the vote, including an alphabetical list of the 10 finalists, and a ranked list of the rest of the top 50 sitcoms. The premiere episode of Britain's Best Sitcom began at 9 PM and concluded at midnight.[5] From Goodnight Sweetheart (number 50) to Father Ted (number 11), it counted down the 40 highest-ranked sitcoms that did not receive enough votes to place it in the top 10.[1]

The vote

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Each of the next 10 episodes of Britain's Best Sitcom was one hour long, and devoted to one of the 10 finalists. The "celebrity advocate" in each episode gave 20 reasons why their sitcom was the best. Their arguments were illustrated by video clips from the sitcom. The advocates—as well as the BBC's website and the Radio Times—informed viewers and readers that they could vote by telephone, by text message (SMS), or online. Voting by text message was only possible in this final round of voting. Votes by telephone were less expensive than in the first round, because they lasted no more than one minute. A vote by telephone cost 10 pence; a vote by text message incurred a charge of 10–12 pence, depending on the mobile network operator.[1] For each of the finalists, online voters had access to an essay about the sitcom (from the BBCi Guide to Comedy), a selection of quotes from the advocate's arguments and from online comments, and an annotated video clip of a scene from one episode.[6]

The poll opened at 9 PM on 10 January 2004 (when the Britain's Best Sitcom premiere began). The voting rules allowed up to five people per household to vote. After the transmission of each weekly episode, viewer's had an opportunity to change their vote.[7][8] The BBC collected demographic profile data as part of the poll. It required online voters to answer three demographic questions: whether they are male or female; which region of the UK they live in, and which age group they belong to.[6][7] Voting closed on the night of 27 March 2004.[7]

The result

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Near the end of the live, final episode of Britain's Best Sitcom, Jonathan Ross announced Only Fools and Horses to be the top sitcom by popular vote. After the programme's conclusion, the BBC published a ranked list of all 100 sitcoms on their website, along with the official vote tally for the top 10.[9][10][11]

Episodes

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No.TitlePresented byWritten byOriginal release date
1"The Launch"Jonathan Ross[1]?10 January 2004 (2004-1-10)[1][5]
Jonathan Ross recaps the 50 top British sitcoms, as determined by an electronic poll conducted in 2003.
2"Blackadder"John Sergeant[1]?17 January 2004 (2004-1-17)[1]
John Sergeant advocates Blackadder, a series of historical farces that premiered in 1983 on BBC1.
3"Fawlty Towers"Jack Dee[1]?24 January 2004 (2004-1-24)
Jack Dee advocates Fawlty Towers, a comedy set in a dysfunctional hotel that premiered on BBC2 in 1975 and ran for two series.
4"The Good Life"Ulrika Jonsson[1]?31 January 2004 (2004-1-31)
Ulrika Jonsson advocates The Good Life, a sitcom about a middle-class English couple who make an attempt at farming at their house in the southwest London suburb of Surbiton. It premiered on BBC1 in 1975.
5"Yes Minister"Armando Iannucci[1]?7 February 2004 (2004-2-7)
Armando Iannucci advocates Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, a political satire that premiered on BBC2 in 1980 and its sequel.
6"One Foot in the Grave"Rowland Rivron[1]?14 February 2004 (2004-2-14)
Rowland Rivron advocates One Foot in the Grave, a dark comedy about the trials of an elderly curmudgeon and his longsuffering wife. It premiered on BBC1 in 1990.
7"Porridge"Johnny Vaughan[1]Johnny Vaughan
Steve Punt		21 February 2004 (2004-2-21)
Johnny Vaughan advocates BBC1's Porridge (1975–1978) and its sequel, Going Straight (1978). The programmes concern different aspects of prison life, including – in Going Straight – acclimatisation to a changed family life and outside world.
8"Only Fools and Horses"David Dickinson[1]?28 February 2004 (2004-2-28)
David Dickinson advocates Only Fools and Horses, which centres on an ambitious Cockney market trader called Del Boy. It premiered on BBC1 in 1981.
9"Open All Hours"Clarissa Dickson Wright[1]?6 March 2004 (2004-3-6)
Clarissa Dickson Wright advocates Open All Hours, which premiered on BBC2 in 1973. It concerns a South Yorkshire shopkeeper and his wistful nephew.
10"The Vicar of Dibley"Carol Vorderman[1]?13 March 2004 (2004-3-13)
Carol Vorderman advocates The Vicar of Dibley, in which Geraldine, the buxom new vicar of a small village in Oxfordshire, lives among a colourful cast of characters there – and encounters some opposition. BBC1 premiered The Vicar of Dibley in 1994.
11"Dad's Army"Phill Jupitus[1]?20 March 2004 (2004-3-20)[12]
Phill Jupitus advocates Dad's Army. Set during the Second World War, it introduces viewers to an unlikely group of Home Guard volunteers on England's south coast. The series ran from 1968 on BBC1.
12"The Top 50 Countdown"Jonathan Ross[1]?27 March 2004 (2004-3-27)[13]
All 10 advocates return for this live finale. Jonathon Ross counts down the top 50 sitcoms once again before announcing which of the finalists received the most votes from viewers.[1][2][13]

