Funny business

An expert jury ranks the best comedy characters of all time...

- RICHARD MCCLURE, STEVEN PERKINS

NEW COMEDY

Britain’s Greatest Comedy Character

Sunday, Gold HD, 8pm

Late last year, Gold invited the nation’s comedy fans to cast their votes for the finest comic characters in British TV history. They responded in their thousands, resulting in a shortlist of 30, ranging from Dad’s Army’s Captain Mainwaring to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag.

Now, a jury of 10 comedy experts will discuss and debate each one – and can submit their own wild-card entry to expand the list to a top 40.

Comedian Sally Phillips oversees the three-hour special, and she’ll be joined by performers Emily Atack, Peter Egan, Marcus Brigstocke, Lucy Beaumont, Shappi Khorsandi, John Thomson and Nina Wadia, plus critic Grace Dent and writer David Quantick.