1 of 1- RadioActive
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Is This The Greatest British TV Comedy Sketch Ever?
It's a pretty subjective list and it's from the mind of a British newspaper writer, so it's far from official. And chances are you've never heard of many of the comedy sketches on the list. Monty Python is well represented, with the Ministry of Silly Walks making the grade. So did The Dead Parrot classic. (Personally, the "I'm looking for an argument" bit is my all time favourite...)
But Morecambe & Wise never really made it across the pond in a big way, nor did an effort called "The Fast Show."
But there's at least a chance you might have seen the pick that came in at #1. It was from a show that used to run here on both the CBC and WNED back in the day. "The Two Ronnies" starred Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett and they were hilarious. But one of their efforts was judged by this writer (and I've heard this from several other scribes) as the all time greatest British TV comedy skit, a pretty high honour considering the pool of talent that came from England.
It's called "Four Candles" and if you love wordplay as much as I do, this may be the best example of how to do it right. (The ending might not really make a lot of sense to North Americans, but it was great for U.K. viewers.)
The greatest of all time? I'm not so sure, given the Python era, but this is pretty darn good.
Top 10 greatest comedy sketches on British TV ever
- newsguy1
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This was also from an era where audiences had a much stronger attention span.
Nowadays this sketch would have to be cut at least in half in length.
The Pythons already knew that in the late 60s early 70s which is why they often cut a sketch short and used the zany animation of Terry Gilliam to breach the gap.
- The Weed
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In 1973, when I was traveling in London, England with a van, I asked an older lady in a shop if they had any ice. She was a native Brit and kept asking me, "Ice?" We went back and forth a few times, me saying "ice" and her "Ice?". I finally said, "Frozen water." "Oh", she said, "Hice." And went away to get me a bag of ice cubes.
- Easily Amused
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Having worked with a number of older tradesmen who had come to Canada from the United Kingdom, apprentices and helpers were subjected to the "go and get me a torch" ruse. Very different connotations between Canada (oxy-acetylene cutting torch) and the U.K. (flashlight).
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Re: Is This The Greatest British TV Comedy Sketch Ever?
Easily Amused wrote:
Having worked with a number of older tradesmen who had come to Canada from the United Kingdom, apprentices and helpers were subjected to the "go and get me a torch" ruse. Very different connotations between Canada (oxy-acetylene cutting torch) and the U.K. (flashlight).
And you put it in your "boot," right? (British for trunk.)
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Thread Starter- newsguy1
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Re: Is This The Greatest British TV Comedy Sketch Ever?
And things get even more confusing to non Brits who don't know cockney rhyming slang.
In fact they have the entire alphabet covered letter to letter.
Examples,
A fer horses
B fer greens
C fer myself
D fer ential
E fer vescence
etc etc.
Some phrases include apples and pears -- stairs.
trouble and strife -- wife
butcher's hook -- look
But when you use them in a sentence you knock of the second rhyming word and just give the first, so...
"Went to the mal with the old trouble this morning.
went up the apples to take a bit of a butchers for meself."
- Chrisphen
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The Mighty Boosh is criminally under-represented in this survey.
Edit: Little Britian as well.
Last edited by Chrisphen (September 12, 2025 5:57 pm)
- g121
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Re: Is This The Greatest British TV Comedy Sketch Ever?
I fell off my couch laughing the 1st time I saw this : )) ..
Short version:
Long version:
- Hansa
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This is my favourite Two Ronnies sketch
- Tq345
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I would have liked to had read the article, but unfortunately it's behind a paywall for me.
- fyshtalk
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Little Britain Scottish Hotel...laugh everytime !!
Last edited by fyshtalk (September 13, 2025 11:30 am)
- paterson1
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Re: Is This The Greatest British TV Comedy Sketch Ever?
Some may not classify this as a skit. Maybe more like a situation, or happening, but very British and very funny..,vid:x198pkYGqNU,st:0
- RadioActive
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Re: Is This The Greatest British TV Comedy Sketch Ever?
I would have liked to had read the article, but unfortunately it's behind a paywall for me.
Odd. I checked it repeatedly and it's in the clear for me.
It's in 3-parts and it's only allowing me to save the first three rankings. But for what it's worth, here's that page:
Numbers 10-7
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Thread Starter- Tq345
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Re: Is This The Greatest British TV Comedy Sketch Ever?
I would have liked to had read the article, but unfortunately it's behind a paywall for me.
Odd. I checked it repeatedly and it's in the clear for me.
It's in 3-parts and it's only allowing me to save the first three rankings. But for what it's worth, here's that page:
Numbers 10-7
Thanks RA. I went back and tried it again and had no trouble. Strange.