British sitcoms

A British sitcom or a Britcom is a situational comedy programme produced for British television.

British sitcoms have predominantly been recorded on studio sets, while some include an element of location filming. Live audiences and multi-cameras were first used in the US by Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball for their American show ''I Love Lucy'' in 1951 and the system was adopted in the UK. Several are made almost entirely on location (for example, ''Last of the Summer Wine'') and shown to a studio audience prior to final post-production to record genuine laughter. In contrast to the American team writing system, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson's huge successes were of such quality that they became the paradigm for British sitcom writing.

By the time the television set had become a common part of home furnishing, sitcoms were significant expressions of everyday life and were often a window on the times of enormous social changes in the British class system and its conflicts and prejudices. The period from 1970 to 1979 in particular is often considered the 'Golden Age' of British sitcom. Since the turn of the century however, many are filmed on a single-camera set-up or entirely on location, with no studio screening or laugh track, such as ''The Royle Family'' (1998–2000, 2006–2012), and ''PhoneShop'' (2009–2013).

A subset of British comedy consciously avoids traditional situation comedy themes, storylines, and home settings to focus on more unusual topics or narrative methods. ''Blackadder'' (1983–1989) and ''Yes Minister'' (1980–1988, 2013) moved what is often a domestic or workplace genre into the corridors of power. A later development was the mockumentary genre exemplified by series such as ''The Office'' (2001–2003), which also heralded the modern trend of the single-camera sitcom dispensing with live audiences.

A 2004 poll by the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 in the 12-episode documentary series ''Britain's Best Sitcom'', produced a list topped by traditional sitcoms with ''Only Fools and Horses'' holding the first place, and included favourites such as David Croft's ''Dad's Army'', ''Are You Being Served?'', and '' Hi-de-Hi!''. It was not until ''The Royle Family'' (1998–2000) in place 19 that a show without a live studio audience was featured.

British Christmas TV programming has a long-standing tradition of heavily featuring comedy and sitcoms in the schedules, often with episodes that capture holiday spirit, and sometimes emotional moments. In her review in ''The Guardian'' of the 2024 ''Gavin & Stacey'' grand finale Rachel Aroesti states "...our greatest sitcoms tend to bow out at their peak, but the festive revival traditionally comes to the rescue, extending the lifespans of iconic shows such as ''The Royle Family'' and ''Only Fools and Horses'' by a decade or more. If there’s still any doubt, ''Gavin & Stacey'' (which ostensibly concluded in 2024) belongs firmly in the same modern classic category." The 2024 ''Gavin & Stacey'' Christmas Day special, serving as the grand finale, peaked the ratings and further solidifies Britcom's legacy as a staple of British festive television.

On a suggestion to Miranda Hart by sitcom writer Abigail Wilson, who collaborated with comedy actors Dawn French (''The Vicar of Dibley'' 1994–2000) and Jennifer Saunders (''Absolutely Fabulous'' 1992–1995), the 2009 '' Miranda'' series staged a highly successful comeback for the 'old school' 20th century concept of sitcoms with live audiences and multiple cameras.

Writing for the British Film Institute, Phil Wickham, film and TV critic and author of several books about British TV, concludes:

Early years

Beginnings

The origins of British TV sitcoms trace back to radio comedies of the 1940s and 1950s like ''Hancock's Half Hour'', which aired on BBC Radio in 1954, British TV sitcoms were initially inspired by American comedy formats, but they quickly developed their own style that highlighted dry wit, social satire, and the nuances of British life. Early shows of the 1950s often featured archetypal British characters such as the staff and pupils in ''Whack-O!'' and the various facets portrayed in ''Hancock's Half Hour'', and set the stage for what would become the British TV sitcom genre. They were set in post World War II working-class or domestic environments, highlighting issues of class, family dynamics, and British culture, while ''The Army Game'', ITV's first sitcom, parodied the life of army conscripts during the last years of the National Service which ended in 1963.

''Pinwright's Progress''

Written by Rodney Hobson, ''Pinwright's Progress'' (1946–1947) was the world's first regular half-hour televised sitcom. Broadcast live by the BBC from Alexandra Palace, it was about J. Pinwright, the proprietor of a small shop. Storylines involved his hated rival and his staff, who only added to his problems by attempting to be helpful. The series featured an ensemble cast including James Hayter as J. Pinwright, Clarence Wright as Aubrey, Sara Gregory as Sally Doolittle, Daphne Maddox as Miss Peasbody, Doris Palmer as Mrs Sigsbee, Leonard Sharp as Ralph, Benita Lydal as Mrs Rackstraw, Charles Irwin as a salesman, and Jill Christie as Pinwright's daughter."Pinwright's Progress"
British Comedy Guide website and produced and directed by John Glyn-Jones. The script editor was Ted Kavanagh, who during the World War II years also wrote the BBC Radio comedy series ''It's That Man Again'' (''ITMA'' ), which according to Foster and Furst was "entirely new, breaking away from the conventions of both radio and music hall comedy".

