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Manchester | Scotland

Kay named UK's favourite comic

...but Spike Milligan's on the hated list

Peter Kay has been named the UK's favourite comedian – getting more than three times as many votes as his nearest rival.

Meanwhile, apparently hugely popular comics such Harry Hill, Jimmy Carr, Ricky Gervais and even the late Spike Milligan made the list of Britain’s LEAST favourite acts, which was topped by Jo Brand.

Kay polled 63 per cent of the votes in poll for the best act organised by internet bank Smile.

Second was Lee Evans with 19 per cent of the vote, followed by Alan Carr with 12 per cent.

It means that the three comedians had 94 per cent of the entire vote between them, leaving little room for anyone else – suggesting little imagination on either the side of the 3,000 members of the British public polled.

The full list is:

  1. Peter Kay
  2. Lee Evans
  3. Alan Carr
  4. Catherine Tate
  5. Dawn French
  6. Rowan Atkinson
  7. Al Murray
  8. Jack Dee
  9. Eddie Izzard
  10. Frankie Boyle

And for least favourite act:

  1. Jo Brand
  2. Jonathan Ross
  3. Victoria Wood
  4. Ricky Gervais
  5. Harry Hill
  6. Jimmy Carr
  7. Paul Merton
  8. Russell Brand
  9. Spike Milligan
  10. Alan Bennett
In the same poll, Only Fools And Horses was named best TV comedy, followed by Fawlty Towers, Blackadder and Red Dwarf in that order.

Published: 30 Nov 2008

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