I'm amazed the hilarious Jim Davidson hasn't had a mention yet.

Can one mention sketches/songs?

If so, Doddy's [iRoad to Mandalay[/i and Victoria Wood's [iBallad of Barry and Freda[/i.

With mention of sketches, Acorn Antiques has to be in there.

Victoria Wood has to be the most multi-talented comedian Britain's seen. Just pips Ronnie Barker by virtue of her stand-up IMO.

The thing with Jim Davidson (and Bernard Manning, for that matter), is that they actually are/were polished performers. It's just their material that's the problem/distasteful. Almost makes me think that it's a shame/waste.

Suppose they have been around for a long time so do have a market.
Jim Davidson for me is about as funny as watching Top Gear with toothache.

I think it's on Spike Milligan's headstone - "I told you I was ill"

Probably Barry Cryer's, this:

Bought a bag of potatoes the other day and the label said 'store in a cool, dark place'. So I took em to Ronnie Scott's.

Dudley Moore and Peter Cook doing the one-legged Tarzan sketch makes me chuckle just to think about it. Peter Cook as the deadpan producer delivering the line 'I've got nothing against your other leg, but then again neither have you'.

PS chuckling in an open plan office gets you some funny looks. At least it's lunchtime

Remember seeing him before he was famous in The Old Dun Cow, Old Kent Road.

Hadn't thought of it quite like that, but yes.

Also given her writing and acting – and neither is limited to comedy.

Bernard Manning was different class to Davidson.

Eric Morecambe's paper bag 'gag'.

Mind, pretty much anything Eric did.

Manning was a tremendous talent, but as already been said, sadly with some very distasteful material.

I do remember a couple of comments made to hecklers at a live gig which stick in my mind.

Heckler... "gerroff, yer fat b**tard"
Manning... " Let me correct you, Sir. Fat, RICH, b**tard, if you don't mind!"

Heckler... "Boo!.. Boo!.. BOO!!!"
Manning... "We do have something in common, mate. I was on telly last night, and I do remember seeing you on telly also... umm, yep, Interference!"

Many years, ago I remember going to a seedy place one night with a fat, "blue" comedian as the warm-up act (before the "action" started!). The all male audience were all giving him stick and heckling him but he thrived on it and was doing great until I intervened. He had no come backand in fact I think he laughed. I was quite pleased with myself. It's always about getting your timing right!

That's the first time I've seen Bernard Manning or Jim Davidson in a sentence containing the word "class" unaccompanied by "no".