Poll reveals TV favourites

TV viewers say they watch more comedy than anything else - and their favourite show of all time is Only Fools And Horses

Viewing figures may tell a different story, but 84 per cent of people said they watched mostly comedy on TV, ahead of soaps and reality shows.

The discrepancy with the actual ratings may indicate a bigger demand for comedy – or that it has a better image than the other genres, which people did not want to admit watching to market researchers.

One in nine people surveyed in The Sun poll said Only Fools And Horses was their favourite show of all time.

It obviously also topped the ‘best comedy’, with 19 per cent of the vote, with Little Britain in second place with 12 per cent.

The list threw up some unexpected results, though, with both My Family and Peter Kay’s Max And Paddy’s Road To Nowhere in the top five – while older classics like Fawlty Towers, Morecambe And Wise or Blackadder failing to get a mention.

Kay’s loyal fans also voted him second in the best TV comedy performer category, behind David Jason and ahead of Billy Connolly.

The lists, published in today’s paper, are:

Favourite comedy show

1. Only Fools And Horses 19%
2.  Little Britain 12%
3.  Friends 5%
4.  Max And Paddy’s Road To Nowhere 3%
5.  My Family 3%
6.  Have I Got News For You 3%
7.  The Office 2%
8.  The Simpsons 2%

Favourite performances

1. David Jason 15%
2. Peter Kay 7%
3. Billy Connolly 5%
4. Dawn French 3%
5. Little Britain 2%
6. Ronnie Barker 2%
7. Ricky Gervais 2%
8. Matt Lucas 2%
9. Rowan Atkinson 2%

Published: 10 Jan 2005