Top 10 WORST British Comedies

Britain may have some of the all-time greatest comedies, but it's got some pretty dodgy ones as well. For this list, WatchMojoUK counts down the most infamously bad British sitcoms to ever reach screens, featuring "Hard Cell", "The Holden Girls", "Hardwicke House", and many more!
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#HardCell #HoldenGirls #CatherineTate #HardwickeHouse #BritishComedy

[@WatchMojoUK]

10 WORST Things the BBC Has Ever Done kzbin.info/www/bejne/roPbgIJ6otZ0ia8

[@Mishima505]

Britain’s ten worst sitcoms: 1: Mrs Brown’s Boys 2: Mrs Brown’s Boys 3: Mrs Brown’s Boys 4: Mrs Brown’s Boys 5: Mrs Brown’s Boys 6: Mrs Brown’s Boys 7: Mrs Brown’s Boys 8: Mrs Brown’s Boys 9: Mrs Brown’s Boys 10: Honey for Tea

[@gulfstream7235]

You might have missed Mrs Browns Boys

[@pauldicken1694]

Mrs browns boys is a comedy???..learn sumat new every day

[@danielmoran9902]

Absolutely. Total crap.

[@nicksmpsn6546]

I feel part of a gang now. I was beginning to think I was the only person that hates Mrs Brown's Boys.

[@kookytoots6755]

Little Britain

[@wstine79]

"Brighton Belles" proves that Britsh remakes of American shows can be just as bad as American remakes of British shows.

[@AtheistOrphan]

*Brighton.

[@jwb52z9]

It wouldn't have failed if they hadn't used the exact same scripts.

[@electricleg207]

Very true the US versions of Steptoe ,Fawlty Towers etc were dire.

[@sirjedisentinel]

@@electricleg207 and yet one of the most successful sitcoms of all time-- All in the Family-- was a remake of a British series (Till Death Us Do Part)

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

@Fur Q 136 episodes over more than 5 years.

[@nickcastings1568]

I didnt believe there could ever have been ten worse comedies than Citizen Kahn or Mrs Browns boys, I stand corrected.

[@Ridersonthestorm8899]

Dont be too hard on yourself Nick,those two shows are absolute shite to be fair,my migraines have more laughs.

[@mockbattles]

This Is Jinsy.

[@thebasedgodmax1163]

citizen kahn was funny to me as a kid, not sure how it'd hold up. always hated mrs brown boys tho

[@alanmawson9601]

@@Ridersonthestorm8899 About as funny as a fire in an orphanage 🤣

[@petersyme7083]

Being Scottish I am ashamed that Mrs Brown is filmed in Glasgow.

[@johnmcdonald219]

What is Amanda Holden famous for????? Apart from BGT where she judges other peoples talents despite the fact she has none herself.

[@poochie81]

She was slightly famous before BGT I remember seeing her in the newspaper because when she was married to Les Dennis she cheated on him with Neil Morrissey lol

[@babyvonvon440]

She was in wild at heart but I must say it got better after she left.

[@jadew7568]

Just for being a bit of a slag. She was on Blind Date and never looked back…

[@donaldellis3609]

Look at me Amanda holding, yuk.

[@fus149hammer5]

She started in 'The Grimleys' set in a early seventies Birmingham Comprehensive school with Noddy Holder playing 'Noddy Holder' the music teacher. She played Miss Titley, one of the teachers. She was ........😍😍😍

[@TheRuddster95]

The actor playing Hitler was in the legendary Father Ted lingerie episode 😂 "it's Ireland's biggest lingerie store I understand"

[@hihowareyouthen]

Ah stop, that's him?! Well, you learn something new everyday

[@TheRuddster95]

@@hihowareyouthen "ah it's yourself"

[@mixtapesfrommylatepartner]

"Don't forget the pancakes on Jif lemon day"

[@Joemama55122]

What a joik!

[@Joemama55122]

I love both shows tbh 😂

[@andrewjones575]

Mrs Brown's Boys is even worse than all these. Enjoying it relies heavily on finding a middle-aged man swearing whilst wearing a dress to be hilarious. I guess you didn't include it because it's inexplicably popular.

[@AtheistOrphan]

I just can’t understand it’s popularity. It’s awful.

[@racheljackson4428]

nasty piece of work.

[@peterwright6721]

Mr's Brown's Boys is hilarious, just shows you morons have no sense of humour.

[@jeffreylawrence6928]

Oh yes it’s shite…

[@AJARyan-yn2uv]

I’d rather watch Heil Honey than that shite. At least Heil Honey tried something different.

[@shilohstore6086]

As an American going through the comments all I know for sure is the worst show is something called Miss Brown's Boys 😂

[@garthvader9916]

YES. YES. VERY VERY YES. EXTREMELY DEFINITELY YES.