''Hancock's Half Hour''

Transferred to television in 1956 after 48 episodes on BBC radio which began in 1954, ''Hancock's Half Hour'' (1956–1961) by Galton and Simpson was the first modern TV sitcom. Whilst moving away from audio variety towards character development, the radio series had been influential in the development of TV situation comedy. The radio series continued to be produced alongside the TV version. Tony Hancock played a fictionalised version of himself, a loser whose plans and aspirations are continually ruined by bad luck. Its only other regular cast member was the more worldly sidekick played by Sid James, later of '' Carry On'' fame and ''Bless This House'' . Other occasional participants included John Le Mesurier (''Dad's Army''), Kenneth Williams, and Patricia Hayes.Dennis Barker, "Hayes, Patricia Lawlor (1909–1998)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Sept 200
available online
Retrieved 18 June 2020. Hancock's biographer John Fisher dates the first use of the term 'situation comedy' in British broadcasting to a BBC memo dated 31 March 1953 from radio comedy producer Peter Eton, suggesting the format as the ideal vehicle for Hancock's comedic style. "Hancock's persona of the pompous loser out of his depth in an uncomprehending society still informs many programmes today", according to Phil Wickham. The final BBC series of this show was broadcast under the shorter title ''Hancock''. In 1963, Hancock changed his writers and moved to ITV for a further 13-episode series also named ''Hancock''. The series, though relatively well received, has been described as "clearly not up to the standard of ancock'sBBC work".

''Whack-O!''

Starring Jimmy Edwards in the lead role as Professor James Edwards, ''Whack-O!'' written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, is about the drunken, gambling, devious, cane-swishing headmaster who tyrannised staff and children at the fictitious Chiselbury public school "for the sons of Gentlefolk". From 1956 to 1960 and 1971–1972, it ran for 60 episodes over 8 series. The first six episodes were subtitled "Six of the Best", alluding to the frequent and traditional caning of disobedient pupils in the UK at the time. The series was revived in colour with updated scripts in 1971–72, slightly retitled ''Whacko!''. Other members of the cast included Arthur Howard (series 1–7),
Julian Orchard (series 8),
Kenneth Cope,
Norman Bird,
John Stirling,
Peter Glaze,
Edwin Apps (series 1–7),
Peter Greene (series 8),
David Langford,
Keith Smith,
Brian Rawlinson,
Gordon Phillot, Harold Bennett (series 8),
Frank Raymond,
Gary Warren (series 8), and
Greg Smith (series 8). A feature film, '' Bottoms Up'', was made in 1960.

''The Army Game''

Peter Eton's series of ''The Army Game'' (1957–1961) was probably British television's most successful sitcom of this period and ran for 154 episodes. Many of its stars went on to become household names. The original cast consisted of William Hartnell, Michael Medwin, Geoffrey Sumner, Alfie Bass, Charles Hawtrey, Bernard Bresslaw and Norman Rossington. The cast of ''The Army Game'' would change over the years with actors such as Geoffrey Palmer, Bill Fraser, Ted Lune, Frank Williams, Harry Fowler and Dick Emery appearing in subsequent series. ''The Army Game'' follows the exploits of Hut 29, a fictional dysfunctional group of conscripted National Service soldiers during the post-war years. Writers included creator Sid Colin, Larry Stephens, Maurice Wiltshire, Lew Schwarz, John Jowett, John Antrobus, John Foley, Marty Feldman, Barry Took, David Climie, David Cumming, Derek Collyer, Brad Ashton, John Junkin, Talbot Rothwell, Sidney Nelson, Stan Mars, Bob Perkins and Alan MacKinnon. At least three episodes are uncredited. In June 1959, a short ''The Army Game'' scene was performed by Michael Medwin, Alfie Bass, Norman Rossington, Bill Fraser and Ted Lune at the Royal Variety Performance in front of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. This was the last Royal Variety Performance that was not televised. This successful series inspired a film spin-off, '' I Only Arsked!'' (1958), and in 1958, just a year after the series debuted, the first '' Carry On'' film, the very similar '' Carry On Sergeant'', was released, also featuring Hawtrey, Rossington and Hartnell.

The 1960s

Two channel TV

ITV sitcoms began with the channel's launch in 1957 and throughout the 1960s helped shape British comedy with varied and often experimental styles. In the 1960s, the BBC produced a then-rare workplace comedy with ''The Rag Trade'' (1961–1963, 1977–1978) written by Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney. The success of the series was due partly to the strength of the female ensemble playing the workforce, who included Sheila Hancock, Barbara Windsor and Esma Cannon. It also made the earliest of Richard Waring's domestic comedies, '' Marriage Lines'' (1961–1966), starring Richard Briers (later to star in '' The Good Life'') and Prunella Scales (who went on to star in ''Fawlty Towers''), and '' Not in Front of the Children'' (1967–70), starring Wendy Craig.
Women were usually only cast in secondary roles in this period, though several series with Craig in the lead were an exception. Sitcoms developed by Carla Lane, the first successful female writer in the form, began with ''The Liver Birds'' (1969–1979, 1996), initially in collaboration with others.

Another change, with ''Steptoe and Son'' (1962–65, 1970–74) and ''The Likely Lads'' (1964–1966), producers began to cast actors, rather than the comedians around whom earlier series like ''Whack-O!'', with Jimmy Edwards, or ''Hancock's Half Hour'', had been built.

