Little Britain duo top power list

Little Britain stars Matt Lucas and David Walliams have been named the most powerful people in TV comedy.

They have ousted Graham Norton from the top of the Radio Times list, after his £3.5million BBC deal to save Saturday night TV has so far failed to bear fruit.

He has tumbled to 16 in this year’s poll, compiled by a panel of industry experts.

Peter Kay is second in the list, with Ricky Gervais  third.

The list is based on who can bring a TV show to the screen, and included production companies as well as individuals.

New entries include Nighty Night creator Julia Davis at No 7, Vicar Of Dibley writer Richard Curtis (10), and stand-up Jimmy Carr (20), who is about to front his own Channel 4 show.

The list is published in today’s Radio Times. It is (with last year’s position in brackets):

1. Matt Lucas and David Walliams (10)
2. Peter Kay (2)
3. Ricky Gervais (3)
4. Jonathan Ross (4)
5. Ant and Dec (13)
6. Craig Cash (6)
7. Julia Davis (new)
8. Rob Brydon (15)
9. Kevin Lygo (Channel 4 director of television, 11)
10. Richard Curtis (new)
11. Baby Cow (Steve Coogan and Henry Normal's production company, 9)
12. David Mitchell and Robert Webb (new)
13. Lorraine Heggessey (BBC1 controller, 5)
14. Martin Clunes (new)
15. Stephen Fry (24)
16. Graham Norton (1)
17. Fred Barron (creator of My Family, 19)
18. Stuart Murphy (BBC3 controller, 32)
19. Tamsin Greig (Green Wing star, new)
20. Jimmy Carr (new)
21. Roly Keating (BBC2 controller, new)
22. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (new)
23. Avid Merrion (14)
24. Bremner, Bird and Fortune (41)
25. Harry Thompson (producer/writer, new)
26. Harry Hill (47)
27. Alan Davies (37)
28. Phil McIntyre (impresario, new)
29. Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer (26)
30. Dead Ringers (16)
31. Hat Trick (production company, 25)
32. Caroline Quentin (new)
33. Frank Skinner (20)
34. Peter Fincham (Talkback Thames chief executive, 8)
35. Catherine Tate (new)
36. Paul Merton (22)
37.  Bill Bailey (43)
38.  Alistair McGowan and Ronni Ancona (21)
39.  Meera Syal and Sanjeev Bhaskar (27)
40.  Tiger Aspect (production company, 35)
41. Addison Cresswell (head of the Off The Kerb manangment agency, 42)
42. Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders (separately 39 and 17)
43. Jessica Stevenson (new)
44.  Jack Dee (new)
45.  Kenton Allen (BBC comedy editor, new)
46.  The Mighty Boosh (new)
47.  3 Non Blondes (44)
48.  Jo Brand (new)
49. Angus Deayton (new)

Published: 11 Jan 2005