Results

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Top 100 sitcoms[9][10]
Rank Title Years transmitted
(as of 2003) 		Channel Number of votes[11][9]
1 Only Fools and Horses 1981–1993, 1996, 2001–2003[i] BBC1 342,426
2 Blackadder 1983–1989, 1999 BBC1 282,106
3 The Vicar of Dibley 1994–2000[ii] BBC1 212,927
4 Dad's Army 1968–1977 BBC1 174,138
5 Fawlty Towers 1975–1979 BBC2 172,066
6 Yes Minister 1980–1982, 1984 BBC2 123,502
Yes, Prime Minister 1987–1988
7 Porridge 1974–1977 BBC1 93,902
8 Open All Hours 1976–1985 BBC1 67,237
9 The Good Life 1975–1978 BBC1 40,803
10 One Foot in the Grave 1990–2000 BBC1 31,410
11 Father Ted 1995–1998 Channel 4 Undisclosed
12 Keeping Up Appearances 1990–1995 BBC1 Undisclosed
13 'Allo 'Allo! 1982–1992 BBC1 Undisclosed
14 Last of the Summer Wine 1973–2003[iii] BBC1 Undisclosed
15 Steptoe and Son 1962–1974 BBC1 Undisclosed
16 Men Behaving Badly 1992–1998 ITV (series 1–2)
BBC1 (series 3–7) 		Undisclosed
17 Absolutely Fabulous 1992–1996, 2001–2003[iv] BBC1 Undisclosed
18 Red Dwarf 1988–1999[v] BBC2[v] Undisclosed
19 The Royle Family 1998–2000[vi] BBC1 Undisclosed
20 Are You Being Served? 1972–1985 BBC1 Undisclosed
21 To the Manor Born 1979–1981[vii] BBC1 Undisclosed
22 Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em 1973–1978 BBC1 Undisclosed
23 The Likely Lads 1964–1966 BBC1 Undisclosed
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? 1973–1974 BBC2
24 My Family 2000–2003[viii] BBC1 Undisclosed
25 The Office 2001–2002[ix] BBC2[ix] Undisclosed
26 Drop the Dead Donkey 1990–1998 Channel 4 Undisclosed
27 Rising Damp 1974–1978 ITV Undisclosed
28 dinnerladies 1998–2000 BBC1 Undisclosed
29 As Time Goes By 1992–2002[x] BBC1 Undisclosed
30 Hancock's Half Hour 1954–1961 BBC1 Undisclosed
31 The Young Ones 1982–1984 BBC2 Undisclosed
32 Till Death Us Do Part 1965–1975 BBC1 Undisclosed
33 Butterflies 1978–1983 BBC2 Undisclosed
34 The Thin Blue Line 1995–1996 BBC1 Undisclosed
35 The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin 1976–1979, 1982 BBC1 Undisclosed
36 Phoenix Nights 2001–2002 Channel 4 Undisclosed
37 Waiting for God 1990–1994 BBC1 Undisclosed
38 Birds of a Feather 1989–1998 BBC1 Undisclosed
39 Bread 1986–1991 BBC1 Undisclosed
40 Hi-de-Hi! 1980–1988 BBC1 Undisclosed
41 The League of Gentlemen 1999–2002 BBC2 Undisclosed
42 I'm Alan Partridge 1997–2002 BBC2 Undisclosed
43 Just Good Friends 1983–1986 BBC1 Undisclosed
44 2point4 children 1991–1999 BBC1 Undisclosed
45 Bottom 1991–1995 BBC2 Undisclosed
46 It Ain't Half Hot Mum 1974–1981 BBC1 Undisclosed
47 The Brittas Empire 1991–1997 BBC1 Undisclosed
48 Gimme Gimme Gimme 1999–2001 BBC2 (series 1)
BBC1 (series 2–3) 		Undisclosed
49 Rab C. Nesbitt 1988–1999[xi] BBC2 Undisclosed