[@michaelmarron8441]

It's more that it keeps getting new series commissioned and is astonishingly popular according to viewing figures

[@harrydavey9884]

Its genuinely the worst thinf of all time. I believe he collaborated with Tyler Perry and his own 'man pretending to be an old lady' gimmick to make a movie. My understanding is that talentless morons stick together.

[@robertprees603]

@@michaelmarron8441 its dreadful and how it has lasted ill never know.

[@TheJonesdude]

Yea, It's Irish you see. Some people just can't hold in their contempt

[@joebleasdale5557]

Amanda Holden AND Leigh Francis in the same show is the ultimate red flag

[@markthompson2106]

Thank you for referring to him as Leigh Francis and not Keith Lemon. More people should do this.

[@joehartley06]

@@markthompson2106 that Keith Lemon bloke is very funny

[@mariewalker4010]

Keith lemon the most unfunny person on tv

[@apemoon1731]

I liked it 👍🏻😁

[@JonBowe]

@@markthompson2106 I wonder if he will apologize for dressing up as a woman, like he has for other characters he has portrayed? Maybe he will fade in to obscurity, one can only hope.

[@vannessar32]

Miranda and Mrs Brown's Boys takes some beating for unfunny rubbish.

citizen kahn and sam's game..

[@v8cool168]

The problem is when you use an actor like David Jason, it doesn't matter how good or well known Delboy was ,if the script is unfunny, the actor will be unfunny. Having David Jason, won't make a TV show funny.

[@johnsurrey7426]

I remember him saying at the time that it was going to be a great comedy. I wonder why? But it seems that you never know whether a ‘comedy’ will be a hit until it’s broadcast. OFAH was a flop until it was repeated. There is no magic formula.

[@mrwhite7361]

Still open all hours was also an unfunny david Jason shit house. He's no Ronnie barker that's for sure.

[@johnsurrey7426]

You’re right, it’s appallingly bad. Not remotely funny. I suppose the cast did it for the money.

[@stephenguppy8886]

Jason is so overrated. He is a one-trick pony if ever there was one.

[@johnsurrey7426]

He was OK in Open All Hours (the original, of course) and brilliant in OFAH. But otherwise… When he was in A Touch Of Frost, you couldn’t help thinking of Del Boy - you couldn’t take his serious acting, er, seriously.

[@dinodar8765]

“When you think of Davina Mcall, you remember she’s a great presenter” Speak for yourself

[@ZuluRomeo]

I too remember her failed chat show "Davina"

[@ButtChinsAreHereToStay]

In my top 10 celebrities........... why? list.

[@dinodar8765]

@Grandson Of Cherve Yeah I totally agree, Dead Set was awesome!

[@andrewq159]

@@ZuluRomeo She's a good presenter, but a bad interviewer.

[@darkwoods1954]

Never could stand her.

[@brianfinlay756]

All of these show are an example of what happens when you try to take a mildly amusing 2 minuets comedy sketch, and turn it into a tv show.

[@lesleyhawes6895]

I am happy to say I missed all of these apparently dreadful " comedies ", so I can continue to bask in the memories of the hundreds of really good ones I've seen.

[@poke125]

Tbh I didn't even know these awful shows existed

[@warreng675]

Me too

[@grahvis]

Ditto.

[@lukebale8550]

I will defend Hardwick House after seeing the series on KZbin. The later unaired episodes are so much better than the ones shown and has a cameo from Rik and Ade as well so win win

[@markant9534]

The assistant director on "nan" is a friend of my sister and she said he told her Tate was a nightmare to work with, the ranger at my volunteer site said she would walk past him while he was working and scream and shout at ton sacks in the path, she`s an arse.

[@jacksmales4973]

To be fair the very idea of Heil Honey should have set alarm bells ringing even before it was commissioned.

[@andrewjones575]

It satirises powerful people, which is what many comedies do. Why should Hitler be off-limits? Osama bin Laden & Vladimir Putin aren't.

[@jacksmales4973]

@@andrewjones575 True but I don't think its very tasteful even by the standards back then

[@jacksmales4973]

@Burnt Herb I was born tail end of the 80s so I don't remember 🤣🤣

[@jacksmales4973]

@Burnt Herb Although I think there are some things that should not be made comedy of I do agree what you say about people being offended too easily. There's not a lot you can say now without someone up in arms about it

[@simonmoore2380]

@@jacksmales4973 why does comedy have to be tasteful? Basil Fawlty carrying a corpse around wasn’t exactly tasteful but it would generally be regarded as a classic. I don’t know how funny the jokes were but I can’t see any reason why you can’t have Hitler as a character being made to look ludicrous in a comedy. Why was “Springtime for Hitler” in Mel Brooks’ “The Producers” not equally slated? This is less a case of a very offensive comedy and more one of giving the most predictable critical response.

[@ZuluRomeo]

The most amazing thing about the Heil Honey disaster? It was only shown on Galaxy, a satellite TV channel run by British Satellite Broadcasting (a wannabe rival to Sky that ended up being consumed by it forming BSkyB). Imagine being so bad that it was cancelled after 1 episode was shown on a long forgotten satellite TV channel that hardly anybody had access to and barely even knew about.

[@gulfstream7235]

Gotta say I'd give it a watch just to see how bad it is....

[@BlookbugIV]

Premise you could see working as a sketch on something like Not the Nine O'Clock News. But they were out of their tree imagining they could stretch their sendup to a full episode, let alone an entire series. Brings a smile to my face knowing this insanity happened though.

[@SIRDKA]

I want to see it!

[@VengaboysRbackINtown]

Heil Honey I’m Home was simply before it’s time. Had it been released years later it would have been a ratings smash! It is delightfully savage biting satire.

[@philcooper279]

You win some, you lose some, that's life.

[@ZuluRomeo]

Does anyone remember a sitcom in the late 90s called Grown Ups? It’s not to be confused with a similarly named sitcom in the 2000s. It was about grown adults who were friends together and go through all the usual sitcom relationship tropes, but the conceit is that they all behaved like children. It was awful. It only lasted some 6 episodes.

[@ParallelSyntax]

That was the mid 2000’s. Came after the shitshow that was the last season of 2 pints and a packet of crisps. Written by the same lass that did 2 pints and basically tried to rehash the concept but with an even worse setting and terrible typecasting. It was pretty awful but idk about it being in a top 10.

[@uptownkittydc]

I liked Hard Cell🤓 There were a few parts that I thought went too far but I still found her show entertaining

[@rachelbichener9219]

Big Top should be on here. It felt like a kids' show that someone had tried to turn into a teatime sitcom by adding some innuendo.

[@c0mpr3nd3]

One you could have added was The Cup. Made in the early 2010s it was a mockumentry series that followed an under 12s football team from Bolton. The main character was the father of the joint top scorer who was a factory worker that had dreams of his son playing for Wanderers. His rival was the father of the teams other top scorer who was a gynaecologist from India. The ideas and performances were there but the humour wasn't. Not sure if the Beeb even played the full series.

[@stingersplash]

I actually remember watching that. It's about football so I'd put it above these 10.

[@pauladams1915]

The fact I've never heard of any of these before says something. Also, Ben Elton had another flop when he wrote a sitcom for the band Madness.

[@jonmurray2350]

I managed to find 12 minutes of this. Written by Ben Elton & Richard Curtis. Painful stuff, really cringeworthy.

[@krashd]

@Stefano Pavone The last thing of his I liked was Upstart Crow and that was only two or three years back, it had David Mitchell and Mark Heap and was actually pretty good in my opinion.

[@BillyJango]

Paul Adams - Are you serious? That sounds dreadful. What was it called??

[@jonmurray2350]

@@BillyJango Madness The Pilot. 12 minutes of it is available on youtube.

[@BillyJango]

@@jonmurray2350 I have just watched it. Oh dear it is so shit. Thank you for the info mate. I never knew it existed!

[@gordonbeattie4864]

I'm amazed 'The Melting Pot' wasn't mentioned, but then again only a pilot was broadcast. A series was made but never broadcast. It was written by, and starred Spike Milligan who, just as in his 1969 LWT series 'Curry and Chips', blacked-up along with John Bird to play father and son illegal Asian immigrants who arrive at a boarding house ran by an Irish coalman played by Frank Carson. The other residents tenants include a black Yorkshireman, a Chinese Cockney and a Scottish Arab, along with the usual racist bigots you'd see in this kind of show. Why the BBC commissioned the Pilot is a mystery, why they gave the go ahead for a full series is totally insane. The Pilot still exists as well as the full unbroadcast series. It was lurking about on Dailymotion for a while but was even removed from there.

[@z0mgHD]

Coming of age was soo funny! One of my favourites growing up

[@waynehough13]

I liked it too and was popular enough to last 3 series so it feels a bit harsh to include it in this list

[@L1am21]

Same people who dont like 2pints fuck em!

[@stephenwilson04]

Yeah, I really liked it too.

[@nelchid]

"Heil honey I'm home" When satire becomes "Shatire!"

[@giuseppeianniello1998]

Basically “Mrs. Brown’s Boys” is the parallel of “Teen Titans Go” Both feature insulting characters and very dumb stories & writing, but for some reason it’s still on air disrespecting the audience

[@JennA-uf6lo]

I want to know if anyone involved with “Heil Honey I’m Home” managed to keep their jobs, starting with the suit who greenlit it in the first place.

[@dealgood]

i think it was made and broadcast as a joke.

[@davepoole9520]

It was really intended as a satire but people like to make out it was a serious concept.

[@edwardwilliammorris1340]

Amanda Holden is useless at everything ( including being a wife once she's got what she wants ) 🤣🤣

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

I expect her existence serves some sort of purpose, although I doubt anyone has yet worked out what it might be.

