Top Ten Female Sitcom Characters of All Time
Top Ten Female Sitcom Characters of All Time
(the Brit Edition)
Audio Version of the blog. Warning - I may go off on tangents in the audio version
Last year I wrote a blog for the Bang2Write website called Top Ten Female Sitcom Characters.
The link is below but come right back.
https://bang2write.com/2024/10/top-10-female-tv-sitcom-characters-of-all-time.html
Fair criticism: my original list leaned heavily American. But there’s a reason for that - British sitcoms haven’t historically given women the spotlight, especially not in leading comic roles. What’s the UK’s I Love Lucy? There isn’t one. That’s not to say we don’t have iconic women in Britcoms. We do. So here’s my go at the top ten (chronological order, of course), even if ranking them is almost impossible.
One
Margo Leadbetter - The Good Life
On paper, Margo shouldn’t be likeable. A middle-class snob obsessed with appearances, local theatre, and being the perfect suburban wife. But she’s more than that. Underneath the posturing, she’s warm, loyal, and deeply human. She is critical of her neighbours, Tom and Barbara’s new self-sufficient lifestyle but even then, bought them an actual bull. Played to perfection by Penelope Keith, who later starred in To the Manor Born as Audrey Forbes-Hamilton (a character who almost made this list too).
(See: What I learned from watching a fifty-year-old sitcom.)
Two
Hyacinth Bucket – Keeping Up Appearances
Another social climber, Hyacinth insists on the pronunciation “Bouquet” and pretends her modest home is a “residence.” She’s mocked by the lower class for her snobbery and by the upper class for her delusion, but never discouraged. In Patricia Routledge’s hands, she’s somehow warm, even lovable. Maybe.
Three
Edina, Patsy, Saffy, Bubbles & Gran – Absolutely Fabulous
Yes, it’s cheating to group them—but Ab Fab only works because they all do. Edina and Patsy are chaotic soulmates, Saffy grounds them, Gran offers quiet wisdom, and Bubbles is pure, surreal comic gold. Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, June Whitfield, and Jane Horrocks created lightning in a bottle. Still iconic. Still unmatched.
Four
Geraldine Grainger – The Vicar of Dibley
Dawn French’s Geraldine wasn’t just groundbreaking as a female vicar - she was joyful, bawdy, and full of heart. She brought warmth and wit to a sleepy village and was the only Brit on my original (US-heavy) list. I couldn’t leave her out. Didn’t want to.
Five
Denise Best nee Royle– The Royle Family
Denise, brought to life by the late, great Caroline Aherne, barely moves from the sofa, but her presence is huge. Lazy, selfish, funny, and deeply loved, she’s a fully-formed character in a show where realism and warmth shine through every line. Denise is interested in people – well what they had for their dinner anyway.
Six
Daisy Steiner – Spaced
Jessica Hynes co-wrote and starred in Spaced, giving us the endlessly charming, slightly chaotic Daisy. She was a writer who struggled to write (relatable) and a friend who flirted with love but feared commitment. Endearingly awkward, culturally literate, and completely authentic.
Seven
Dawn Tinsley – The Office
Dawn Tinsley, as I live and breathe.
Lucy Davis made Dawn quietly unforgettable. A working class receptionist with artistic dreams, stuck in a dull job and even duller relationship. She's kind, funny, frustrated, and absolutely real. The heart of the show, her “will-they-won’t-they” arc with Tim felt painfully relatable. A modern tragicomic heroine.
(See The Failure and Success of The Office (US) And What I (We) Can Learn From It)
Eight
Nessa Jenkins – Gavin & Stacey
'Oh! What’s occurring?'
Ruth Jones co-created and played Nessa as a fearless, deadpan, chain-smoking force of nature. Hilarious, mysterious, and weirdly wise, she stole every scene and became a cult figure. The show’s record-breaking 2019 return and final 2024 episode proved how much she - and the show - are still loved. More Welsh women writing comedy, please.
Nine
Miranda – Miranda
Miranda Hart’s semi-autobiographical sitcom brought back physical comedy and broke the fourth wall with flair. Clumsy, self-deprecating, always optimistic - Miranda made us root for her and laugh with her. Deserved better than Gary, arguably. But we’ll leave that debate for another time.
Ten
Clare Devlin – Derry Girls
Nicola Coughlan’s Clare could have been annoying (high-pitched, overly earnest) but she wasn’t. She was hilarious. Fiercely intelligent, tightly wound, and always loyal, Clare anchored the show's chaos with heart and a surprising amount of pathos. A gem in one of the strongest sitcom ensembles of the century.
I know I have missed some (a lot) so let me know below who I have missed.
Footnote: It hasn’t escaped my notice – or probably yours – that half of this list were of characters written by the actor who played them. Out of the other five, four were written by a male. I make this point because there is nothing particularly controversial about this list. I didn’t deliberately pick these characters based on who wrote them. I am sure, with maybe an exception of one or two, your list would be pretty similar.
I joked about having more female screenwriters, but we must, not just Welsh. If you do want to start there though…
Do you have any thoughts? Let me know.
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