RT’s Best Modern Comedy winner Ricky Gervais stars on this week’s cover

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It’s genuinely uplifting to see a country debating something as lighthearted as comedy. Instead of focusing on serious issues like politics or the economy, we’re talking about the TV shows that have made us laugh, cringe, and feel understood over the last fifteen years – shows that have maybe even helped us feel a little less lonely.

British comedy isn’t just about making people laugh. When it’s really good, it reflects the little moments of daily life – the uncomfortable silences, the embarrassing situations, and the small gestures of goodwill that often mean the most.

We want to thank everyone who helped create and participate in our poll to find Britain’s favorite modern comedy – especially senior writer David Craig! It’s wonderful to see how much passion our readers have for these shows, proving just how much they mean to people and become a part of their lives.

People enjoy them at home, share them at work and school, return to them when facing challenges, and constantly suggest them to others.

I was so thrilled to see Ricky Gervais’ After Life named the winner, and even more delighted by how warmly he responded to the poll! Talking with Caroline Frost, it really struck me how some stories just stick with you, and his show is definitely one of them.

Ricky Gervais is still brilliantly funny, insightful, and surprisingly deep in his thinking. He believes people connected with ‘After Life’ because its themes of grief and loss are universally relatable – everyone experiences difficult times.

Beneath the humor, there are real human emotions like sadness, awkwardness, friendship, and the effort to stay positive even when things are hard. That’s a very typical British way of dealing with life, really.

Also in this week’s TopMob:

  • Johannes Radebe reflects on Strictly success and finding his feet on the West End stage.
  • Following the stage play written by James Graham, Joseph Fiennes now brings England football manager Gareth Southgate to life on screen.
  • Comedian Marcus Brigstocke pays tribute to the genius Miles Davis, who supercharged jazz.
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Don’t miss ‘After Life’! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob ‘What to Watch’ app. Download the app now for daily TV recommendations and exclusive content.

Authors

Shem Law

As a total film buff, I always find it fascinating to learn about the people behind the scenes at places like TopMob. I recently discovered that Shem Law is their current brand editor – can you believe he’s the twentieth person to hold that role in over a century? What’s even more interesting is that he didn’t even have a TV growing up! It sounds like he’s been making up for lost time ever since, and honestly, I can relate!

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2026-05-19 12:04