Comedy tops poll of shows viewers want revived

Blackadder is the TV show the most British viewers would like brought back, according to a new poll.

With 27 per cent of people wanting it back, Rowan Atkinson’s 1980s sitcom marginally beat science series Tomorrow’s World for the top spot.

Other popular candidates for renewal include Only Fools and Horses (23 per cent), Fawlty Towers (22 per cent), Downton Abbey (19 per cent) and Friends (16 per cent).

Men are also noticeably more likely than women to want to see Blackadder brought back, at 35 per cent compared to 20 per cent.

Ben Glanville, head of data services UK for YouGov, which conducted the research, said: ‘While it’s doubtful that we will ever see Edmund and Baldrick together again – especially after the emotional end to series four – our survey underlines how popular the programme remains after all these years.’

However, TV show fans should perhaps be careful what they wish for. A previous YouGov survey asked Britons whether they thought revived TV shows that they previously enjoyed were as good as the originals. It found that 45 per cent believed they tended to be worse with just three per cent believed they were actually better.

The poll was taken as ITV revives Who Wants to Be a Millionaire next month, while revived US sitcoms such as Roseanne and Will & Grace are scoring high ratings across the Atlantic.

Published: 25 Apr 2018