Comedy Countdown: The Cross-Over Conundrum

Everyone likes comedy, don’t they? And, well, everyone likes top countdown shows too. Weld these modern day phenomena together and you’ve got television gold.

And get this, you can feast your eyes on our comedy rundown treasures this weekend, as Channel Four celebrates the funniest comedy creations of all time in The World’s Greatest Comedy Characters (14th March, 21:00). The fun continues over on E4 with The 100 Greatest Stand Ups (15th March, 21:00) , a four-hour spectacular showcasing the funniest men and women ever to have graced the stage in the name of laughter.

But what's the magic formula for achieving success on both lists? We sent our top brains on a mission to equate the perfect blueprint to comedy cross-over stardom.

They came back with lots of scribblings and crossings out, a collective headache. So we ditched that idea and put together a list of our favourite funny people to have made the cross-over into both of these realms. Much easier in hindsight.

Steve Coogan / Alan Partridge

Steve Coogan's stand-up characters have become household names in their own right, especially Paul and Pauline Calf. His ability to make his characters believable is unique and his Live and Lewd show exhibits his full range of skills. Undeniably though, it’s broadcasting genius Alan Partridge where Coogan’s comedy light has really shone. A talentless sports commentator; rude, embarrassing, brilliantly insincere, insecure and insulting; the master of the pun, and I mean that categorically... a-ha.! Coogan's characters spent the 90s not only onscreen but also out on the live circuit - who better to start off our list?

Peter Kay / Brian Potter

The Bolton born comedian shot to superstardom with the success of Channel 4's Phoenix Nights and has never looked back. Previous series 'That Peter Kay Thing' spawned many of his later characters. His down to earth approach and unique observations on Northern life has taken him to the hearts of the nation and he topped a poll by Jongleurs comedy club in 2005 to find Britain's funniest person. Equally as endearing as Peter Kay’s stand-up is his Phoenix Nights character Brian Potter, the wheelchair bound owner of a working men's club in Bolton. He's struggling to make the most successful club in the area funded by locals 'with giros burning a hole in their shellsuits'.

Ricky Gervais / David Brent

Gervais went from being the most hated man in Britain on Channel 4's 'The 11 O' Clock Show' to become a comedy behemoth with the global success of The Office. His subsequent popularity has gained a whole new audience for his stand-up featuring his warped but brilliantly observed takes on everyday life... no matter how sick, disgusting or politically incorrect. But is Ricky Gervais really that different from The Office creation David Brent? To some and indeed himself, the Slough Office Regional Manager of paper supply merchants Wernham Hogg is a philosopher, a musical genius and great dancer who does a mean impression of Frank Spencer. But more importantly he is a leader, with an acute grasp of political correctness and how it should be mocked. He'd never acted before The Office, he'd never done standup either. Don't expect that to get in the way of his ascent up both of these charts though.

Al Murray/ The Pub Landlord

Al Murray is one of very few stand-up comics to create a successful character based stand-up act. Ten years ago Al Murray was playing Harry Hill’s older brother Alan on The Harry Hill Show, but it his xenophobic Pub Landlord character that’s really seen his star rise. The Pub Landlord is renowned for his bar room philosophy and old-fashioned, angry, jingoistic, French-hating ways and it was these characteristics that helped him pick up the Perrier Award in 1999. Watch this space for a better TV series than Happy Hour, surely Mr Murray deserves it?

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