Death As axe falls on Birds of a Feather, has TV had its last laugh?

The escapades of three Irish priests on Craggy Island was famous for its catchphrases and spoofs of movies such as Speed and even Eurovision.

Kicking Bishop Brennan Up The Arse – the one where Ted has to pay a dangerous forfeit. Caroline Aherne’s Manchesterbased family sitcom achieved that rare hat-trick: It could make you cry tears of laughter, joy and heartache. Sometimes all three at once.

The Queen Of Sheba – the one where Nana dies.

ITV’S announcement this week that it is axing its two remaining sitcoms is a hammer blow for the British comedy industry. The salt in the wound came when ITV’S Head of Television Kevin Lygo didn’t exactly bemoan the loss of Bad Move and Birds of a Feather.

He even suggested his viewers could get their sitcom fix from the likes of Coronation Street instead – to which I could only respond with Captain Mainwaring’s very best, “You stupid boy”.

With that, Lygo was not only putting unfair pressure on Corrie’s writers, he was also signalling the death knell of the British Steve Coogan’s grotesque creation has cropped up in many different shows but, for me, the years he spent residing at the Linton Travel Tavern and later in a static caravan will always be Peak Partridge.

To Kill A Mocking Alan, where he meets his biggest fan/stalker. sitcom. Should we be surprised though? It’s fair to say it has had one foot in the grave for a while. ITV had already dispensed with its biggest comedy hit, Benidorm, despite healthy audiences.

Now, for the first time in its 64-year history, it looks like ITV won’t have a new series of a comedy in its

Favourite episode: School-based comedy that proved that while the gadgets, fashions and buzzwords may change, teenage rites of passage will always remain predominantly mortifying and occasionally hilarious. Favourite episode: First Day – the one where Will grasses up everyone in the pub for being underage. Favourite episode: There are so many stand-out moments in thisPeter Kay masterpiece it’s hard to believe he only made 12 episodes. Here’s hoping that, like the Phoenix Club, it will one day rise from the ashes.Favourite episode: The one where we meet psychic Clinton Baptiste AND fire safety officer Keith Lard. Favourite episode: I worried my memories of this holiday camp caper were rose-tinted... until I watched it again. It has definitely stood the test of time. No wonder it won a Bafta. Favourite episode: Peggy’s Big Chance – the one where chalet maid Peggy auditions to be a Yellow Coat.

NO JOKE Birds of a Feather is finished