10 Hidden Comedy Gems

British comedies are some of the finest television in the world. We all enjoy the big hits such as Only Fools and Horses, Last of the Summer Wine, Porridge and Steptoe and Son, but what about all those other shows? Many people forget about these little gems sitting in the background. Its time to take a look at ten hidden gems in the world of the British Comedy. 1) That’s My Boy Mollie Sugden stars as long lost mother Ada in this wonderful little comedy. Sugden plays the part of common cleaner Ada who gets herself a cleaning job with a posh young couple, only to find out the husband is her long lost son. There is some Class-System humour, some naughty fun, as well has some excellent gurning from Sugden. The series ran for 5 seasosn and can be purchased now. 2) Agony Agony is well ahead of its time. The show features a couple going through divorce, adult themes and a gay couple. The show, made in the late 70s stars Maureen Lipman as the Agony Aunt, the star of the show. The humour is naughty but fun. 3) The House that Jack Built This comedy only lasted for one series but only due to the death of its lead actor. The show focusses on the controlling father of a New Money family. Themes of episodes include affairs, menopause and impotence. The humour is brilliant and it is such a shame that this show couldn’t flourish as it could have been a long running hit like My Family. 4) My Old Man. A series that started as a pilot for Ronnie Barker, the series stars Dad's Army star Clive Dunn as a working class old man. After his house is knocked down, he is forced to live with his daughter and her husband in a new luxury high rise flat. As the series continues, the cast really gets into the swing of it and the series is a steady source of humour. 5) Keep it in the Family Based on the premise of a family sitcom, Keep it in the Family has some fantastic moments of comedy. The premise of the show is the children move into the downstairs flat below their parents. This doesn’t really last long as a theme and is rarely remembered in future episodes. The humour is a mixture of daft, innuendos and word play, it has some fantastic highlights throughout its five series. 6) 2 Point 4 Children Most likely the most known sitcom on the list, this comedy often gets overlooked behind the big shots like Dads Army and Keeping Up Appearances. The humour changes slightly from episode to episode so there is something for everyone. The show does try to do some new and interesting things and doesn’t shy away from taboo issues that wouldn’t have been used in other shows. It paved the way for the future of comedy and is such a shame it isn’t better regarded. 7) Home to Roost John Thaw of The Sweeney fame stars as estrange father Henry. When his son unexpectedly turns up years after the divorce to the boy’s mother, Henry’s quite and stable life is turned upside down. There are some really strong and funny episodes in this series and would recommend that everyone gives it a watch. 8) The New Statesman Rik Mayal stars in the main role of this blunt take on the conservative party. It really is outstanding in the fact that nothing is safe. Everything could be mirrored in the politics of today. Mayal gives a fantastic performance. 9) The Brittas Empire A fun comedy from the 1990s, The Brittas Empire focusses on the most unlikable men anyone has the misfortune to work with. Each show has that one moment of hilarity that usually comes from some unexpected twist. 10) Miss Jones and Son Starring Paula Wilcox as Single mother, Elizabeth Jones. This comedy may seem a little dated as it focusses on the taboo of being a single parent. Although this isnt seen as an issue today, when the program was produced it was very much one of the worst things a woman could do. The jokes are a bit risky for the time but have really become mainstream for todays audiences. That doesn’t mean that it is bland, far from it.