[@5340robert]

Quite like Amanda Holden myself. Leigh Francis is about as funny as being kicked in the nuts though

[@Conquistador75]

I’d never heard of her to until she left light entertainment legend Les Dennis for one trick pony Neil Morrissey.

[@stephenbrookes7268]

Apparently she did a very good spit roast.

[@hihowareyouthen]

Hi Les!

[@KennethBarr1957]

Whoever thought up Heil Honey thought he was Mel Brooks. He is not Mel Brooks.

[@stingersplash]

The fact Mrs Brown's Boys and Citizen Khan aren't here are remarkable. Other than Heil Honey I've seen none of these and hadn't heard of some...Holden Girls? That totally passed me by thankfully. Amanda Holden used to be good. Kiss Me Kate and The Grimleys she was great in because she hadn't become a household name.

[@TheJonesdude]

Yea the one about the Irish family and the one about the Asian family. Some people just can't hide their racism

[@cdrain68]

All I can say is "Come back Mrs Noah" makes all of these shows look good

[@ProjectFlashlight612]

Bo Selecta was not only the worst UK comedy, but the worst thing ever.

[@Fatwreckman]

Am I the only person that didn't completely hate Hard Cell? It isn't going to be in anyone's top 10 of all time lists, but it wasn't exactly complete dogshit either.

[@stingersplash]

I think most haven't watched it because its Catherine Tate. Never liked her sketch show but I'd say recency bias is why its here.

[@philpalmer8044]

I went to watch filming of Bottle Boys at what was then LWT at the now closed ITV studios. It was terrible.

[@andrewsmith2757]

You didn't video them all did you? Also, can you remember the episode name of the one you went to see?

[@markflowers7214]

Heil Honey, I'm Home had everything that Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder hoped Springtime For Hitler would be!

[@mikeMCSG]

I'd have included two from the mid-eighties, "No Place Like Home" and "Lame Ducks". Both execrable.

[@stephenreeds3632]

I misremembered No Place Like Home. One of the worst I've seen.

[@andrewjones575]

Leigh Francis was good as Avid Merrion & sometimes as Keith Lemon, but The Holden Girls is by far the worst of his work.

[@mash83]

Now he's just hocking gambling websites, just about the worst advert you can do

[@mash83]

@Stefano Pavone the whole Keith Lemon character took him down

[@itookallthenames]

This is one of the most interesting mojo lists I’ve seen. I haven’t heard of ANY of them in Australia

[@zapkvr]

then you haven't been paying very close attention

[@fus149hammer5]

Lucky you!😂👍

[@Battismore-Blue]

I bet this was hard work , narrowing it down to 10

[@rileymartin2202]

Hard Cell is amazing the writing, acting and plot are brilliantly executed it’s easily one of my favourite shows

[@helenaw3819]

yeah I was surprised to see it on the list, the plot twist at the end had me SHOOK

[@rollinstone5217]

Well, thanks to your recommendation I will give it a try via Netflix. I like Catherine Tate, so I’m pretty sure I will enjoy it. Thanks 👍!

[@Gmackematix]

I didn't think it was brilliant, but the ending was quite surprising and I could certainly name at least a couple of dozen obscure sitcoms that were worse than Hard Cell.

[@harrybarker4370]

I liked it

[@schindlerteejay94]

Heil Honey ain’t just bad, it’s just plain PTSD fuel for veterans of the war.

[@andrewjones575]

It's lighthearted & fun.

[@schindlerteejay94]

@@andrewjones575 Back then it was.

[@richardgoffin-lecar1951]

As my father (ex USAAF) would have said, "If you can't laugh at the bastards, they've won". I take your point, though.

[@spana123321]

Neil Honey is funny, it just came out at the wrong time and now is a bad time because we’re not allowed to laugh at anything😞

[@spana123321]

Heil Honey is ahead of its time.

[@SAMwise-ps6zo]

the one playing eva braun is a well known anime voice actress called denica fairman

[@lesleyfarrington4809]

There was an awful one staring Diana Dors called Queenie's Castle

[@themilkguzzler2467]

You know this list is justified when you get to the end and you're not annoyed that Mrs Brown's Boys didn't make it

[@AtheistOrphan]

I must admit to being a bit disappointed with the BBC’s recent ‘Witchfinder’.

[@garethmorgan3665]

Yeah, me too. I really love Tim Key from Mid Morning Matters but gave up on The Witchfinder half way through .

[@barbarakirk3064]

Jessica Hynes was wasted as the assistant character to Tim Key's wannabe witchfinder.

[@ricardosp7975]

A bit of trivia: What connects Brighton Belles and Sam's Game?

[@frankbrodie5168]

"Tate's first go at a sitcom.." Er.. I assume you mean writing a sitcom. She was in the Office US for a couple of seasons that I recall. And was wonderful in it.

[@allisonday893]

And Big School with David Walliams

[@philcooper279]

Let us be honest with ourselves, the best days of British sitcoms are over, the same as British pop music. Nothing last forever.

