Britain's Best Sitcom

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Britain's Best Sitcom
Genre
Documentary
Written bySee list of episodes
Directed bySee list of episodes
Presented bySee list of episodes
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes12
Production
Executive producers
  • Ricky Kelehar
    (episodes 2–11)
  • Robin Ashbrook
    (episode 12)[1]
ProducersSee list of episodes
Running time
  • 180 min. (ep. 1)
  • 60 min. (ep. 2–11)
  • 90 min. (ep. 12)
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

documentary series 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

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.[2] Each of the next ten weekly episodes, one hour in length, focused on one sitcom.[3][2] In each episode, a different presenter advocated a particular sitcom, delivering 20 reasons why it deserved viewers' votes.[3][2] 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

Round one: Selecting the top 50

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".[4] 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,[2] inviting the public to "have your say"[4] and "play your part in a major television event".[5]

The ballot required voters either to select 10 sitcoms from the list, or to select nine and then nominate a write-in candidate.[4] Voters could not rank their 10 selections by preference. Votes by telephone incurred a charge of 10 pence per minute.[5] 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.[3]

Round two: The top 10

The launch

On 10 January 2024, the BBC published another press release to promote the series, which was to begin that night on BBC Two.[2] 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.[6] 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.[2]

The vote

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. On-screen messages in the episodes, as well as web pages in the BBC's website, and listings in the Radio Times—informed viewers and readers that they could vote by telephone, by

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.[2] 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.[7]

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.[8][9] The BBC collected demographic profile data as part of the poll. It required online voters to answer three market segmentation questions: whether they are male or female; which region of the UK they live in, and which age group they belong to.[7][8] Voting closed on the night of 27 March 2004.[8]

The result

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.[10][11][12]

Episodes

No.TitlePresented by [1][2]Directed by [1]Written by [1]Produced by [1]Original release date
1"The Launch"Jonathan RossAndy DevonshireRobin Ince, Steve Punt, Lloyd StantonShirley Hunt Benson, Will Bryant, Stephen McGinn, Cybele Rowbottom[13]10 January 2004 (2004-1-10)[2][6]
Jonathan Ross recaps the 50 top British sitcoms, as determined by an electronic poll conducted in 2003.
2"Blackadder"John SergeantGarry John HughesPhill JupitusGarry John Hughes17 January 2004 (2004-1-17)
John Sergeant advocates
BBC1
.
3"Fawlty Towers"Jack DeeMatt O'CaseyJack DeeMatt O'Casey24 January 2004 (2004-1-24)
Jack Dee advocates
BBC2
in 1975 and ran for two series.
4"The Good Life"Ulrika JonssonBecky MartinRobin Ince, Richard WebberMark Turnbull31 January 2004 (2004-1-31)
Ulrika Jonsson advocates
BBC1
in 1975.
5"Yes Minister"Armando IannucciAndy DevonshireArmando IannucciVerity Newman7 February 2004 (2004-2-7)
Armando Iannucci advocates
BBC2
in 1980 and its sequel.
6"One Foot in the Grave"Rowland RivronElaine ShepherdLloyd StantonElaine Shepherd14 February 2004 (2004-2-14)
Rowland Rivron advocates
BBC1
in 1990.
7"Porridge"Johnny VaughanStephen FranklinJohnny Vaughan, Steve PuntStephen Franklin21 February 2004 (2004-2-21)
Johnny Vaughan advocates BBC1's Porridge (1975–1978), about two men—one middle-aged, the other a young newcomer—serving time in a British prison.
8"Only Fools and Horses"David Dickinson??Gerard Barry28 February 2004 (2004-2-28)
David Dickinson advocates
market trader called Del Boy
. It premiered on BBC1 in 1981.
9"Open All Hours"Clarissa Dickson WrightAndrew Nicholson?Andrew Nicholson6 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 VordermanKarina BrennanStuart MaconieKarina Brennan13 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 JupitusNorman HullAndre Vincent, Phil WildingNorman Hull20 March 2004 (2004-3-20)[14]
Phill Jupitus advocates
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 RossAlex Hardcastle?Alex Hardcastle27 March 2004 (2004-3-27)[15]
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.[2][3][15]

The Britain's Best Sitcom Top 100

Top 100 sitcoms[10][12]
Rank Title Years transmitted
(as of 2003) 		Channel Number of votes
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
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 1956–1961
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
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
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

  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. ^
    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

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

Great Britons (20 October – 24 November 2002).[16] 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

Discovery Networks
in the United States.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Full Britain's Best Sitcom cast and crew credits". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "The battle of the sitcoms begins..." (Press release). London: BBC. 10 January 2004. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ a b c "Britain's Best Sitcom - Your Vote". BBCi. 28 July 2003. Archived from the original on 15 August 2003.
  5. ^ a b "Britain's Best Sitcom - Your Vote". BBCi. Archived from the original on 15 August 2003.
  6. ^ a b "Britain's Best Sitcom: The Launch". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Britain's Best Sitcom - Vote". BBCi. BBC. Archived from the original on 23 February 2004.
  8. ^ a b c "Britain's Best Sitcom - Voting rules". BBCi. BBC. Archived from the original on 8 February 2004.
  9. ^ "Britain's Best Sitcom - Thankyou for voting". BBCi. BBC. Archived from the original on 12 January 2004.
  10. ^ a b "The Final Top Ten Sitcoms". bbcattic.org. London: BBC. 2004. Archived from the original on 13 October 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  11. ^ "Britain's Best Sitcom: The Top 10". bbcattic.org. London: BBC. 2004. Archived from the original on 13 October 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ "Britain's Best Sitcom The Launch (TV Episode 2004) Full Cast & Crew". IMDb. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
  14. ^ "Britain's Best Sitcom: Dad's Army". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  15. ^ a b "Britain's Best Sitcom: the Top 50 Countdown". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  16. ^ "Britain's Best Sitcom". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ Staff writer (22 August 2002). "BBC reveals 100 great British heroes". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  19. ^ "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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