With thanks to our friends at ofah.net
Only Fools and Horses is still the greatest sitcom ever and continues to hold the record in the UK of the most watched programmes in the 80 year history of British television.
Today's battle ratings don't come close to the 24.35 million that tuned into Only Fools And Horses on December 29, 1996, when Del Boy finally got rich after auctioning an antique watch in Time on our Hands.
Actually Only Fools and Horses hold 4 episodes in a top 12 vote with 10th spot and 21.35 Million watching the return episode in 2001 called If they could see us now . The other spots for the other two episodes in 1996 Heroes and Villains (21.33 Million) and Modern Men (21.31 Million).
The full top 12 most watched are as follows:1. Only Fools And Horses (BBC1, December 29 1996): 24.35 million – "Time on Our Hands"
2. To The Manor Born (BBC1, November 11 1979): 23.95 million
3. The Royal Variety Performance (ITV, November 19 1967): 22.80 million
4. Panorama (BBC1, November 20 1995): 22.77 million
5. The Royal Variety Performance (ITV, November 14 1965): 21.70 million
6. Dallas (BBC1, November 22 1980): 21.60 million
7. To The Manor Born (BBC1, November 9 1980): 21.55 million
8. The Mike Yarwood Christmas Show (BBC1, December 25 1977): 21.40 million
= Coronation Street (ITV, January 2 1985): 21.40 million
10. Only Fools And Horses (BBC1, December 25 2001): 21.35 million – "If They Could See Us Now"
11. Only Fools And Horses (BBC1, December 27 1996): 21.33 million – "Modern Men"
12. Only Fools And Horses (BBC1, December 25 1996): 21.31 million – "Heroes and Villains"