''Bootsie and Snudge''

As a spin-off sequel to ''The Army Game'' and also starring Bill Fraser and Alfie Bass, ''Bootsie and Snudge'', (1960–1963, 1974) was written by a large team over its 104 episodes. Writers for the 1960–63 episodes included Marty Feldman, Barry Took, John Antrobus, Ray Rigby, David Cumming, Derek Collyer, James Kelly, Peter Lambda, Tom Espie, Jack Rosenthal, Harry Driver, and Doug Eden. The 1974 series was written by David Climie, Ronnie Cass and Lew Schwarz. The series established the reputation of actor Clive Dunn, leading to his role as Corporal Jones in ''Dad's Army''.

''Marriage Lines''

Running for 43 episodes over 5 series (1963–1966), first titled ''The Marriage Lines'', '' Marriage Lines'' was written by Richard Waring and directed and produced by Robin Nash and Graeme Muir. The traditional domestic comedy about a young couple learning to cope with married life reflected social attitudes of the times, and provided its lead stars Richard Briers ('' The Good Life'', ''Ever Decreasing Circles'') and Prunella Scales (''Fawlty Towers'') with a significant boost to their careers. The supporting cast included Edward de Souza, Ronald Hines and Christine Finn.

''Steptoe and Son''

With its cast of only two regular characters played by Harry H. Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell, airing 1962–65 and 1970–74, ''Steptoe and Son'' was a Galton and Simpson creation and ran for 57 episodes over 8 series. Producers included Duncan Wood, John Howard Davies, Graeme Muir, and Douglas Argent. In 2000, the show was ranked number 44 on the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes compiled by the British Film Institute. In a 2001 Channel 4 poll Albert was ranked 39th on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters, The series was derived from a one-off Galton and Simpson comic play, "The Offer", shown on their BBC series Comedy Playhouse in 1962. It is regularly repeated and gave rise to four feature films.

''Till Death Us Do Part''

Written by Johnny Speight and broadcast 1965–1968 and 1972–1975, ''Till Death Us Do Part'' featured Warren Mitchell as Alf Garnett and was an instant hit. Centred on the bigoted character of Alf Garnett, it addressed racial and political issues that had been becoming increasingly prevalent in British society. It was criticised by campaigner Mary Whitehouse for its bad language, and due to changing attitudes in political correctness it is seldom repeated.

''Dad's Army''

Based on a World War II theme, ''Dad's Army'' (1968–1977) by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, was a gentle mockery of Britain's 'finest hour' and the Home Guard. One of the most enduring British sitcoms, it starred Arthur Lowe and John Le Mesurier, whose interaction with Lowe's character Captain Mainwaring was described by ''The Times'' as "a memorable part of one of television's most popular shows".
It also starred Clive Dunn, John Laurie, Ian Lavender and Arnold Ridley. During its original television run, the show was nominated for multiple British Academy Television Awards, including "Best Situation Comedy" in 1973, 1974 and 1975, although only won "Best Light Entertainment Production Team" in 1971. In 2000, the show was voted 13th in a British Film Institute poll of industry professionals of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes. In 2004, championed by Phill Jupitus, it came fourth in the BBC poll to find Britain's Best Sitcom. As of 2022 it is one of British television's most regularly repeated sitcoms.

''All Gas and Gaiters''

Bringing the first light-hearted satirical look at the church, during 1966–1971 ''All Gas and Gaiters'' paved the way for '' Bless Me, Father'' (1978–1981) with Arthur Lowe, and farcical ecclesiastical comedies such as ''Father Ted'' and ''The Vicar of Dibley'' in the 1990s. Starring Derek Nimmo with Robertson Hare, William Mervyn, John Barron, Joan Sanderson (''Please Sir!'', ''Fawlty Towers''), and Ernest Clark, it was written by husband-and-wife team Pauline Devaney and Edwin Apps and directed by John Howard Davies and Stuart Allen. The successful series, which after an initial controversy became a favourite of Britain's clergy, was followed by two spin-offs also starring Nimmo: '' Oh, Brother!'' (1968–1970), 19 episodes written by David Climie and Austin Steele, with supporting roles by Sir Felix Aylmer, Patrick McAlinney and Derek Francis, and its sequel '' Oh, Father!'' (1973) with Felix Aylmer, Laurence Naismith, Pearl Hackney and David Kelly, also written by Climie and Steele. ''All Gas and Gaiters'' was produced by Stuart Allen, John Howard Davies, and Robin Nash, and the music was provided by Stanley Myers.

''Me Mammy''

With Milo O'Shea, and Yootha Joyce (''Man About the House'', '' George and Mildred'') in the lead roles, '' Me Mammy'' was written by Hugh Leonard, produced by James Gilbert and Sydney Lotterby for the BBC and aired 1968–1971 for 21 episodes over 3 series. Bunjy Kennefick, played by O'Shea, is an Irish mother's boy living in London. He is a top executive of a company and lives a bachelor lifestyle. However, his old-fashioned Catholic mother often puts a stop to his plans, many of them involving his girlfriend Miss Argyll, played by Joyce.

