Two Ronnies: 'greatest comedy duo'

The Two Ronnies have been voted the greatest ever comedy duo – beating Morecambe and Wise and Laurel and Hardy into second and third place.

The latest comedy survey also named Only Fools And Horses as the funniest sitcom.

Peter Kay was named funniest living Brit and best stand-up comic, ahead of John Cleese and Tommy Cooper respectively.

The survey of 4,000 comedy fans was carried out by  internet bank Smile.

Christine Petyt from the bank, said the survey proved ‘that good comedy is sustainable, with many of the catchphrases and memorable sketches decades old. That means we can look forward to many more memorable repeats on TV for years to come.’

The full results are:

SITCOM

1. Only Fools And Horses
2. Friends
3. Fawlty Towers
4. Porridge
5. The Office
6. Blackadder
7. Father Ted
8. One Foot In The Grave
9. Rising Damp
10. Dad's Army

COMEDY DUO

1. The Two Ronnies
2. Morecambe and Wise
3. Laurel and Hardy
4. French and Saunders
5. Ant and Dec
6. Reeves and Mortimer
7. Abbott and Costello
8. Fry and Laurie
9. Baddiel and Skinner

FUNNIEST LIVING BRIT

1. Peter Kay
2. John Cleese
3. Billy Connolly
4. Ricky Gervais
5. Jack Dee
6. Eddie Izzard
7. David Jason
8. Lee Evans
9. Rowan Atkinson
10. Dawn French

STAND-UP

1. Peter Kay
2. Tommy Cooper
3. Jack Dee
4. Billy Connolly
5. Eddie Izzard
6. Jo Brand
7. Bill Bailey
8. Bill Hicks
9. Dave Allen
10. Jimmy Carr

FILM

1. Airplane!
2. Monty Python’s Life of Brian
3. Blazing Saddles
4. American Pie
5. Dumb and Dumber
6. Some Like It Hot
7. Bridget Jones' Diary
8. Austin Powers - International Man Of Mystery
9. Wayne's World
10. Four Weddings And A Funeral

Published: 5 Nov 2005