Best Comedians in the UK

Britain are always creating new talent in all the fields of comedy, from amusing presenters to hilarious stand up comedians, to hysterical panel-show hosts/team-leaders. We've created some of the finest showbiz talents in the world today, with the Two Ronnie's, Morecambe and Wise, Bruce Forsyth, Bob Monkhouse, John Cleese and many, many more.

But who are the funny voices of this generation? Let's take a look at some of the funniest names of comedy on our TV screens today and some up-and-coming comical geniuses.

After doing Big Brothers Big Mouth for two years, Jack is now turning his head towards panel-shows and live stand-up. His posh, sub-urban style makes him stand out from most comedians. After appearing on 8-out-of-10 cats, Would I Lie To You?, Chris Moyles' Quiz Show and other panel shows, and going on Live at the Apollo, he's certainly a hit with the crowd. I hope to see him on more shows in the near future!

Being on Mock the Week for some years, Howard has become a great entertainer on the TV. Now hosting Russel Howard's Good News on BBC Three, he's added to his already great entertaining resume. Although he's been on MTW for a few years, he's still very young and with bags of talent I can only hope he finds other panel-shows to work on!

Appearing on Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow over a year ago, she since built up a great amount of laughs on a numerous amount of panel shows, including: 8-out-of-10 cats, The Marriage Ref, Mock the Week, Would I Lie To You? and she also made a guest appearance on Alan Carr: Chatty Man. She's a great comic and writer.

While he may not be the biggest live performer, Rufus has certainly made a stance in the panel shows, coming from Argumental as a team-captain, he's moved to the sensationally funny Celebrity Juice; where he's a co-team-captain with Fearne Cotton. Being on the cast of celeb juice for two series' has been hilarious to watch, with his funny whit and quick lines, he's been great alongside Keith Lemon & Holly Willoughby.

Now for a shade darker...and weirder. Noel has been a great success in both live performance, TV shows and panel-shows. He's done it all in the entertainment world!

Noel started his fame on the weirdly-funny show: The Mighty Boosh; which he co-writes with his partner in comedy: Julian Barratt. He's ran many successful series' with Barratt, including a live performance of the comedy show. In panel shows, he's been in the Big Fat Quiz of the Year twice; with Russell Brand & Richard Ayoade. Noel is also now hosting BBC's panel-show: Never Mind the Buzzcocks. In live performances, he's worked on Live At The Apollo & Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow. As said before, The Mighty Boosh has had a live episode too.

For quite a few years, Jo Brand has been a great panel-show guest. She's been on almost everything on TV now, and has stared in Let's Dance for Sport Relief. She's a normal guest in QI and Argumental. She sometimes star guests in Have I Got News For You & Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Excellent comic, great comedian!

After hosting Live At The Apollo for a number of years, Jack Dee has become one of the most famous faces of comedy in Britain. With brilliant stand-up and equally good panel-show skills he's not only been on 8-out-of-10 cats, Mock the Week and Have I Got News For You, but he's team-captain in the BBC comedy: Shooting Stars. He is also a regular on David Walliams' Sky show, Wall of Fame

12. Stephen Fry - Possibly the cleverer of the comedians I've watched, Stephen Fry shows incredible skill in his understanding on almost everything. Known as the "genius" of QI, he sometimes is noted as quite weird in his endless knowledge on a simple subject, and knowledge on things most people wouldn't understand.

In a way, this has change QI; which Fry hosts. Without Stephen working alongside, Alan Davies would make the show quite more 8-out-of-10 cats then intellectual discussion. Fry always seems to awaken the more intelligent side of comedians such as Jimmy Carr.

I haven't seen Stephen Fry on any other shows, although he does ask questions on Chris Moyles' Quiz Night and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year. He's done many voice overs on games and movies.

11. Alan Davies - The hilarious star of QI; where he's the only permanent team-captain. Alan Davies is a comic genius besides the host of QI; Stephen Fry. They work very well together, with Alan's great ideas and Stephen's undermining intelligence.

He's also been a judge on the new show 'Show Me the Funny' where his skill in entertainment has made his an incredible judge against some of the quite unfunny people; trying to be funny.

Beside's that, he's probably best known by the broader audience for starring in the show Jonathan Creek - a mystery TV series on the BBC channel.

10. Hugh Dennis - This great comic has been going at it for over 10 years now, and he doesn't look like stopping any time soon. With his seat as panel-captain on Mock the Week, I'm sure he'll not be stopping any time soon. Being on since the start of the show with Dara & Andy Parsons, he's became a great and noticeable comedian on the TV.

Hugh is also a great impressionist and has used this skill to bag him many places in sketch shows; such as The Now Show; Spitting Image and Mock the Week: Newsreel. He's also stared in the BBC comedy Outnumbered.

While Hugh is mostly known for his seat in Mock the Week, he's also been a guest in Have I Got News For You and was also a guest on QI.

9. Sean Lock - One of the greatest stand up comedians since 2000, Sean Lock has been a great comic on all levels of comedy. He's wrote material for many other writers and has made some great writing of his own, appearing on Live at the Apollo & Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow quite a few times, he's shown that great skill for live performances.

