“Harry Potter” actors make list of most influential British comedians

On a list of the most influential British comedians of all time, three of the top ten were Harry Potter actors. The actors included were John Cleese (Nearly Headless Nick), Dawn French (the Fat Lady in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), and finally, the late Rik Mayall, who was cast as Peeves in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone but whose scenes were cut from the film.

Rik Mayall came in eighth for his roles in the British sitcoms The Young Ones (1982-1984) and Bottom (1991-1995). Dawn French, one half of the comedy duo French and Saunders, came sixth on the list. Finally, John Cleese was named the most influential British comedy icon of all time, mostly for his work in Monty Python.

When talking about John Cleese, Steve North of British TV channel Gold said,

John Cleese is known and loved by many people both old and young. So it may not come as a surprise that he’s been named as the most influential comedy icon, above other greats such as Rowan Atkinson and David Jason. Shows like Monty Python and Fawlty Towers will be watched by the nation for years to come, and the recent Monty Python live show proves how successful and popular it really is.

Congratulations to everyone on the list, especially to our Harry Potter actors! Is there anyone else you would add? Whom is your favorite British comedian?