British comedians name Alan Partridge as their favourite male comedy character

Film premier of Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa at Hollywood Cinema, Anglia Square, Norwich. Photo: Steve Adams

David Baddiel, Jenny Eclair and Alexei Sayle were among the 100 professional comics who chose their favourite shows, one-liners, characters and actors.

Radio DJ Partridge, played by Steve Coogan, and Patsy Stone from Absolutely Fabulous, played by Joanne Lumley, topped the list of favourite male and female comedy characters and a gag from Dad's Army, when Pike is asked his name by a German prisoner, has been named favourite one-liner.

Fawlty Towers scored a third of the comedians' votes to be named favourite sitcom, with I'm Alan Partridge and Blackadder following behind.

The Office and Father Ted rounded out the top five.

The comics were polled to celebrate the launch of We Have Been Watching, a series in which comedians and comic actors including Ricky Tomlinson, Larry Lamb, Sally Phillips and Meera Syal watch and comment on clips from classic sitcoms and sketch shows.

Comedy critic Bruce Dessau, who compiled the survey, said: 'We are well-known across the world for our 'British sense of humour', which is shown at its best in many of our best-loved and timeless comedy classics.

'The art of comedy is almost impossible to define, but many of these characters, lines and sitcoms are brilliant examples of the very best in the history of British TV comedy - many of which can all be enjoyed again in a fresh take on the new series We Have Been Watching, as some of the top comedy folk share their views on the funniest moments telly has to offer.'

• We Have Been Watching starts on Gold on January 4 at 8pm.