Mick Dundee beats Del Boy to top of TV ratings Christmas tree

Some of Britain’s best-loved TV faces, including David Jason and the Two Ronnies, have been beaten by a reptilewrestler from Australia in a new survey of the all-time most-watched Christmas television.

“Crocodile” Dundee, the 1980s comedy smash hit starring Paul Hogan, is the surprise record-holder of the UK’s biggest Christmas Day TV audience.

A total of 21.8 million viewers tuned in for the film’s UK premiere on December 25 1989 – a figure that no single TV broadcast has managed to beat since current records began.

Second place in the chart with 21.3 million viewers is the episode of Only Fools And Horses shown on Christmas Day 2001, which saw the Trotters lose their fortune and Del Boy attempt to win it back on a game show.

In total there are seven episodes of Only Fools And Horses in the top 20, along with editions of comedy classics Just Good Friends, Bread and One Foot In The Grave.

But EastEnders appears only twice, Coronation Street just once, and there is nothing from the past 16 years.

The chart, which has been compiled by the Press Association, reflects the traditional domination of Christmas TV by the BBC, with 17 of the top 20 having been shown on BBC One.

Missing from the top 20 entirely are Morecambe and Wise, whose most popular star-studded Christmas specials date from before the modern system of compiling ratings began in 1981.

A total of 21.8 million viewers tuned in for the film’s UK premiere on December 25 1989