10 Reasons Why Open All Hours Is Fantastically Funny

6. Let's Get Physical

Never thought we'd use an Olivia Newton John song as a sub-heading, but there's a first time for everything! When talking about his work during the BBC led public vote to find Britain's Best Sitcom in 2004, Open All Hours writer Roy Clarke said: "I like a balance of dialogue and physical business."

More often than not these elements are sewn together by Open All Hours' two leading men. Arkwright gets the bulk of the dialogue with Barker respecting and ripping up our glorious tongue in equal measure. That leaves Jason to take pratfalls off the outside display, Granville's bicycle and in three other especially funny instances of physical comedy. First there is Arkwright's Mobile Store (episode five of the second series). Granville has finally got his wish and gets behind the wheel of a van. You can guess how he ends up. The picture above is a clue. Granville later becomes fed up with his errand boy image and begins to walk about the shop in an open shirt with a cocoa tin lid as a medallion "dangler". More physical hilarity ensues. Even an attempt at making firelighters in the backyard shed goes awry, leaving Granville's cap inflamed. Explosively funny!