Sitcom tops popularity poll

Fawlty Towers remains Britain's favourite TV show, according to the British Film Institute.

Clips from the sitcom are the most popular on its ScreenOnline database of classic TV clips, more than 25 years after it first aired.

The show was closely followed by Only Fools And Horses in a popularity chart that was dominated by comedy.

The Young Ones (4), Citizen Smith (5), Dad,s Army (6) and The Good Life (10) all made the top ten, too.

A spokesman for the BFI said: "It is interesting that the comedy greats have proved particularly popular."

More than a million people accessed the internet archive - at www.screenonline.org.uk - in its first week online.

For copyright reasons, only those accessing the site from public libraries, schools and colleges can see the video footage, but others can read background information on the shows.

Published: 2 Dec 2003