Classic British Comedy DVDs at simplyeighties.com

Nobody does comedy better than the British, and here you can revisit all the classic British comedy TV shows from your childhood. From Mrs Slocombe's troublesome pussy, to Del Boy and Rodney unscrewing the wrong chandelier, there's something for everyone here. Why not treat a friend to a retro DVD Box Set as a gift?

"Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once!" 'Allo 'Allo was one of the finest BBC comedy series from the 1980s starring the late Gordon Kaye as lusty cafe owner Rene Artois, and Carmen Silvera as his tuneless wife, Edith. Not forgetting Officer "Good moaning!" Crabtree and his mangling of the English language!

Are You Being Served? BBC comedy with John Inman, Mollie Sudgen, Frank Thornton

This very popular and camp 70s comedy was set on a retail floor in the traditional Grace Bros. department store. Characters included John Inman as Mr. "I'm Free!" Humphries, Mollie Sudgen as the man-hungry Mrs. Slocombe (who was obsessed with her pussy!), Frank Thornton as the rather pompous Captain Peacock and Wendy Richard as the attractive cockney assistant Miss Brahms.

This popular ITV comedy ran for six series and starred the Carry On star Sidney James (as ravelling salesman Sid Abbott) and Diana Coupland as his wife, Jean. Interestingly, it was produced by William G. Stewart who went on to host the 15 to 1 gameshow.

This successful BBC comedy series was written by Carla Lane who had previously penned The Liver Birds and Butterflies. It followed the lives of the devout Catholic family The Boswells from Liverpool. My favourite character was Joey who was often dressed from head-to-toe in leather and had the catchphrase "Greetings!".

This BBC sitcom ran for six series and followed the antics of the cheeky, anti-authority house painter Jack (played by Karl Howman). The theme tune "Because Of You" was by Dexys Midnight Runners.

This exceptional value DVD boxset includes all 30 Carry On films from Carry On Sergeant to Carry on Emmanuelle. The only one missing is the lame Carry On Columbus from 1992, but if you grew-up watching the films and you've ever wanted the complete set of originals, then now's your chance! Classic, saucy British comedy packed with double-entendres and slapstick from the non-pc 60s and 70s, with Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Peter Butterworth etc.

Citizen Smith was a BBC comedy featured Robert Lindsay as the left-wing revolutionary Wolfie Smith, the leader of the Tooting Popular Front, which was just his pretty gormless group of friends! His girlfriend's mother annoyed him by calling him "foxy"!

This one-off six-part comedy series was Ronnie Barker's final sitcom, in which he starred as a short-sighted furniture removal man. Also starred Josephine Tewson as Jane Travers.

"Don't tell him, Pike!". Well, a comedy doesn't get any more British or funnierthan this, and this boxset includes every single surviving episode - it's exceptional value! Created by the legendary Jimmy Perry and David Croft, this was, in my opinion, their finest comedy series. It's perfect, and the Home Guard characters are just brilliant, with glorious one-liners and catchphrases galore including "You stupid boy!" and "We're doomed!" to name but a few. No matter how many times I've watched it, Dad's Army never fails to make me laugh with its timeless comedy, and it doesn't rely on bad language as with many comedies these days.

I'm a big Dave Allen fan, and I adored the Irish comedian's relaxed, care-free style, sitting on a bar stool and bringing us some very funny observational comedy, ocassionally puffing on his cigarette and sipping from a glass of whiskey. He wasn't afraid to voice his strong opinions on controversial subjects such as religion, sex and the media, showing us how absurd life really was (and still is!). One of his best-remembered lines is "I'm an atheist, thank God".

The non-pc English comedian became popular from the 1960s to the 80s, and I have fond memories of watching his shows back in the 70s where he dressed-up as a range of characters, from the stereotypical buck-toothed vicar, to the camp and flamboyant Clarence with his catchphrase "hello honky tonks". However, his most memorable character was, arguably, Mandy the buxom blonde with her catchphrase "Ooh, you are awful, but I like you!".

Richard Briers, Penelope Wilton and Peter Egan starred in this 1980s BBC comedy about a rivalry between two neighbours. Martin Bryce is extremely jealous of Paul Ryman, who is everything Martin is not! The amusing comedy ran for four series.