[@leopold7562]

Ah, poor old Leigh Francis. Trying so hard to be a character comedian, but ending up as a poor man’s Sacha Baron Cohen. The only one of his creations to gain any traction at all was Keith Lemon, and sadly he’s milked that one to death, then somewhere far beyond. And it’s weird, as Keith was only ever really an incidental character in Bo Selecta in the first place.

[@L1am21]

Keith lemmon was a Easter egg on bo selecta series 1 dvd his come along way.

[@davidcross47]

What? No mention of John Cleese’s dreadful ‘Hold The Sunset’?

[@diogenesagogo]

Agree. Absolutely dreadful.

[@DocRobertable]

Agreed. A-list cast. Z-list scripts

[@zapkvr]

I'm excited

[@smartin469]

Had to Wiki this but I see it did make it to two series?

[@mica412]

That last one smacks of The Producers - Springtime For Hitler😂

[@Panda-rz3jf]

Leigh Francis had less silicon on his face than Amanda Holden. And yeah, why isn't Mrs. Brown's Boys on this list? The only person I know who watches it is my Great Aunt Kath, and she loves it. She's 91, though.

[@Chartail1]

I didn't mind hard cell with tate, sure it wasn't here best but she is so good as acting as completely different people! I was though waiting for NaN to turn up in jail 😂

[@MormonHoldem]

I remember watching the pilot for Embassy a BBC sitcom that was so bad they didn't show the rest of the series. Apart from that Big Top was bad, I also hated The Thin Blue Line and Gimme Gimme Gimme but they were very popular

[@dodge59]

the 10 worst british comedies still have to be better than the 10 best so called US comedies

[@StephenLyons-tl8ie]

"Heil honey, I'm home" should have run and run.

[@daisybuttercup6801]

Mrs Browns boys should be in this list

[@racheljackson4428]

why?

[@daisybuttercup6801]

@@racheljackson4428 because it’s absolutely puerile. Swearing to get laughs.

[@daisybuttercup6801]

@@racheljackson4428 try Curb your Enthusiasm , where the swearing is hilarious.

[@johnmalin1676]

@@racheljackson4428 Cause its a load of crap. Not even funny

[@1916jamesconnolly]

I'd prefer "Heil Honey I'm home' to that Miranda sitcom. That was about as funny as lung cancer.

[@michaelmcfadden1622]

Agree, what a load of keeck

[@jwb52z9]

Miranda is popular among Americans who saw it. Just don't watch the American attempt at what they called a remake. You wouldn't realize they even tried to remake Miranda by the show they came up with starring Mayim Bialik.

[@Jimmy_Mittens]

Was expecting 'The Persuasionists' to crop up...

[@danielwilliamson6180]

I've seen a couple of bad unfunny British comedies such as The Smoking Room. Gavin and Stacey. The Office. Extras. The Mighty Boosh. Come Fly With Me. Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire etc.

[@stingersplash]

I've seen all of those, heck own them all. You realise no laughter track doesn't make something unfunny? Also I think you're the only other person I know that remembers Krod Mandoon. But it shouldn't be in the same sentence as The Office.

[@danielwilliamson6180]

@@stingersplash I only watched it cos Matt Lucas was in it.

[@danjames4086]

The Mighty Boosh?? It's one of those shows you either 'get' or don't. I felt the same about it, until I'd watched a few and then started to appreciate it.

[@ragingpagan8847]

Mrs brown’s boys is awful gives the Irish sense of humour a bad name. Unlike father Ted that’s was a brilliant show 🤩

[@philcooper279]

I am sure the Provos, liked Fa

[@philcooper279]

Start again, I am sure the Provisional IRA liked Father Ted, along with their friends at the BBC and Channel 4.

[@ragingpagan8847]

@@philcooper279 wouldn’t know I’m an Ulster man can’t stand the IRA

[@stephenchecksfield632]

My thought was that bread by Carla Lane was not particularly funny

[@gazowen7310]

The early years with the first Joey once he left then it was crap

[@fus149hammer5]

This must be the only time you'll see the words 'Carla Lane' and 'Funny' in the same sentence.

[@stephenchecksfield632]

@@fus149hammer5 exactly my exact thoughts too to be honest not Carla lanes best example of a sitcom even Butterflies written by herself was only marginally funnier but for bread omg it was absolutely dire

[@rewdwarf123]

The trouble with that is I had more empathy for the woman working for the DSS.

[@Benji568]

I remember watching The Wright Way when I was like 15 and thinking "wow, this is terrible."

[@markrichards9638]

Thankfully I was living abroad when this litany of crap hit the screens - what you showed was truly awful. I was in the UK (c. 2005) to see the first episode of a show called 'The Life of Riley' which was depressingly awful as well. There appear to be a lot of unfunny people writing comedy scripts.