The 1970s

The Golden Era

The 1970s is often regarded as the golden era of British sitcom. Well-remembered series include John Cleese and Connie Booth's farcical ''Fawlty Towers'' (1975, 1979) often cited as the greatest sitcom of all time. John Esmonde and Bob Larbey's self-sufficiency comedy ''The Good Life'' (1975–78) and ''To the Manor Born'' by Peter Spence and Christopher Bond were also highly successful. ''Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?'' (1973–74), a sequel to ''The Likely Lads'', is thought to have surpassed the original, while its writers, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, provided Ronnie Barker with his most significant sitcom vehicle, ''Porridge'' (1974–77). Barker also starred (along with David Jason) in ''Open All Hours'' (1973, 1976–85), written by Roy Clarke, whose ''Last of the Summer Wine'' began in 1973 and ended in 2010, becoming the world's longest running sitcom. The decade also saw the broadcast of ''It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' (1974–81), which has been criticised for the "stereotypes of its handful of Indian supporting characters as alternately servile, foolish, lazy or devious".

The commercial station ITV had successes with ''Rising Damp'' (1974–78, sometimes called the best of all ITV sitcoms),Phil Wickha
"Rising Damp (1974–78)"
BFI screenonline ''Man About the House'' (1973–76) and '' George and Mildred'' (1976–79). ''Rising Damp'' star Leonard Rossiter also played the lead role in the BBC's ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' (1976–79). The decline in cinema attendance meant that many of these series were turned into cinema films;Matthew Conia
"A Users Guide to the Great British Sitcom Movie"
''Kettering: The Fanzine of Elderly British Comedy'', .d., c.2003No.1, pp. 3–9 the first film version of ''On the Buses'' (1969–73) was the biggest hit at the British box office in 1971."On the Buses"
, Television Heaven website According to Jeff Evans, ''On the Buses'' was a "cheerfully vulgar comedy" in which "leering and innuendo dominate " Some of the network's other ratings successes from this era included ''Love Thy Neighbour'' (1972–76) and ''Mind Your Language'' (1977–79, 1986), which attempted to find humour in racial or ethnic conflict and misunderstandings, but were increasingly criticised over time for "obvious racial name-calling... recurring with distressing regularity" and "offer ngonly the crudest caricatures".

Increasing relaxation in regard to the discussion of sex allowed farce and camp humour to become a familiar form in the 1970s and were used in series like ''Are You Being Served?'' and comedian Frankie Howerd's ''Up Pompeii!'', which ran for 16 episodes (1969–70, 1975, 1991) and starred several female stalwarts from the ''Carry On'' film series, including Barbara Windsor, Wendy Richard and Valerie Leon. A feature of the show which inspired three films was Howerd's frequent breaking of the fourth wall.

Other controversial topics for comedy included series written by Richard Waring and Wendy Craig. '' ...And Mother Makes Three'' (1971–73), and its sequel '' ...And Mother Makes Five'' (1974–76), starred Craig (who also co-wrote) as a widowed mother who eventually remarries a divorced single father. ''My Wife Next Door'' (1972), created by Brian Clemens, concerned a divorced couple who accidentally moved next door to each other, '' Miss Jones and Son'' (1977–78) was about a single mother, and '' Rings on Their Fingers'' (1978–80) was about a young, unmarried couple.

''On the Buses''

Another creation by Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe is ''On the Buses'', starring Reg Varney and Bob Grant. Running 1969–1973 for 74 episodes over 7 series, it was initially rejected by the BBC, who did not see much comedy potential in a bus depot as a setting. It was then commissioned by Frank Muir, then at London Weekend Television who said it was "rather at the baked beans end of my menu". Despite poor critical reception, it gained an audience of up to 20 million. It has been described as cliche-ridden, stereotypical, occasionally racist and totally sexist by today's standards, with Varney's and Grant's characters both lecherous womanisers and ethnic minorities used inappropriately for humour. As David Stubbs wrote for ''The Guardian'' in 2008, Grant and Varney were playing "two conspicuously middle-aged men" (Varney was in his 50s when the series began) pursuing "an endless array of improbably available 'dolly birds' ". The series was made into three films, ''On the Buses'' (1971), '' Mutiny on the Buses'' (1972), and '' Holiday on the Buses'' (1973).

''Bless This House''

Starring Sid James of ''Carry On'' fame, with Diana Coupland and Sally Geeson, '' Bless This House'' was created by Vince Powell and Harry Driver, but mainly written by others including Dave Freeman and Carla Lane. Running from 1971 to 1976, It marked a departure from James' characteristic bawdy slapstick and famous 'dirty laugh' and ran for 65 episodes over 10 series. The series ended abruptly in 1976, when, just four days after the broadcast of the final episode, James died after collapsing on stage. Ironically, James had told Coupland, "It's such fun and so successful, we'll still be working on ''Bless This House'' till one of us kicks the bucket."
In 2004, it came 67th in ''Britain's Best Sitcom''.

''Clochemerle''

In 1972 the lavish French farce in English based on the 1934 novel of the same name by Gabriel Chevallier, '' Clochemerle'' was adapted into 9 episodes by Galton and Simpson for the BBC. It was a stark contrast to the dark comedy of their ''Steptoe and Son'' and ''Hancock's Half Hour''. Filmed on location in Colombier-le-Vieux, in the department of Ardèche, Wendy Hiller, Cyril Cusack, Kenneth Griffith, Cyd Hayman, Bernard Bresslaw, Hugh Griffith, Micheline Presle, Madeline Smith, Christian Roberts, Nigel Green, Wolfe Morris and Gordon Rollings, with narration by Peter Ustinov. The show was produced by Michael Mills as a co-production between the BBC and West Germany's Bavaria Film. Incidental music was arranged by Alan Roper and played by L'Harmonie Du Rhone Orchestra, Lyon, under the musical direction of Raymond Jarniat.

