Victor Meldrew tops poll

Victor Meldrew’s ‘I don’t believe it’ catchphrase has been voted Britain’s favourite.

Actor Richard Wilson’s most famous line from One Foot In The Grave  beat ‘Simples’ – as uttered by meerkat Aleksandr Orlov in the the Compare the Market ads – into second place..

Dad’s Army’s ‘don’t panic’ was the third, followed by Del Boy’s ‘lovely jubbly’ in the poll from King’s College London.

The research found that, on average Brits use a catchphrase three times a day and three in ten admit to peppering their conversations with them.

And academics said say the perfect catchphrase is four words long, has to be heard at least four times to register in the brain and must be easy to repeat as well as funny.

Tony Thorne, language consultant at King’s College, said: ‘Catchphrases are a key component of popular culture as they connect the world of entertainment and consumption with the everyday concerns of real people - their feelings and experiences, their shared pleasures and their struggles and frustrations, and especially their triumphs over adversity.

‘Catchphrases derive their power from compressing complex ideas into short, snappy sequences.

‘A catchphrase such as "I don’t believe it!" expresses a mix of exasperation, world-weary resignation and fatalistic humour that will be familiar from many people’s personal experience.’

According to the survey, 42 per cent of people admitted to using a catchphrase that went completely over the other person's head. And a fifth know someone who they think uses way too many catchphrases in conversation.

The top 30 catchhrases

1. I don’t believe it! - Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson), One Foot in the Grave
2. Simples - Aleksandr Orlov, Compare the Market ad
3. Don’t panic! - Lance-Corporal Jones (Clive Dunn), Dad’s Army
4. Lovely jubbly - Del Boy (David Jason), Only Fools and Horses
5. I have a cunning plan! - Baldrick (Tony Robinson), Blackadder
6. To me, to you - Chuckle Brothers
7. I’ll be back - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Terminator 2
8. Nice to see you, to see you nice - Bruce Forsyth, The Generation Game
9. Only me! - Harry Enfield, Harry Enfield and Chums
10. Rodney, you plonker! - Del Boy (David Jason), Only Fools and Horses
11. Cheeky Nando’s - social media
12. How YOU doin’? - Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Friends
13. Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once - Michelle from The Resistance (Kirsten Cook), ‘Allo ‘Allo
14. Computer says no - David Walliams, Little Britain
15. Garlic bread! - Peter Kay
16. Should’ve gone to Specsavers – advert
17. D’oh! - Homer Simpson, The Simpsons
18. Am I bovvered? - Catherine Tate as schoolgirl Lauren Cooper
19. The name’s Bond, James Bond
20. Beam me up, Scotty - Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Star Trek
21. It is what it is - Love Island
22. A-ha! I’m Alan Partridge
23. What’s occurring? - Gavin and Stacey
24. I’ve started so I’ll finish - Mastermind presenter
25. It’s goodnight from me, and it’s goodnight from him - The Two Ronnies
26. I’m free! - Mr Humphries, Are You Being Served
27. Ooh Betty - Frank Spencer
28. You dirty old man! - Steptoe and Son
29. Lads lads lads - and everybody! - Ladbrokes
30. Exterminate! - Dalek

Published: 1 Oct 2019