The Irish comedy Mrs Brown’s Boys starring Brendan O’Carroll has been voted the best comedy of the 21st century by viewers in Britain.
The show, which is often panned by critics but loved by audiences, beat The Office by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Marchant into second place.
Mrs Brown’s Boys is shown in peak time in Britain and regularly attracts up to 9 million viewers. It has also been turned into a full length film.
Brendan O’Carroll plays the lead role of Agnes Brown, with his wife Jennifer Gibney playing Agnes’ daughter. Several other parts in the show are also taken by members of O’Carroll’s family.
O’Carroll said: “I’m lost for words… and that doesn’t happen to me very often.
“Myself and Jenny are dancing around the living room. I can die happy now… but I’ll take my time.
“It vindicates the fans’ belief in the show. They have kept us on the air – it certainly wasn’t the reviewers.
“There is an audience out there that comedy forgot – that Are You Being Served? audience has been left behind. Us winning this award proves that.”
Peter Kay’s Car Share came third in the list. Other shows in the top 10 included The IT Crowd, Gavin and Stacey and Miranda.
The top 20 comedies
1 – Mrs Brown’s Boys, BBC One (started 2011)
2 – The Office, BBC Two (2001)
3 – Peter Kay’s Car Share, BBC One (2015)
4 – Count Arthur Strong, BBC Two (2013)
5 – The IT Crowd, C4 (2006)
6 – The Thick Of It, BBC Four (2005)
7 – Gavin & Stacey, BBC Three (2007)
8 – Miranda, BBC Two (2009)
9 – Raised By Wolves, C4 (2015)
10 – Outnumbered, BBC One (2007)
11 – Peep Show, C4 (2003)
12 – Black Books, C4 (2000)
13 – Green Wing, C4 (2003)
14 – The Inbetweeners, C4 (2008)
15 – Bad Education, BBC Three (2012)
16 – Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights, C4 (2001)
17 – Yonderland, Sky1 (2013)
18 – Twenty Twelve/W1A, BBC Two (2011)
19 – Benidorm, ITV (2007)
20 – Detectorists, BBC Four (2014)
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