''My Wife Next Door''

Created by Brian Clemens and written by Richard Waring, ''My Wife Next Door'' was shown on BBC1 in 1972 and ran for 13 episodes. The series concerns George Basset, played by John Alderton, and Suzie Basset, played by Hannah Gordon, who each try to start afresh after their divorce by moving to the country, only to find that they have moved into adjoining cottages. The music was by Dennis Wilson. In 1973, one episode won a British Academy Television Award for Best Situation Comedy. During a repeat run in January 1980, one episode gained 19.3 million viewers and was the second most-watched programme that week.

''Are You Being Served?''

Set in a fictional, traditional London department store, the show follows the antics of the staff of the retail ladies' and gentlemen's clothing departments . Known for its innuendo-laden humor, quirky characters, and catchphrases ''Are You Being Served?'' (1972–85) was one of the longest-running sitcoms of the era. It was created and written for the BBC by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft and stars Frank Thornton, Mollie Sugden, Wendy Richard, Nicholas Smith, and John Inman, who of the original cast were to appear in all 69 episodes and the same five later featured in the sequel spin-off ''Grace & Favour''which aired in 1991–1992. Inman's camp characterisation of Mr. Humphries contributed greatly to the series' success. In 2004, it ranked 20th in ''Britain's Best Sitcom''. The series proved to be highly exportable, and is regularly repeated on BBC Two, Drama and Gold in the UK, PBS and BBC America in the United States, and BBC UKTV, Fox Classics and 9Gem in Australia, and Jones! in New Zealand; as of 2024 it is also streamed on Britbox, Apple TV, and in the US on BritBox Amazon Channel. The series was nominated for the 1977 Best Situation Comedy BAFTA TV Award but the 1977 ''Are You Being Served?'' feature film starring the main cast was not well received. A one-off episode with a new cast was broadcast in 2016.

''Man About the House''

Considered daring at the time because it featured a man sharing a flat with two single women, the flat-share comedy ''Man About the House'' was created by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer. It starred Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox and Sally Thomsett, with Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce as their landlord and landlady. 40 episodes were broadcast over six series on ITV, and ran from 1973 to 1976. The series is regularly repeated on ITV3. After the series ended in 1976, two successful spin-off series followed: '' George and Mildred'', in which the Ropers move to the suburbs, and '' Robin's Nest'', in which Robin gets married and opens a bistro. The 1977 ''Man About the House'' spin-off film which included guest stars Arthur Lowe, Bill Pertwee, Aimi MacDonald, and Spike Milligan (as himself), "acquits itself better than most movie spin-offs from TV series." ''Man About the House'' placed 69th out of 100 in a 2003 BBC poll to find ''Britain's Best Sitcom''.

''Porridge''

Based on life in a UK prison, the ''Porridge'' sitcom by writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais provided Ronnie Barker (''Open All Hours''), in the role of a prison inmate, with his most significant sitcom vehicle, supported by Richard Beckinsale. It ran from 1974 to 1977 on BBC1 for 22 episodes over three series. The series features two major supporting characters, both prison officers: Mr Mackay, played by Fulton Mackay, and Mr Barrowclough, played by Brian Wilde. The sitcom focused on two prison inmates, Norman Fletcher, played by Barker, and Lennie Godber, played by Beckinsale, who are serving time in a fictional British prison. ''Porridge'' was critically acclaimed and was ranked No. 35 on the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes compiled by the British Film Institute in 2000. In 2004, ''Porridge'' placed seventh in Britain's Best Sitcom. ''Porridge'' was appreciated by British prisoners. Erwin James, an ex-prisoner who wrote a column for ''The Guardian'', stated: "What fans could never know, however, unless they had been subjected to a stint of Her Majesty's Pleasure, was that the conflict between Fletcher and Officer Mackay was about the most authentic depiction ever of the true relationship that exists between prisoners and prison officers in British jails up and down the country. I'm not sure how, but writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais grasped the notion that it is the minor victories against the naturally oppressive prison system that makes prison life bearable."

''Rising Damp''

The ITV production of 28 episodes (1974–78) of ''Rising Damp'' written by Eric Chappell, is sometimes called the best of all ITV sitcoms. It starred Leonard Rossiter as Rigsby, a miserly, seedy, and ludicrously self-regarding landlord of a run-down Victorian townhouse who rents out his shabby bedsits to a variety of tenants: Ruth Jones, an unmarried woman approaching middle age, played by Frances de la Tour; Alan Moore, a medical student played by Richard Beckinsale; and Philip Smith, a cultured sales representative supposedly descended from African royalty, played by Don Warrington. Chappell defended Rigsby by saying " eas not a racist or a bigot, but he was prejudiced and suspicious of strangers. But he accepted Philip and his only concern afterwards was that he didn't get a leg over Miss Jones." Warrington who was born in Trinidad, stated: "There were certain aspects of it that were politically incorrect. On the other, you can see how it held up a mirror to the way we were living." The series won the 1978 BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy and was the highest-ranking ITV sitcom in the BBC's ''Britain's Best Sitcom'', coming in 27th overall. Frances de la Tour received an ''Evening Standard'' British Film Award in the category of "Best Actress" for her performance as Ruth Jones.