[@mogadon7]

Heil honey Im Home - OH NO, I LEFT ZEE GAS ON IN THE KITCHEN...the Goldenstiens are in there !

[@stephenhumphrey7935]

Writing comedy now is just a box ticking exercise.

[@louispks]

I honestly thought Jim Davidsons Up The Elephant and Round the Castle would be number 1. 1980s comedy which was about as funny as the Holocaust.

[@senianns9522]

I'm lucky to have missed all these 'gems' as I have lived overseas since 1982. However the program that makes me cringe is 'Mrs. Browns boys' That show belittles the Irish ! I feel embarrassed for the good folk of Ireland---how this crudity is funny? I'm lost!

[@WaiteWatch]

"the young character" just Beattie being the child of two of the UK's most famous and most successful comedians Xx

[@DavidDoom95]

Top 5 Worst British Comedies: 5. Coming of Age 4. Brighton Belles 3. Bo Selecta! 2. The Holden Girls 1. Full English (2012)

[@paulturton9755]

I've got to stand up for Coming of Age. Yes it is rude, crude and vulgar.... but I love it. It still brings a smile to my face and Joe Tracini as DK is fantastic

[@AnilSubhrai]

Same! I thought the show was brilliant. All the characters had some really funny one liners. Plus I still laugh at Matthew Earley’s (Wilberforce DeWilde) impression of Brian Blessed in season 3. “Gordonson Aive” (Gordon’s Alive) 😂😂

[@simonmoore2380]

Yes, I really liked it too. It can’t have been THAT unpopular - the BBC ran it for two series didn’t they?

[@AndRewUK24]

A Two Pints of lager and a Packet of crisps wannabe sitcom. It tried so hard to emulate the success of BBC three most successful sitcom. The last 2 television series when it becomes a lot better.

[@rainbowlady1532]

While I love some of her characters--Nan, Lauren Cooper aka Am I Bovverred?!, the annoying work colleague, Aga Saga Woman, Moo Shepherd the Brummie dog trainer, Drunk Estate Agent, Bernie the Nurse and Sandra Kemp from Gingers For Justice--but Catherine Tate has always been hit & miss with me. Sometimes she can be naturally funny, yet other times she does come across as attention seeking and ridiculous, such as when she was one of the panellists on Never Mind The Buzzc*cks (the Dr Who special). She irritated the hell out of me.

[@andrewjones575]

Most of her characters have one strange characteristic &/or one catchphrase, which quickly becomes too repetitive. As herself she hasn't a clue, so on panel shows she's lost.

[@Liverpoolfcthebest]

The only funny charecter for me was nan he'll I even liked the nan series but now she been butchered up too after the horrendous nan film came out I'm sorry but it was awful it had maybe 1 or 2 funny moments but it was an appalling film

[@rainbowlady1532]

Completely agree.

[@rainbowlady1532]

I think they should have just left Nan in sketch show format. Personally I think the only sketch show characters who weren't butchered once they made the leap from small screen to big screen are Kevin and Perry.

[@Liverpoolfcthebest]

@@rainbowlady1532 yh they still get them the same

[@jamesrobinsons8086]

Can I add The Upper Hand & Absolutely Fabulous to the list? Both about as funny as being kicked repeatedly in the groin.

[@kingbolo4579]

I saw the title and came for Hardwicke House, and, yes, here's Hardwicke House.

[@andrewjones575]

Martin Clunes' 2019 sitcom Warren should be on this list. Its not funny at all & its protagonist is highly unlikeable, who has no positive qualities. It's not believable that someone so unpleasant would choose to become a driving instructor, nor that he could be successful at it. We're supposed to believe that he chose a LTR with a single mother whom he dislikes, and that she would choose him. Also, that he would move from Dorset to Preston, which he dislikes, because she wants to live near to her parents. Though the first ep had almost 6m viewers, none of the rest had good viewing figures. E2 had far less than half, so most viewers of e1 thought it so bad that they didn't watch any more.

[@simon9174]

Warren was great

[@andrewjones575]

@@simon9174 In what way(s)?

[@smartin469]

Reminds me of Mel Smith and Colin's Sandwich - not an especially likeable character which means the comedy is up against it from the off.

[@steventhomas9461]

How hasn't Mrs browns Boys not made this list

[@ButtChinsAreHereToStay]

Because it's like marmite.

[@myoldmate]

I fully agree. I tried to watch it but the curling of my toes became to painful.

[@mikestevens5837]

Completely agree an ugly guy dressed up as an ugly woman,utter crap....

[@ellenday2155]

Strictly speaking it’s Irish but I agree it’s terrible

[@angusgafraidh2255]

How could you miss "Duck Patrol" and "Babes In The Wood" ?

[@pedropelaez]

How bad could coming of age be if it was 3 series with 23 episodes?

