Comedy Classics

Last Of The Summer Wine is the world's longest running sitcom. For 295 episodes over 37 years, this quaint, charming and silly show set in Yorkshire entertained many millions of fans the word over. This 90-minute special reveals the secrets of its extraordinary success. Helped by former cast and crew members, families of the stars no longer with us, and celebrity fans, we learn the secrets of this comedy classic. We learn how Bill Owen and Peter Sallis became so fond of Holmfirth, where the series was filmed, and treasured their friendship so much that they are buried next to each other in the town cemetery.

Hi-De-Hi! was one of the most successful sitcoms of the 1980s. It ran for nine series with regular audiences of 16 million, winning a BAFTA for Best Comedy Series in 1984. This documentary pays tribute to the show. Over 90 minutes, it tells the story of this much-loved sitcom - showing classic scenes and interviewing cast and crew as we learn the show's secrets.

'Allo 'Allo! is one of the UK's best loved sitcoms. Running for a whopping 87 episodes through the 1980s, viewers were entranced by the antics of café owner turned reluctant French Resistance fighter René Artois. Who could forget René's tone-deaf chanteuse wife, the glamorous waitresses, various Nazis and Gestapo members, plucky resistance fighters, British airmen in need of rescue and the English policeman whose every 'good moaning' belied his belief that he spoke French.

In this 90-minute special, Channel 5 celebrates one of Britain's most loved comedies of all time - Porridge. Packed with the funniest clips, along with insight and analysis from its writers, cast, crew and celebrity fans, this programme looks back at Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais's unique comedy classic.

In this 90-minute special, Channel 5 celebrates one of Britain's most loved comedies of all time: The Vicar Of Dibley. Packed with the funniest clips, along with insight and analysis from its writers, cast, crew and celebrity fans, this programme looks back at Richard Curtis's unique comedy classic.

Keeping Up Appearances remains one of Britain's best loved series. Running for 5 years throughout the 90s, millions of viewers tuned in to watch the delightfully monstrous Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet) as she attempted to climb the social ladder, only to be endlessly let down by her family.

Fifty years after Arkwright's first opened its doors, the country's most comical corner shop is back in business for one night only as we celebrate one of our most cherished sitcoms.

This 90-minute special celebrates all things One Foot In The Grave, featuring interviews with Richard Wilson, Angus Deayton and Doreen Mantle, plus stars who made guest appearances such as Paul Merton, Jan Ravens and Arabella Weir. With contributions from the crew and celebrity fans James Dreyfus and John Sergeant. And find out how Wilson feels about the curse of being saddled with one of comedy's most iconic catchphrases.

Many shows lay claim to be the best TV comedy of all time, but surely Fawlty Towers was it. In just 12 episodes, across two series, four years apart, it set the bar for immortal characterisation, devilishly constructed plots, perfect casting, and some of the most iconic lines of comedy dialogue over uttered on screen.

A 90-minute one-off special celebrating one of Britain's best-loved comedies, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, which featured one of comedy's most imitated creations - Frank Spencer.

A celebration of the iconic comedy, revisiting favourite moments, taking a look behind the scenes and exploring what made 20 millions of us tune in. Featuring rarely-seen behind the scenes footage and unique insight from the stars, including Lesley Joseph and Linda Robson, we learn who suffered from such bad stage fright she would vomit before each studio record and who got chased into a loo for their autograph by a fan...

Man About The House first aired 50 years ago, when the idea of a man sharing a flat with two young women was considered shocking. The show made huge stars of its central characters including Richard O'Sullivan as Robin Tripp. The flat downstairs was home to landlords George and Mildred, who would later have their own successful spin-off series. The late Yootha Joyce excelled as the sex-starved Mildred, with Brian Murphy playing her hen-pecked husband. In this documentary, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett and Murphy share behind-the-scenes stories and, along with Christopher Biggins and Melvyn Hayes, celebrate the show's success, 50 years on.

A celebration of one of the UK's most enduring sitcoms, with contributions from Penelope Keith along with the families of co-stars Richard Briers and Paul Eddington. For four series millions of viewers tuned in to enjoy the antics of Tom and Barbara Good, played by Briers and Felicity Kendall, as they tackled self-sufficiency in the unlikely setting of suburbia, much to the despair of their friends and neighbours Jerry and Margot. This documentary explores The Good Life phenomenon, with classic moments, rare personal archive from the cast, and never-before-seen backstage moments and bloopers.

Carla Lane was a sitcom pioneer. Writing female driven shows that powered through the 1960s,70s and 80s. In this 90-minute special we pay tribute to her three most famous shows. From the flat-sharing young girls-about-town in The Liver Birds, to the bored, frustrated housewife Ria in Butterflies, and the Boswell family in 80s hit Bread.

A look back at the hit sitcom starring Dame Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles.