Which TV sitcom holds the record for the highest UK audience for a sitcom episode?

'Only Fools and Horses' is a British sitcom created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom from 1981 to 1991, with sixteen sporadic Christmas specials aired until the end of the show in 2003. Episodes are regularly repeated on UKTV comedy channel Gold and occasionally repeated on Yesterday and BBC One.

Set in Peckham in south-east London, it stars David Jason as ambitious market trader Derek "Del Boy" Trotter, Nicholas Lyndhurst as his younger brother Rodney Trotter, and Lennard Pearce as their elderly Grandad. After Pearce's death in 1984, his character was replaced by Del and Rodney's Uncle Albert (Buster Merryfield) who first appeared in February 1985. Backed by a strong supporting cast, the series follows the Trotters' highs and lows in life, in particular their attempts to get rich.

The show achieved consistently high ratings, and the 1996 episode "Time on Our Hands" (the last episode to feature Uncle Albert) holds the record for the highest UK audience for a sitcom episode, attracting over 24.3 million viewers. Critically and popularly acclaimed, the series received numerous awards, including recognition from BAFTA, the National Television Awards and the Royal Television Society, as well as winning individual accolades for both Sullivan and Jason. It was voted Britain's Best Sitcom in a 2004 BBC poll.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

Test your knowledge

What are your thoughts on this subject?

9 Comments

Alan Waites

Stick a pony in my pocket, I'll get the suitcase from the van, if you want the best 'ens but you don't ask questions then brother i'm your man. Cos where it all comes from is a mystery like the chasnging of the seasons and the tides on the sea but he's the one that's driving me beserk why do only fools and horses work nana na na

James Dunne

Still watch the reruns and still laugh as much.

Lydia Coutts

The blow-up dolls episode is absolutely priceless. “I told her not to have the vindaloo!” 😂

ukmcfry

Chriss Crockford, it's just a shame that they are cut to fit around the adverts, of which there are far too many these days. I blame the American influence for that.

Peter Thomas

Elle, and he is entitled to his opinion. As are we all. I enjoyed the show, though I think they took it too far. Should've ended when they got a fortune for the old watch. But again that's my opinion. Again, in my opinion, the best two comedies listed were Porridge and Fawlty Towers...