UKTV has announced a three-hour special that will celebrate the nation’s best comedians from the past and present.
Britain’s Greatest Comedian will count down the UK’s top 30 comedians as voted for by the public and a selected comedy jury.
The jury will consist of famous experts, comedians, producers, actors and performers who will all be responsible for the final ranking.
The one-off special will reveal the UK’s number one funny person, with Charlie Chaplin, Tommy Cooper, Bob Monkhouse, Victoria Wood, John Cleese, Eric Morecambe, Sir Lenny Henry, Dawn French and Peter Kay among those contending for the top spot.
“We’ve almost come to blows just discussing this in the office,” admitted Iain Coyle, head of comedy entertainment at UKTV. “It’s a tough job, but by the end of the show we will have a definitive answer. However, if Les Dawson isn’t in the top ten, I’ll be livid.”
“Celebrating Britain’s best-loved comedy is central to what we do on Gold,” added Gerald Casey, channel director for Gold. “So we’re really excited to see who the viewers and our judging panel think should take the top spot.
“With so many incredible home-grown performers to choose from, it’s not going be easy!”
Britain’s Greatest Comedian will air on Gold later in 2019, alongside Dad’s Army: The Lost Episodes and David Jason: Planes, Trains & Automobiles.
