This list is a bit of a joke. This sort of list always is. Rank the 50 best anything – novels, crisps – and people start fuming. “Why isn’t Middlemarch #1?” “How dare you snub Wotsits?”
Comedy is, as any fule kno, subjective. Stand-up is a broad church, taking in character comedy (the Pub Landlord) and musical parody (Bill Bailey). But we had to set limits somewhere, so ruled out troupes and groups (sorry, Pappy’s; farewell, Flight of the Conchords).
This is not a list of the funniest sitcom actors, scriptwriters or podcast hosts. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s play Fleabag was a hilarious piece of theatre, and a terrific 12 episodes of television, but it wasn’t a stand-up comedy gig.
We bent our own rules slightly to acknowledge recorded shows made in lockdown – that awful moment when a laptop became the closest thing to a comedy club. But otherwise, this list is based purely on shows four comedy junkies have seen (and loved) since the turn of the millennium on stages across the UK, in pubs and clubs, attics and basements, community centres and West End theatres. The UK has the world’s best live comedy circuit, and we wanted to celebrate it.
Lee is the internecine, meta-minded sourpuss of stand-up, never happier (if that’s the word) than when mercilessly ripping other comedians, audiences and, for that matter, The Telegraph to shreds. I fondly (if that’s also the word) remember an hour at the Edinburgh Fringe spent squirming quietly in my seat as, well aware that I was “in”, he tore into this august publication – along with people who’d come because they’d seen him on the telly (hates them) and his loyal fans (“cackling sycophants”).
As those jibes suggest, the 55-year-old Shropshire native is also brilliant: there’s a magnificence to his point-blank refusal to ingratiate himself, great subtlety in the comic stances he takes, spectacular imagination and variety in his material. He’ll probably despise us even more for not putting him in first place. MM
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter