06.01.03
Gervais
tops Radio Times' list of the '50 Most Powerful People in TV Comedy'
Radio
Times has named The Office star Ricky Gervais the most influential
comedian in UK television in its inaugural list of the '50 Most
Powerful People in TV Comedy'. Gervais narrowly pips Steve Coogan
(2) and Graham Norton (3) to the top spot in the magazine's comedy-themed
issue this week. Jonathan Ross (10), Jack Dee (30) and even Chris
Evans (39) all secure their places in the illustrious Top 50 too.
Radio
Times interviewed a wide range of comedy industry experts and weighed
their views alongside ratings, critical acclaim, financial success
and track records to arrive at the definitive list of the prime
movers and shakers in the world of television comedy for 2003.
In
a bid to help readers beat the annual January blues, the magazine
will also feature four exclusive comedy covers that unite various
luminaries on the list - Ricky Gervais and Jonathan Ross; Ant and
Dec; Sanjeev Bhaskar and Meera Syal; and Paul Whitehouse and Jack
Dee. The comic stars also share their favourite jokes with readers.
Ricky
Gervais, as co-creator of the most talked-about show of last year,
practically owned TV comedy in 2002, attracting audiences close
to 5 million per episode for his second series of The Office - outstripping
other rivals in the autumn schedules. Steve Coogan not only returned
to television with a new series of Alan Partridge in 2002, but with
his Brighton-based production company Baby Cow, he also managed
to oversee Marion and Geoff, Human Remains and the BAFTA-winning
Sketch show.
The
list also includes production companies such as Talkback (6) and
Hat Trick (28) as well as programme creators such as Fred Barron
(22), the US-born creator of My Family. Lorraine Heggessey and Jane
Root, controllers of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ1 and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ2 respectively, share the number
4 spot whereas Danielle Lux, Channel 4's head of entertainment takes
number 9.
The complete list of the '50 Most Powerful People in TV Comedy'
can be read in next week's comedy-themed edition of the Radio Times.
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