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This Has Been Voted The Best Christmas Sitcom Of All Time And We Don’t Know How To Feel

Deborah Cicurel

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| Last updated 

This Has Been Voted The Best Christmas Sitcom Of All Time And We Don’t Know How To Feel

Featured Image Credit: BBC

There's nothing like settling down on the sofa on Christmas Day and getting stuck into a good Christmas special - but we've been treated to so many great ones over the years it's been hard to pick a favourite. Until now.

The Office has been voted the best Christmas sitcom of all time, in a poll of 3,000 people run by Radio Times. The cringeworthy but hilarious workplace drama beat fierce competition from shows like Only Fools and Horses and Gavin & Stacey to take the top spot.

The comedy, which takes place in a fictional paper company, charts embarrassing boss David Brent (played by Ricky Gervais) and his long-suffering staff.

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The acclaimed two-part Christmas special in 2003 saw David finally find some happiness and stand up for himself - and at last saw receptionist Dawn (Lucy Davis) and Tim (Martin Freeman) realise their love for each other in a heartwarming finale.

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

Ricky Gervais told RadioTimes.com: "The Office Christmas Specials allowed me to repay the viewing public for sitting through the bleakness and tragedy of the previous six hours of David Brent. I always intended to give him a little hope by the end and I always knew Tim and Dawn would get together."

He rounded off his message with a classic David Brent line, saying: "Merry Christmas, and live fast, die old."

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So which other sitcoms were in the top five?

1. The Office Christmas Special

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC

The Office's Christmas Special was unusually heartwarming while still providing us with the cringeworthy laughs we were used to. Finally, Dawn and Tim got together and there was a promise of David Brent's future happiness (all then refuted years later with the 2016 film David Brent: Life on the Road).

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2. Only Fools And Horses Christmas Trilogy

Credit: Only Fools And Horses
Credit: Only Fools And Horses

There have been a number of Only Fools And Horses Christmas specials, but the Christmas trilogy was a particular hit with fans.

3. Gavin And Stacey Christmas Special

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Gavin & Stacey
Gavin & Stacey

Fans of Gavin And Stacey were in for a treat in the 2008 special, when the Welsh contingent headed to Essex to spend Christmas with the Shipmans.

4. The Vicar Of Dibley: The Christmas Lunch Incident

Credit: BBC
Credit: BBC
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The episode shows Geraldine Granger spending her second Christmas in the village of Dibley, with hilarity soon ensuing.

5. The Royle Family Christmas Special

Credit: The Royle Family
Credit: The Royle Family

There were a number of The Royle Family Christmas specials centring around the family's antics, with many of the episodes breaking records for its high viewer figures.

And here's the rest of the list:

6. The Good Life: Silly but it's Fun

7. Father Ted: A Christmassy Ted

8. The League Of Gentlemen: Yule Never Leave

9. Blackadder's Christmas Carol

10. Dinnerladies: Christmas And Minnellium

11. Merry Christmas, Mr Bean

12. Miranda: I Do But To Who?/The Final Curtain

13. Peep Show: Seasonal Beatings

14. Mrs Brown's Boys: Mammy Christmas/The Virgin Mammy

15. Steptoe And Son: A Perfect Christmas

16. Porridge: The Desperate Hours

17. Dad's Army: My Brother And I

18. Knowing Me, Knowing Yule - With Alan Partridge

19. Last Of The Summer Wine: Getting Sam Home

20. Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em: Jessica's First Christmas

21. Outnumbered: The Robbers

Topics: TV News, TV Entertainment

Deborah Cicurel
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