Fawlty Towers named best British comedy of all time

Fawlty Towers has been named as the greatest British sitcom of all time, as its creators attribute its success to an era where BBC commissioning “decisions were taken by people who had actually made programmes”.

The sitcom, which starred John Cleese, topped a Radio Times list of the 20 best British sitcoms despite running for only 12 episodes.

It beat other series including Father Ted, Blackadder, I'm Alan Partridge and Only Fools And Horses, winning a special place in viewers’ hearts for its combination of “farce” and “precision”, experts said.

Fawlty Towers, a BBC series, ran for just two series of six episodes each in the 1970s.

Speaking to the Radio Times, the show's co-writer and star Connie Booth said: "Fawlty Towers succeeds, I think, because it allows infantile rage and aggression a field day in a buttoned down, well-mannered English society.

"It's unique in being a farce, with all the plot surprises and precision that the style requires. And it doesn't hurt that the star of the show is a six-foot-five comic genius. If he was shorter I can't imagine how it would have worked."

Cleese added: "I was very lucky to be working at the BBC when decisions were taken by people who had actually made programmes.

"I'm proud we are up there with Porridge and Only Fools and Ab Fab and Blackadder and The Office and Reggie Perrin and The Thick of It."

Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted, penned by Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan, came second in the list, with I'm Alan Partridge in third, and Blackadder fourth.

Highly-rated comedies Only Fools And Horses and The Office came in sixth and 12th respectively.

The list was voted for by 42 comedy expert including writers Mathews, Linehan and Richard Curtis, as well Barry Cryer and Alison Graham.

Graham said: "When we find a comedy that does make us laugh, that brings a quick hit of joy into our lives, and we treasure it for ever.

"In our memories, great comedies are pearls that become more burnished and beautiful through the years. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder."

Do you agree with the Radio Times List? Which British comedies do you rate? 

To join the conversation log in to your Telegraph account or register for free, here.