The critically-acclaimed Channel 4 nineties comedy which starred Dermot Morgan as the eponymous Father Ted Crilly, Dermot Morgan as the dense and childlike Father Dougal McGuire, Frank Kelly as the ill-tempered drunkard Father Jack Hackett and Pauline McLynn as the hyperactive housekeeper (who is obsessed with making huge amounts of tea and sandwiches!) Mrs Doyle.

The truly classic BBC series has been completely remastered for this DVD release which includes many new extras. Starred John Cleese as the rude hotel owner Basil Fawlty, Prunella Scales as his dictatorial wife Sybil, Polly Booth as Polly the chambermaid and Andrew Sachs as the hapless Spanish waiter Manuel. Every episode is packed full of top notch comedy from start to finish.

Filthy, Rich & Catflap was a Ben Elton sitcom that featured The Young Ones stars Nigel Planer, Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson and included many interesting guest appearances by top stars of the day inc. Midge Ure and Anne Diamond.

This classic Thames TV series is a spin-off from Man About The House, and starred Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce as the ill-matched couple George and Mildred Roper. 38 episodes were made in total, as well as a film in 1980 which premiered just after the sad and sudden death of Yootha Joyce. A planned sixth series was cancelled.

Another brilliantly funny 90s comedy from the BBC starring Patricia Routledge as the snobby and overbearing Hyacinth Bucket (Bouquet) and Clive Swift as her long-suffering husband, Richard. There's plenty of farcical comedy as Hyacinth attempts to prove her social superiority, and keep her lower class family hidden from view!

How tickled I am to show you the DVD for this very funny 1979 series which features six tattifilarious episodes with the wild-haired comedian from Liverpool Mr. Dodd and his trusty tickling stick.

This 70s British sitcom starred Richard O'Sullivan as a young student chef, Robin Tripp, who shares a flat with young flatmates Chrissy (Paula Wilcox) and Jo (Sally Thomsett). Their landlord is George Roper (Brian Murphy) who is hen-pecked by his wife Mildred (Yootha Joyce) - they went on to have their own spin-off series.

The 90s produced some hilarious comedies, and this one is up there with the best of them. The post-watershed sitcom featured two beer-guzzling flatmates Tony (Neil Morrissey) and Gary (Martin Clunes) and was produced at a time when people weren't offended by everything, hence plenty of rude and crude, non-pc humour - brilliant!

The classic 90s sitcom starred Richard Wilson as the very grumpy and unfortunate retired security guard Victor "I don't believe it!" Meldrew, with Annette Crosbie as his exasperated wife, Margaret. The comedy is laugh-out-loud (it's pretty surreal at times) and this was definitely one of the BBC's funniest comedy series.

Ask anyone to name an 80s comedy, and Only Fools and Horses will be mentioned 9 out of 10 times. An absolute classic from the BBC, and there are too many memorable moments to fit onto one page. From Trigger's broom, to Del Boy and his gang unscrewing the wrong chandelier during their stint as "expert" cleaners, everyone has a favourite moment. And the characters were fantastic, too, with David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst on top form as Del Boy and Rodney, and there was also the unforgettable dopey roadsweeper Trigger, played by the late Roger Lloyd-Pack, amongst many others.

This was definitely one of the funniest comedy of the 70s, and ran for three series with two Christmas specials and a film. Porridge starred Ronnie Barker as prisoner Fletcher, Richard Beckinsale as his young and naive cellmate Godber, Fulton Mackay as the stern Scottish Principal Officer Mackay, and Brian Wilde as the more timid officer Mr. Barrowclough, who could easily be manipulated by Fletch and the other prisoners. A true classic.

Leonard Rossiter starred as the miserly landlord Rigsby, who rented out ramshackle bedsits to a variety of tenants. Frances De La Tour played the educated, pretentious spinster Miss Jones who Rigsby was besotted with. Also starred Richard Beckinsale and Don Warrington.

This long-forgotten 70s comedy was a spin-off from Man About The House, and starred Richard O'Sullivan as Robin Tripp, who shares a house with girlfriend Vicky (Tessa Watt), who later became his wife. The DVD features all 48 episodes from six series.