50 Goodnight Sweetheart 1993–1999 BBC1 Undisclosed
51 Up Pompeii! 1969–1970, 1975, 1991 BBC1
ITV (1991 special) 		Undisclosed
52 Ever Decreasing Circles 1984–1989 BBC1 Undisclosed
53 On the Buses 1969–1973 ITV Undisclosed
54 Coupling 2000–2002[xii] BBC2 Undisclosed
55 George and Mildred 1976–1979 ITV Undisclosed
56 A Fine Romance 1981–1984 ITV Undisclosed
57 Citizen Smith 1977–1980 BBC1 Undisclosed
58 Black Books 2000–2002[xiii] Channel 4 Undisclosed
59 The Liver Birds 1969–1996 BBC1 Undisclosed
60 Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps 2001–2003[xiv] BBC2 (series 1)
BBC Choice (series 2)
BBC Three (series 3 onward) 		Undisclosed
61 The New Statesman 1987–1994 ITV
BBC1 (1994 special) 		Undisclosed
62 Sykes 1972–1979 BBC1 Undisclosed
Sykes and a... 1960–1965
63 Please Sir! 1968–1972 ITV Undisclosed
64 Dear John 1986–1987 BBC1 Undisclosed
65 Barbara 1995–2003 ITV Undisclosed
66 Spaced 1999–2001 Channel 4 Undisclosed
67 Bless This House 1971–1976 ITV Undisclosed
68 Love Thy Neighbour 1972–1976 ITV Undisclosed
69 Man About the House 1973–1976 ITV Undisclosed
70 Desmond's 1989–1994 Channel 4 Undisclosed
71 Duty Free 1984–1986 ITV Undisclosed
72 All Gas and Gaiters 1966–1971 BBC1 Undisclosed
73 Happy Ever After 1974–1979 BBC1 Undisclosed
Terry and June 1979–1987
74 Only When I Laugh 1979–1982 ITV Undisclosed
75 Brass 1983–1990 ITV Undisclosed
76 The Rag Trade 1961–1978 BBC1 (series 1–3)
ITV (series 4–5) 		Undisclosed
77 Sorry! 1981–1988 BBC1 Undisclosed
78 Kiss Me Kate 1998–2000 BBC1 Undisclosed
79 Doctor in the House 1969–1970 |ITV Undisclosed
Doctor at Large 1971
Doctor in Charge 1972–1973
Doctor at Sea 1974
Doctor on the Go 1975–1977
Doctor at the Top 1991 BBC1
80 I Didn't Know You Cared 1975–1979 BBC1 Undisclosed
81 Shelley 1979–1992 ITV Undisclosed
82 Nearest and Dearest 1968–1973 ITV Undisclosed
83 Fresh Fields 1984–1986 ITV Undisclosed
French Fields 1989–1991
84 The Army Game 1957–1961 ITV Undisclosed
85 Robin's Nest 1977–1981 ITV Undisclosed
86 The Dustbinmen 1969–1970 ITV Undisclosed
87 Whoops Apocalypse 1982 ITV Undisclosed
88 My Wife Next Door 1972 BBC1 Undisclosed
89 Never the Twain 1981–1991 ITV Undisclosed
90 Nightingales 1990–1993 Channel 4 Undisclosed
91 Early Doors 2003[xv] BBC2 Undisclosed
92 Agony 1979–1981 ITV Undisclosed
93 The Lovers 1970–1971 ITV Undisclosed
94 Father, Dear Father 1968–1973 ITV Undisclosed
95 Hot Metal 1986–1989 ITV Undisclosed
96 ...And Mother Makes Three 1971–1973 ITV Undisclosed
...And Mother Makes Five 1974–1976
97 Life with The Lyons 1955–1960 BBC1 / ITV Undisclosed
98 Marriage Lines 1961–1966 BBC1 Undisclosed
99 A Sharp Intake of Breath 1977–1981 ITV Undisclosed
100 No Problem! 1983–1985 Channel 4 Undisclosed