''Happy Ever After''

Broadcast 1974–1979 on BBC1 for 41 episodes over 5 series, starring Terry Scott and June Whitfield, with Beryl Cooke, '' Happy Ever After'' was written by John T. Chapman, Eric Merriman, Christopher Bond, John Kane and Jon Watkins. It was based on a ''Comedy Playhouse'' pilot called "Happy Ever After" which aired on 7 May 1974, with Scott and Whitfield playing a middle-class couple whose grown-up children had just left home.

''The Good Life''

'' The Good Life'' (1975–1978), written by Bob Larbey and John Esmonde, aired on BBC1 for 30 episodes over four series and two specials. The final episode was recorded in the presence of the Queen to mark her Silver Jubilee; it was reputedly one of her favourite shows. Felicity Kendal and Richard Briers starred as Barbara and Tom Goode – a middle-class suburban couple who decide to quit the rat race and become self-sufficient, much to the consternation of their snooty but well-meaning neighbour Margo, played by Penelope Keith, and her down-to-earth husband Jerry, played by Paul Eddington. The opening theme was composed by Burt Rhodes. In 2004, ''The Good Life'' came 9th in ''Britain's Best Sitcom''. After its success, the four main cast members were given their own "vehicles" commissioned by the then Head of Comedy and producer of ''The Good Life'', John Howard Davies. The series provided Felicity Kendal with her big break on television and significantly boosted her career on stage.

''Fawlty Towers''

Described in the BBC's profile of the show as "the British sitcom by which all other British sitcoms must be judged", ''Fawlty Towers'' (1975 and 1979) is eminently quotable; the repetition in the episode known as ''The Germans'' of 'don't mention the war' has become a catch phrase." In two series, only 12 half-hour episodes were made, because the writers, John Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth, felt that they could not continue to write comedy of the same quality. The series starred Cleese as Basil Fawlty, Prunella Scales as Sybil Fawlty, Connie Booth as Polly Sherman, and Andrew Sachs as Manuel. Supporting roles included Major Gowen, played by Ballard Berkeley, Chef Terry, played by Brian Hall, and Miss Gatsby and Miss Tibbs, played by Renee Roberts and Gilly Flower. Other well known guests from stage and screen, usually two or three for each episode, were featured in various episodes and among many others included Yvonne Gilan, Conrad Phillips, Bernard Cribbins, James Cossins, Allan Cuthbertson, Ann Way, Brenda Cowling, Joan Sanderson, Elspet Gray, Geoffrey Palmer, Derek Royle, Richard Davies, Ken Campbell, Una Stubbs, and John Quarmby. The show was produced by John Howard Davies and Douglas Argent, directed by Davies and Bob Spiers and the music was by Dennis Wilson. The show was ranked first on a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, and in 2019 it was named the greatest ever British TV sitcom by a panel of comedy experts compiled by the ''Radio Times''.Mattha Busby, 9 April 2019
"Fawlty Towers named greatest ever British TV sitcom"
''The Guardian'', Retrieved 31 December 2021 Basil Fawlty has been listed by Channel 4 as the second greatest television character.

''George and Mildred''

The spin-off from ''Man About the House'', starring Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy, with Norman Eshley, Sheila Fearn, and child star Nicholas Bond-Owen, a domestic sitcom '' George and Mildred'' is focused on a clash of social class. Written by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer, it ran for 38 episodes and is regularly repeated on ITV3. Yootha Joyce died suddenly in August 1980, just before production of a sixth and final series.

''Open All Hours''

Created and written by Roy Clarke for the BBC, ''Open All Hours'' ran for 26 episodes in four series (1976, 1981, 1982 and 1985) and starred Ronnie Barker and David Jason, with a regular supporting cast including Lynda Baron, Stephanie Cole, Barbara Flynn, Maggie Ollerenshaw, and Kathy Staff.
The programme, produced and directed by Sydney Lotterby and developed from a television pilot broadcast in Barker's comedy anthology series '' Seven of One'' (1973), centred around the antics of the eccentric and miserly owner of a traditional English corner shop. Barker took his idea for Arkwright's famous stutter from the 1950s writer and performer Glenn Melvyn. ''Open All Hours'' came 8th in the 2004 Britain's Best Sitcom poll. Although it ended in 1985, ''Open All Hours'' had been repeated over 3,000 times by 2021. The theme tune was composed by Joseph Ascher (1829–1869), arranged for a brass band and performed by Max Harris, who also wrote the incidental music. A sequel, ''Still Open All Hours'', with David Jason and many members of the original cast, began airing nearly 30 years later in 2013 and ran until 2019 for 41 episodes.

''Miss Jones and Son''

First broadcast on ITV in 1977 and running for 12 episodes, '' Miss Jones and Son'' (1977–78) was written by Richard Waring and produced and directed by Peter Frazer-Jones. It starred Paula Wilcox (''Man About the House''), Christopher Beeny, Charlotte Mitchell and Norman Bird. The series depicted the life of Elizabeth Jones, played by Wilcox, a young woman coming to terms with the responsibility of looking after her baby alone. Emotional support came in the form of next-door-neighbour and friend Geoffrey, played by Beeny. Difficulties included the reproaches of her parents, played by Mitchell and Bird, a difficult social life, and a reduced income. The theme song, "Bright Idea", was written by Roger Webb.

