Python 'most influential' comedy

The show, which featured John Cleese and Michael Palin, topped a poll of 4,000 TV viewers to scoop the accolade.

Blackadder, Little Britain and The Royle Family rounded out the top five shows in the UKTV Gold survey.

The Morecambe and Wise Show, which regularly commanded massive viewing audiences, finished in sixth place.

Dead parrot

Satirical puppet show Spitting Image, 1980s comedy The Young Ones, Ricky Gervais' award-winning series The Office and The Vicar of Dibley starring Dawn French completed the top 10.

MOST INFLUENTIAL COMEDIES

• 1 Monty Python's Flying Circus
• 2 Only Fools and Horses
• 3 Blackadder
• 4 Little Britain
• 5 The Royle Family
• 6 The Morecambe and Wise Show
• 7 Spitting Image
• 8 The Young Ones
• 9 The Office
• 10 The Vicar of Dibley

James Hewton, head of comedy at UKTV Gold, said the list reveals "the massive breadth and depth of British comedy".

"This stellar top 10 is an indication of the sheer quality of British TV comedy and is a celebration of the abundance of UK talent," he added.

Monty Python's Flying Circus was first screened in 1969 and also starred Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Graham Chapman.

The dead parrot sketch was named the best alternative comedy sketch by the readers of Radio Times in 2004.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
BBC Comedy - Monty Python's Flying Circus
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