[@rogershore3128]

Surprised you left out the Molly Sugden dire sitcom "Come Back Mrs Noah"...... and the even worse "My Hero" with Ardal O'Hanlon easily the two worst comedies after your number one to grace UK TV screens.... Both Laughter free zones and an embarrassment to everyone involved.

[@zapkvr]

thank you

[@clouddog2393]

I've forgotten about 'my hero' you are right absolutely appalling!

[@rogershore3128]

@@clouddog2393 Wasn't there even a dire remake of the classic Married with Children for UK TV?

[@fus149hammer5]

​@@clouddog2393 Believe it or not 'My Hero' got worse AFTER Ardal O' Hanlon left he was replaced by James Dreyfus. The only good character was Mrs Raven the sadistic Doctors receptionist.

[@jwb52z9]

"Come Back Mrs. Noah" never aired in the US, but "My Hero" was popular when it aired on American educational TV around the nation.

[@TheJtyork420]

I tried to watch old British comedies and what used to bother me the most is the insane use of the laugh track. When everything is sarcastic its basically going off the whole time and drove me nuts. It's like how kids shows r in America with the laugh track use.

[@fus149hammer5]

I remember 'Mash' being broadcast on BBC 2 Thursday nights at 9pm and the show was transmitted without the canned laughter. It was sublimely brilliant. The gallows humour really shone through. I always believed that 'Blackadder Goes Forth' should have had no laughter track. After all, "killing 20,000 of our own men a day just so that Field Marshall Haig can move his drinks cabinet 10 yards closer to Berlin" doesn't need false laughter. The subject matter for that comedy or for 'Mash doesn't warrant fake laughs. The humour in both is just wonderful.

[@fus149hammer5]

The other problem is timing. Watch someone say something funny and note the other actor mentally counting to five before replying so that the laughter whether from a machine or studio audience doesn't drown out their lines. No real people talk like that. Take the laughter track out and most comedies fall apart.

[@cosmikdebris6055]

@@fus149hammer5 I totally agree. I cannot understand why people think shows like The Big Bang Theory are so funny. It's like they were written by 5 year olds!

[@this0033]

I don't remember watching any of these, perhaps that's a bonus.

[@rewdwarf123]

What about 'Heartbreak Hotel' starring Tim Healy? Set in the Olympic Hotel, Birmingham, which was called that on the basis the 1992 Olympics could be held in Birmingham. That was about the only joke...

[@tomhammond3495]

I watched every episode of Coming of Age and The Wright Way. Both enjoyable enough for me to continue watching. The worst comedies I've ever seen that were not included on this list were Mrs Brown's Boys and Come Fly With Me.

[@RogbodgeVideo]

I think the Wright Way failed because David Haig looked to weird without a mustache!

[@stephenmarsland6739]

I don't know how 'The Wright Way' was set, as I've never seen it heard of it, but David Haig's character in 'The Thin Blue Line' was my favourite character that told people to stop fanning about. Was it a continuation of that character? If not it should have been.

[@simon9174]

Come fly with me is n absolute classic

[@JayJones-oh1hu]

Hard Cell - I enjoyed it. Was it the funniest thing ever? No. However it's Catherine Tate doing what Catherine Tate does. I enjoyed the characters and the plot twist at the end was jawdropping

[@bikerchick261]

What? No 'Rhona'? No 'The Fitz?' No 'Next of Kin?' I'm sure we could go on...

[@VengaboysRbackINtown]

The country just was not ready for Hardwick House back then. If it was released years later it would have been a ratings smash! It was savage, biting and simply genius! Hardwick House is an under appreciated gem!

[@peezebeuponyou3774]

Never heard of it, but it was the only clip I actually laughed at. I was thinking the same thing- it looks like it fell foul of the Mary Whitehouse brigade.

[@andrewgibson395]

The Old Guys should have been on the list, pathetic southern English remake of Still Game with the accents and setting changed and the humour removed.

[@liamgillett9068]

Still game is terrible anyway

[@AtheistOrphan]

The recently-ended Steve Coogan series ‘Chivalry’ was billed as a comedy but I failed to see any humour in it at all.

[@andrewjones575]

That's mostly drama. It had very low viewing figures, so it's unlikely to return.

[@garethmorgan3665]

Saw the first episode , too. Coogan is a genius and I love Alan Patridge but it makes me uncomfortable how well he plays unlikeable characters...

[@arbrento73]

I love Steve Coogan but I was massively disappointed with Chivalry. I’ve felt pretty disappointed with most of his films too.

[@michaelhurley1497]

Anyone remember They Came from Somewhere Else? A weird sci-fi comedy about a town which is actually a penal colony on an asteroid, which is facing an apocalypse. One of the characters was played by Hilda Braid.

[@Gmackematix]

The TV schedules have long been littered with forgotten sitcoms that didn't raise that much laughter. Semi-Detached, Hold the Sunset, Sun Trap, Here We Go, The Happy Apple, Come Back Mrs Noah, Hot Press, The First Team, Lucky Feller, The River, Nightingales, Heartbreak Hotel, The Strangerers, Land of Hope and Gloria, Comrade Dad, Slinger's Day, etc. etc. I suppose it is because we try anything that we end up with the good ones.