''Rings on Their Fingers''

Also written by Richard Waring, '' Rings on Their Fingers'' (1978–80) ran from 1978 to 1980 for 20 episodes in 3 series and was and produced by Harold Snoad for the BBC. It concerns a young unmarried couple, Sandy Bennett, played by Diane Keen, and Oliver Pryde, played by Martin Jarvis. The cast also included Tim Barrett, Barbara Lott, Anna Dawson, John Kane and Royce Mills. Sandy wishes to marry whereas Oliver is happy to remain unmarried. During the first series they do marry and in the second series they adjust to married life. A proposed fourth series would have concerned Sandy becoming pregnant unexpectedly, and Sandy and Oliver adapting to parenthood, but the series was not re-commissioned.

''To the Manor Born''

Co-starring Penelope Keith as Audrey fforbes-Hamilton and Peter Bowles as Richard DeVere, ''To the Manor Born'' (1979–1981, 2007) was a 'feel-good' series following the leading characters' 'will-they-won't they' love story. Written by Peter Spence and Christopher Bond and produced and directed by Gareth Gwenlan, it was a sitcom with one of the largest audience ratings of the period. The final episode of series 1, which aired on 11 November 1979, was the most watched British television programme (excluding live events) of the 1970s, drawing 23.95 million viewers. Retrieved 4 January 2022. The final episode in 1981 received 17.80 million viewers. The series has been repeated over 1,000 times. Major supporting roles were played by Angela Thorne as Audrey's friend Marjory and Daphne Heard as Mrs Polouvicka, Richard's mother. Other members of the cast included Alan David, John Rudling, Michael Bilton, Gerald Sim, Michael Cochrane, and Georgie Glen. The music was written by Ronnie Hazlehurst.

''Terry and June''

Spun off from '' Happy Ever After'' after it ended, Terry Scott and June Whitfield returned to star in the 65 episodes of ''Terry and June'' (1979–1987). It was mostly written by John Kane. Chapman, one of the original writers, said that the original programme had run out of ideas and had to end. BBC Comedy, however, were unwilling to end a successful 'cozy' show, and so brought in fresh new writers; for legal reasons the programme title had to be changed, and, on 24 October 1979, ''Terry and June'' was born. It was similar to ''Happy Ever After'' without Aunt Lucy, but Terry and June's surname changed from Fletcher to Medford and the characters moved to Purley in London. In 2004, it came joint 73rd in ''Britain's Best Sitcom'' with ''Happy Ever After''.

''Come Back Mrs. Noah''

The sci-fi sitcom '' Come Back Mrs. Noah'', set in space in 2050, was broadcast on BBC1 from 17 July to 14 August 1978, with a pilot being aired on 13 December 1977, but it was not a success and ran for only six episodes. Although written by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft, and featuring an all-star sitcom cast including Mollie Sugden (''Are You Being Served?''), Ian Lavender (''Dad's Army''), Gorden Kaye ('''Allo 'Allo!''), Donald Hewlett (''It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' and '' You Rang, M'Lord?'') and Michael Knowles (''It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' and ''You Rang, M'Lord?''), along with Vicki Michelle ('''Allo 'Allo!'') and Harold Bennett (''Dad's Army'' and ''Are You Being Served?''), some regarded it as one of the worst British sitcoms ever made. It has never been repeated. Writing in ''The British Comedy Guide'' on 27 June 2021, in his article "Stranger Things: When sitcoms strain to be different", citing in detail three examples including ''Come Back Mrs. Noah'', Graham McCann explains how a sitcom, even when written, produced and acted by a highly successful team, can go horribly wrong.

The 1980s

The alternatives' incursion

In the 1980s, the emerging alternative comedians began to develop sitcoms, partly as a response to series such as ''Terry and June'' (1979–87), with their "complacent gentility, outmoded social attitudes and bourgeois sensibilities". The alternatives' incursion began with '' The Young Ones'' (1982–84), written by Rik Mayall, Ben Elton and others. To help make it stand out, the group opted to combine traditional sitcom style with violent slapstick, non-sequitur plot turns, and surrealism. These older styles were mixed with the working and lower-middle class attitudes of the growing 1980s alternative comedy boom. Mayall was also the star of ''The New Statesman'' (1987–92), a series created by Maurice Gran and Laurence Marks, whose biggest success, '' Birds of a Feather'' (1989–98, 2014–20), also deviated from British practice in being scripted by a team of writers.
The alternative comedy genre continued with ''Blackadder'' (1983–89), mainly written by Ben Elton and Richard Curtis and starring Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. Atkinson's Edmund Blackadder came at number three in the Channel 4 list of 100 greatest television characters. Other high-ratings mainstream, slice-of-life shows of the decade included ''Bread'' (1986–1991) written by Carla Lane, about a close-knit, working-class family in Liverpool. Running for 74 episodes, at its peak it attracted 21 million viewers. Another notable series was the Science fiction comedy ''Red Dwarf'' (1988–), while '''Allo 'Allo!'' another Croft and Lloyd creation is set in German occupied France during World War II.