Solo - BBC comedy starring Felicity Kendall

This gentle, but very funny sitcom starred Felicity Kendall as Gemma Palmer and was created by Carla Lane. It had a similar feel to her other hit comedy from the 70s, Butterflies. The complete two series are now available on DVD with an interview with Felicity Kendall.

Sorry! starring Ronnie Corbett as Timothy Lumsden

This is a long-forgotten 80s comedy starring Ronnie Corbett as the 40 something librarian Timothy Lumsden, who still lives at home with his old-fashioned parents. Barbara Lott plays his overbearing mother from hell, with William Moore as the henpecked father, Sidney, who repeatedly shouts "language, Timothy!" throughout the series.

I adored this British comedy as a child of the 70s, although I was too young to have seen the earlier four series from 1962-1965, which makes buying the complete box set an essential buy for me, at least. Harry H. Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell were just brilliant as the rag and bone merchants who lived in the grimy Oil Drum Lane. There were also two movies released in 1972 and 1973.

Terry Scott and June Whitfield played the middle class couple who lived in the suburbs of Purley, London. Terry and June was a reworked version of the 70s sitcom Happy Ever After, and ran for nine series with four Christmas specials on BBC1, attracting large viewing figures for much of the 80s.

Now here's a comedy you may well have forgotten about. Set back in the time of union rule, the stories revolve around the misadventures of Number Three Gang from a Cleanisng depot. It had a great line-up with Bryan Pringle, Trevor Bannister (Mr Lucas in Are You Being Served), Graham Haberfield and Tim Wylton.

Another 70s gem in which Richard Briers and Felicity Kendall star as Tom and Barbara Good, a middle-class couple who are attempting to escape the rat race and live a self-sufficient lifestyle. Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington played their more conventional neighbours Margo and Jeremy Leadbetter, who have difficulty understanding the Goods way of life, but become close friends, nonetheless.

This Ben Elton BBC comedy series featured laugh-out-loud moments with Rowan Atkinson on fine form as the devoted Inspector Raymond Fowler who likes to dot the i's and cross the t's.

The completely chaotic and groundbreaking BBC comedy from the 80s starring the late Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson, Nigel Planer, Christopher Ryan and Alexei Sayle.

This underrated ITV comedy series starred Paul Bown as Malcolm, a reserved biker from the posh area of Merseyside who likes to watch birds (the feathered variety) and Emma Wray as Brenda, a loud, fun-loving scouser from a more working class area of Liverpool. They are an unlikely couple and Brenda is forced to endure Malcolm's hobby during their unstable relationship. The 9 disc DVD includes all 56 episodes of the much-loved series.

More DVDs

Classic British Drama DVDs

Classic Kids TV DVDs

Classic Sci-Fi DVDs

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CLASSIC BRITISH COMEDY DVDs

'Allo 'Allo! (1982-1992)

Are You Being Served? (1972-1985)

Bless This House (1971-76)

Bread (1986-1991)

Brush Strokes (1986-1991)

Carry On - The Complete Collection (1958-1978 )

Citizen Smith (1977-1980)

Clarence (1988)

Dad's Army (1968-1977)

Dave Allen

Dick Emery

Ever Decreasing Circles (1984-89)

Father Ted (1995-98)

Fawlty Towers (1975-79)

Filthy, Rich & Catflap (1987)

George & Mildred (1976-79)

Keeping Up Appearances (1990-95)

Ken Dodd - The Laughter Show (1979)

Man About The House (1973-76)

Men Behaving Badly (1992-98)

One Foot in the Grave (1990-2000)

Only Fools and Horses (1981-2003)

Porridge (1974-77)

Rising Damp (1974-78)

Robin's Nest (1977-1981)

Solo (1981-82)

Sorry (1981-88)

Steptoe and Son (1962-65, 1970-74)

Terry & June (1979-1987)

The Dustbinmen (1969-70)

The Good Life (1975-78)

The Thin Blue LiNe (1995-96)

The Young Ones (1982-84)

Watching (1987-1993)