THE FATHER Ted Christmas special is among the top 10 best ever festive sitcom specials, according to a new from the Radio Times.
Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthew’s comedy classic made the countdown thanks to the memorable episode A Christmassy Ted.
It sees Ted, Dougal and six other priests get hopelessly lost in Ireland’s biggest lingerie department during a fateful Christmas shopping trip.
Things are complicated further with the arrival of a mysterious priest by the name of Todd Unctuous on Craggy Island.
First aired on December 24, 1996, the episode has been repeated on Channel 4, RTÉ Two and More4 around Christmas time each and every year.
While the episode remains a firm favourite with fans, Linehan is not so keen, having previously criticised it for being too long.
In any case, the Father Ted Christmas special came in seventh on the countdown just ahead of The League of Gentlemen, Blackadder and Dinnerladies.
The finale of The Office was voted the greatest sitcom Christmas special ever, according the Radio Times poll of 3000 readers, just ahead of the Only Fools And Horses’s Christmas trilogy and the 2008 Gavin & Stacey festive edition
Other shows to make the top 10 include The Vicar Of Dibley, The Royle Family and The Good Life.
Tim Glanfield, RadioTimes.com editorial director said: "A great Christmas sitcom lives long in the memory, as our list demonstrates the best have an equal measure of humour and emotion to keep the audience thoroughly entertained, tugging on the heart-strings and providing belly-laughs."
Mrs Brown’s Boys was the only other Irish entry on the top 20, coming in at 14th with the episodes Mammy Christmas/The Virgin Mammy.
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