''Yes Minister''

Starring Paul Eddington, with Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds in the supporting roles, ''Yes Minister'' which ran for 21 episodes on BBC2 (1980–1984), and its sequel ''Yes, Prime Minister'' (1986–88), which ran for 16 episodes, were political satires. Established Shakespearean actor Hawthorne picked up four BAFTA TV Awards for Best Light Entertainment Performance for his role. Created by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, the series received several BAFTAs and in 2004 was voted sixth in the ''Britain's Best Sitcom'' poll. Writer Michael Dobbs said Jay and Lynn "really got to the heart of so much of what goes on in Whitehall and Westminster". As the series revolved around the inner workings of central government, most of the scenes take place privately in offices and exclusive members' clubs. Lynn said that "there was not a single scene set in the House of Commons because government does not take place in the House of Commons. Some politics and much theatre takes place there. Government happens in private. As in all public performances, the real work is done in rehearsal, behind closed doors. Then the public and the House are shown what the government wishes them to see." Lynn and Jay explained: "After we wrote the episode, we would show it to some secret sources, always including somebody who was an expert on the subject in question. They would usually give us extra information which, because it was true, was usually funnier than anything we might have thought up." In a 2004 BBC programme paying tribute to the series, it was revealed that Jay and Lynn had drawn on information provided by two insiders from the governments of Harold Wilson and James Callaghan, namely Marcia Falkender and Bernard Donoughue. The series was the favourite television programme of the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. In 2012, Prime Minister David Cameron admitted that "I can tell you, as prime minister, it is true to life."

''Hi-de-Hi!''

Set in 1959–60 in a fictional holiday camp, '' Hi-de-Hi!'' was filmed on location at the real Warner's Holiday Centre at Dovercourt Bay. It ran for 58 episodes (1980–1988) on the BBC and is often repeated. It was co-written by Jimmy Perry, based on his experience as a Butlin's Redcoat, and director-producer David Croft. With its ensemble cast comprising Paul Shane, Simon Cadell, Ruth Madoc, Jeffrey Holland, Su Pollard, and David Griffin, the series gained large audiences and won a BAFTA for Best Comedy Series in 1984. In a 2008 poll on Channel 4, "Hi-de-Hi!" was voted the 35th most popular comedy catchphrase. According to comedy researcher Mark Lewisohn, "Plots became somewhat outlandish during the latter episodes and by the time the BBC called it a day in 1988, it is arguable that the show had already outstayed its welcome by a good couple of years. All in all, though, this was a good British sitcom."

''Only Fools and Horses''

One of the most successful British sitcoms of all time, ''Only Fools and Horses'' (1981–2003) starred David Jason as Derek "Del Boy" Trotter and Nicholas Lyndhurst as his younger brother Rodney. It began in 1981 and ran for 64 episodes, with specials, until 2003. It was the most durable of several series written by John Sullivan. The 1996 episode " Time on Our Hands" (originally billed as the last episode) holds the record for the highest UK audience for a sitcom episode, attracting 24.3 million viewers. A ratings success with viewers, the series received numerous awards, including recognition from BAFTA, the National Television Awards and the Royal Television Society, as well as winning individual accolades for Sullivan and Jason. It was voted Britain's Best Sitcom in a 2004 BBC poll. In a 2001 Channel 4 poll Del Boy was ranked fourth on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters. The series influenced British culture, contributing several words and phrases to the English language. It was named one of the top 20 cult television programmes of all time by TV critic Jeff Evans. Evans spoke of: "howssuch as ''Only Fools and Horses'', which gets tremendous viewing figures but does inspire conventions of fans who meet in pubs called the Nag's Head and wander round dressed as their favourite characters." The theme music was by Ronnie Hazlehurst (1981) and John Sullivan (1982–2003). ''Only Fools and Horses'' came top in a research and analysis by a team of scientists led by Dr Helen Pilcher, a molecular neurobiologist and stand-up comedian with a speciality in scientific humour.

''Last of the Summer Wine''

Running on the BBC for 295 episodes over 31 series and four decades, ''Last of the Summer Wine'' (1973–2010) was entirely written by Roy Clarke (''Keeping Up Appearances'', ''Open All Hours'' and ''Still Open All Hours'') and produced by Alan J. W. Bell, with music by Ronnie Hazelhurst. It is the longest-running comedy programme in Britain and the longest-running sitcom in the world. The family-friendly show was about the antics of a group of male pensioners looking for adventure, "portraying the elderly in a positive and non-stereotypical light." The show was filmed largely in the small town of Holmfirth in Yorkshire, a location recommended by Barry Took, and surrounding countryside. and features Bill Owen, 186 episodes, Peter Sallis, 295 episodes, and Kathy Staff, 245 episodes, along with Thora Hird, 152 episodes (''Bootsie and Snudge''), Stephen Lewis, 135 episodes, (''On the Buses''),
Frank Thornton, 135 episodes (''Are You Being Served?''),
Brian Murphy, 73 episodes, (''Man About the House'', '' George and Mildred''),
Josephine Tewson, 62 episodes, (''Keeping Up Appearances''),
Dora Bryan

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