That's not the only thing Sean Lock excels in on the comedy front, being a team-captain on the hit Channel 4 show; 8-out-of-10 cats for a long 10 series'. Lock also hosts an entertainment show, named TV Heaven, Telly Hell.

8. Leigh Francis - The mastermind behind Bo' Selecta & Keith Lemon. He's first appeared on "tele" on Bo' Selecta, and has done 3 full series' since. Francis is a great impressionist and even though some of his impressions are more opaque then others, he certainly makes up for it in the wardrobe department; with great costumes.

He start Keith Lemons' Celebrity Juice about a year and a half ago, with panel-friends: Rufus Hound, Fearne Cotton & Holly Willoughby.

7. Rob Brydon - When Gavin & Stacey first came out, we'd of all known Rob as Bryn, the Welsh step-brother to Stacey's father. He played a great role as the step-brother in showing a middle-aged man, whom had trouble with technology, like most-all men over 40. He also showed a great skill at taking on the "Welsh man".

Rob has then gone on to do many voice-overs on television advertising, including: TESCO, Sainsburys, McDonalds, Domino's Pizza & many more. He also hosts Would I Lie To You? and has his own show, named The Rob Brydon Show.

6. Jimmy Carr - A brilliant comic for his "deadpan" or dark humour. He's been the host of Channel 4's brilliant panel-show: 8-out-of-10 cats since the shows start many years ago. He also hosts Channel 4's show Big Fat Quiz of the Year.

While Carr is known mostly for hosting comedy, he was a great stand-up act for many years before that - and his small jokes have been a brilliant, and sometimes harsh entertainment.

He's also appeared on Have I Got News For You; QI; Never Mind the Buzzcocks & has co-hosted 10' O'clock Live with David Mitchell, Charlie Brooker & Lauren Laverne.

5. Jason Manford - First stepping on the scene on Live At The Apollo, Jason captured the nations eye when he joined the team of 8-out-of-10 cats for three series'. Since then, he's went on to host Show me the Funny and had a short brief on The One Show.

Manford has done tours on Britain for about 3-4 years now, creating two sell out tours and two DVD's. He's worked closely with Peter Kay & Jimmy Carr since moving into comedy.

4. David Mitchell - Definitely the more political of comedians, Mitchell made his first major début to TV when he made the Peep Show & Mitchell and Webb Look with his co-star, Robert Webb. He's then went on to make quite a few more series' of both the comedies.

Mitchell is also a panel-captain on Would I Lie To You? He's been on many panel-shows quite a few times, including: Big Fat Quiz of the Year; QI; Have I Got News For You; 8-out-of-10 cats and he's been on Sean Lock's TV show: TV Heaven, Telly Hell. David has also started making Youtube Video's which he calls: Soapbox, where he rants on a particular topic, usually internet based.

3. Dara O'briain - Hosting the hit BBC show: Mock the Week since it's beginning, Dara has had quite a long line of TV history. He's appeared many times on Live at the Apollo, and I'm uncertain but I believe he's also made an appearance on Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow.

O'briain also hosts The Apprentice: You're Fired! - he's made guest appearances on QI & Have I Got News For You quite a few times.

While lacking in stand up material, he is definitely not scared to go up in front of an audience. Walliams is known in the comedy world as one of the very more "outgoing" types, which is a very short way of putting it. While not doing Little Britain with his partner Matt Lucas, he is presenting Wall of Fame or is on his new show Come Fly With Me.

While David spends most of his time creating sketches with absurd characters, he does crop up on some panel shows, most namely is Channel 4's 8 out of 10 cats, where he's appeared three times. He's a regular with Chris Moyles' Quiz Night and he has also appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

Walliams is a class act - I just wish I could see more of him on Virgin Media, since he's almost always on Sky!

2. Peter Kay - A stand-up legend and a comical genius, Peter Kay has been working his comic magic for quite a while now, with 4 DVD's and a brilliant X-Factor parody show, he's been a epic man in the comedy front.

Kay has been working in comedy for around 5-10 years now, within that time he's became one of the best British comedians of this era. I just hope some new material will come out in the coming months, as we haven't seen him in anything since the X-Factor spoof; at least, nothing that's been hugely televised.

1. Michael McIntyre - Since about 2006, when McIntyre got major, he's grew into a huge act now, being on the panel of the largest viewed show in England: Britain's Got Talent. And having his own TV stand-up show: Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, since 2009.

While McIntyre's achieved so much in his comedy time, he's also been in many panel shows, and has been on Live at The Apollo many times. He's made appearances on Have I Got News For You; QI; Mock The Week & 8-out-of-10 Cats.

Michael has also released many DVD's, including "Hello Wembley" - where McIntyre performance at the Wembley Stadium. He's such a success in such short time, which is why I nominate him my #1 Comic on TV right now!

While I believe Michael McIntyre is the greatest TV comic of TV now, I have not ordered my 20 everyone's taste, but I'm sure in there, there's one favourite for everyone!