Top 5 classic TV sitcoms that will make you laugh out loud!

Father Ted

From the brilliant minds of Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews, not only was Father Ted one of the greatest sitcoms ever to grace the small screen, it still stands as one of the the finest contributions ever made to comedy as a whole.

Deeply un-politically correct, this nugget of TV gold follows the misadventures of three Catholic priests and their housekeeper as they deal with exile in the undesirable Irish parish of Craggy Island.

Following our boys on what aren't so much ecclesiastical endeavours as journeys through silly circumstances and daft, ill-conceived schemes, this one will split your sides down the seam. Now, will ya have a cup of tea, Father?..

Only Fools And Horses

No income tax, no VAT... This pair of not-so-likely lads are two of the sitcom pantheon's most revered sons, played by nothing less than British telly royalty.

Following the get-rich-quick antics of Cockney trader Del Boy Trotter and his hapless and despairing brother Rodney, Only Fools And Horses starred Sir David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst in one of the most celebrated TV offerings of all time. With a talented supporting cast including the late John Challis, this one is synonymous with sitcom joy and will doubtlessly retain a place on the proverbial podium until the end of time.

The Vicar of Dibley

The Lord is my shepherd... She was no ordinary vicar, but she was just what a certain fictional Oxfordshire parish needed.

Written by rom-com behemoth Richard Curtis specifically for the lady herself, The Vicar Of Dibley starred Dawn French as Rev Geraldine Grainger – a devout yet free-spirited vicar who would certainly be Dibley's first lady of the cloth.

While her gender ruffles a few traditionalist feathers, Geraldine is large and in charge and going nowhere until The Lord's work is done. With an iconic leading turn from French, and fantastic supporting performances from the likes of Gary Waldhorn, James Fleet, and the late Roger Lloyd-Pack (also an Only Fools alumnus, of course) this one should make the 'Top 5' of any self-respecting sitcom fan.

Absolutely Fabulous

Another incredible contribution from the mighty Dawn French – though this time she was in the writer's chair rather than dazzling in front of the camera.

Created by the great lady along with her force-of-war writing partner Jennifer Saunders, Ab Fab was a side-splitting tale of two larger-than-life ladies on the London fashion scene.

With Saunders starring alongside Joanna Lumley, we will always be forever indebted to this one for introducing us to Eddy and Patsy – a high-powered duo who love the high life a lot more than the hard work. While the two get into a lot of trouble before being inevitably rescued by Eddy's daughter Saffy, they have more than a little fun along the way. If we weren't laughing so much, we'd be jealous for an eternity sweetie darling...

The Royle Family

Get that will ya Barb!.. It was one of the finest telly delights of the late 90s / early noughties, and it mostly consisted of other people watching the telly! Before they each respectively narrated Gogglebox (which, incidentally, exclusively consisted of other people watching the telly), writing partners Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash brought us their 'crowning' achievement (see what we did there?..).

Following the lives of a working class Manchester brood, The Royle Family starred Ricky Tomlinson, Sue Johnston, Ralf Little and Liz Smith alongside Aherne and Cash themselves, in a show that taught us that no family is perfect – you just have to strap yourself in and giggle along the way.

Superb stuff that reveals a hilarious and previously overlooked detail with every re-watch, every episode is a complete charm and no sitcom 'Top 5' would be complete without it.

-Any classic TV suggestions for our readers? Tweet @DMorris-Star or email daniel.morris@mnamedia.co.uk