[@tabithadickson36]

Lucky fella was really good in my opinion

[@stingersplash]

Nightingales and Slinger's Day I enjoyed, got on DVD.

[@barbarakirk3064]

I liked Nightingales but I wasn't keen on The Happy Apple.

[@Disneygirlie]

I got worried they'd say 'Friday Night Dinner' Phew! 😂

[@KateHarper23]

If he did, start a boycott

[@andrewjones575]

Many people dislike it, but it's very popular, so they wouldn't include it.

[@aliceramdom.s]

well its bad

[@KateHarper23]

@@aliceramdom.s do you mean Friday night dinner?

[@andrewjones575]

@@aliceramdom.s What do you dislike about FND?

[@clouddog2393]

I remember another comedy that failed to catch on 'was 'The Peter Principle' aka 'the boss' which was actually pretty good. As for Ben Elton 'Filthy rich and catflap' was another of his disasters.

[@maccladoz]

Are you mad?? Filthy, Rich & Catflap was pure comedy genius!!

[@andypeterson3070]

@@maccladoz I agree Ian, I used to love this comedy back in around '86 I believe.

[@andypeterson3070]

@@maccladoz I was hoping for a second series at the time time, but wasn't to be unfortunately.

[@smartin469]

Filthy Rich and Catflap - written by a luvvy about luvvies. Enough said.

[@Memoquin]

Heil Honey was actually kind of ahead of its time. It was parody, and feels like something that you’d see on Brass Eye

[@rubberbearoz]

"Hard Cell" was one of the best Comedy, In a long time.

[@paultapner1896]

I am amazed you didn't mention Hyperdrive. BBC2 science fiction sitcom starring Nick Frost and Miranda Hart that ran for two seasons. The misadventures of the crew of the spaceship Camden Lock. It aired so long ago I didn't have i player or tv catch up back then. It got a tuesday night showing and a sunday night repeat. I wasn't able to watch the former. Read terrible reviews of it. But thought oh shows take a while to get going sometime let's give it a go. So i watched the repeat. The main joke was that the characters were incompetent and useless because they were British. I am not a nationalist at all but that was faintly annoying somehow. Then it started making jokes about alien genitals. Ten mins into it's first episode. That's just desperate. I lasted till fifteen mins then gave up. I somehow doubt the other eleven and a half episodes were any better. Also: I never watched it, but there was a show called A perfect state. About a small north eastern town declaring independence. The first episode went out 8.30pm on a thursday on a bbc1. Then the rest all aired 4.30pm bbc1 sunday afternoon. I can but wonder what it was like and how it did to get moved into a graveyard slot after one episode.

[@ianz9916]

I liked Hyperdrive even if it was silly. It definitely got better as it went on and was successful enough to get a DVD release.

[@douglasfreeman3229]

You are judging the whole series after viewing the first 15 minutes of part One? Is that correct? Get a grip. I hope you didn't do this with Blackadder.

[@johnsloss9672]

I liked coming of ages! It was crude etc 😆

[@franklingoodwin]

The Holden Girls is proof that while Britain's Got Talent - Amanda Holden doesn't 😂

[@orourkeda]

07:00 - Is that "Steve Fleming" - Take you down to funky town

[@GonzoShitcock]

Who would have thought... a sitcom about Hitler being offensive???

[@apemoon1731]

'The Producers' was brilliant though.

[@GonzoShitcock]

@@apemoon1731 Yes that's the exception

[@jonathanfraser321]

Watch the Great Dictator with Charlie Chalin playing Aenoid s Hynkel- no pries for guessing who he was satirising . You could make a comedy abut Hitler buafter t leaving out WW2 and the concentration camps there's not much material

[@Orion3741]

The best British comedy sitcom of all time was Fawlty Towers. Two series. Twelve episodes. Co-written by former Python, John Cleese, and his then-wife, Connie Booth.

[@zapkvr]

Utter bullshit. The best British comedy is The young ones

[@Orion3741]

@Macavity : no. Fawlty Towers is no. 1. In 2022. I loved it for being un-PC.

[@MrRailjunkie]

@@zapkvr I love The Young Ones too but Faulty Towers is genius.

[@andrewq159]

@Macavity How has it dated?

[@Orion3741]

@@andrewq159 : I'm sticking to my guns on this one. Back in those days you had un-PC artists like John Cleese. And Don Rickles. Thank goodness we still have Jeremy Clarkson, who even laughs at himself.

[@dominicharkin1637]

Last of the Summer Wine ran for 37 years from 1973-2010 and it had 31 Series & 295 Episodes

[@clemfandango619]

Netflix isn't British. So you can scratch that one off.

[@mattylamb9194]

heil Honey I'm Home isn't British either