Notes

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  1. ^ BBC One transmitted "Sleepless in Peckham", the 2003 Christmas special and final epsode of Only Fools and Horses, between the first and final rounds of voting.
  2. ^ Britain's Best Sitcom preceded the Vicar of Dibley Christmas and New Year specials transmitted by BBC One in 2004–2007.
  3. ^ The first round of voting preceded series 25–31 of Last of the Summer Wine. Series 31 concluded in 2010.
  4. ^ The first round of voting preceded Absolutely Fabulous series 5 (October–December 2003), the 2004 Christmas special, and the 20th Anniversary series (2011–2012.
  5. ^ a b Britain's Best Sitcom preceded the Red Dwarf revival series and specials transmitted by Dave.
  6. ^ Britain's Best Sitcom preceded the five Royle Family specials that BBC One transmitted in 2006–2012.
  7. ^ Britain's Best Sitcom preceded the To the Manor Born Christmas special that BBC One transmitted in 2007.
  8. ^ The first round of voting preceded the My Family 2003 Christmas special, as well as series 5–11 and their respective Christmas specials (2004–2011). Since series 11 had no Christmas special, that series' final episode was the programme's send-off.
  9. ^ a b The first round of voting preceded The Office Christmas specials (2003) and The Return of Brent (2013).
  10. ^ Britain's Best Sitcom preceded the As Times Goes By reunion specials transmitted by BBC One in 2005.
  11. ^ Britain's Best Sitcom preceded the Rab C. Nesbitt 2008 Christmas special, as well as series 9–10 (2010­–2011) and the New Year special (January 2014).
  12. ^ Britain's Best Sitcom preceded the fourth series of Coupling, which BBC Three transmitted May–June 2004.
  13. ^ The first round of voting preceded the third series of Black Books, which Channel 4 transmitted March–April 2004.
  14. ^ The first round of voting preceded series 4–9 of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. The series concluded in 2011.
  15. ^ Britain's Best Sitcom preceded Early Doors series 2, which BBC Two transmitted September–October 2004.

Background

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Britain's Best Sitcom was BBC Two's third television programme based on nationwide opinion polls between 2002 and 2004. It was preceded by the The Big Read (18 October – 13 December 2003) and Great Britons (20 October – 24 November 2002).[14] The Big Read was based on a poll asking for readers' favourite novels; Great Britons was based on the 100 Great Britons poll, which asked members of the public to nominate people who were born in or lived in the British Isles (including Ireland), and who "played a significant part in the life of the British Isles."

All three polls were conducted during the tenure of Jane Root as controller of BBC Two.[1][15][16][17] Root served as the channel's controller (executive director of programming) from 1999 until 2004, when she left the BBC to head Discovery Networks in the United States.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "The battle of the sitcoms begins..." (Press release). London: BBC. 10 January 2004. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d "BBC TWO asks the nation what is Britain's Best Sitcom?" (Press release). London: BBC. 30 December 2003. Archived from the original on 18 April 2005. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  3. ^ a b c "Britain's Best Sitcom - Your Vote". BBCi. 28 July 2003. Archived from the original on 15 August 2003.
  4. ^ a b "Britain's Best Sitcom - Your Vote". BBCi. Archived from the original on 15 August 2003.
  5. ^ a b "Britain's Best Sitcom: The Launch". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Britain's Best Sitcom - Vote". BBCi. BBC. Archived from the original on 23 February 2004.
  7. ^ a b c "Britain's Best Sitcom - Voting rules". BBCi. BBC. Archived from the original on 8 February 2004.
  8. ^ "Britain's Best Sitcom - Thankyou for voting". BBCi. BBC. Archived from the original on 12 January 2004.
  9. ^ a b c "The Final Top Ten Sitcoms". bbcattic.org. London: BBC. 2004. Archived from the original on 13 October 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Britain's Best Sitcom: The Top 10". bbcattic.org. London: BBC. 2004. Archived from the original on 13 October 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  11. ^ a b "Britain's Best Sitcom: Top 11 to 100". bbcattic.org. London: BBC. 2004. Archived from the original on 13 October 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  12. ^ "Britain's Best Sitcom: Dad's Army". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Britain's Best Sitcom: the Top 50 Countdown". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  14. ^ "Britain's Best Sitcom". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  15. ^ "BBC Big Read makes a big impact - one in three viewers say they will read more as a result" (Press release). London: BBC. 11 May 2004. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  16. ^ Staff writer (22 August 2002). "BBC reveals 100 great British heroes". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  17. ^ "BBC TWO reveals the ten greatest Britons of all time" (Press release). London: BBC. 19 October 2002. Retrieved 30 March 2025.

Further reading

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