Give female comedians the last laugh, says Sally Phillips

Female comedians are less revered in their dotage than male comics, Sally Phillips has said.

In an interview with The Telegraph, the actress, TV presenter and comedian said audiences are too quick to move on from new series written by women.

She pointed out that after the success of Fleabag, written by and starring Killing Eve writer Phoebe Waller-bridge, people were quick to move on.

Yet she pointed out that male comedians such as Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse are able to come back with series after series.

“Phoebe is absolutely brilliant,” said Phillips, 48. “But once they are over the fact that Phoebe has arrived they will be in search of something new. I don’t think you get that with a guy. People still say: ‘Oh how wonderful, Harry and Paul.’”

Phillips stars alongside Johnny Vegas in My Favourite Sketch, which began last night on Gold.