Basil and Del Boy in best sitcom battle

Fawlty Towers and Only Fools and Horses today emerged as the clear favourites to win the title of Britain’s best ever sitcom.

The hilarious antics of Basil Fawlty, the short-tempered manager of a shambolically run hotel in Torquay, was named the favourite to win the public vote by bookmakers Ladbrokes, closely followed by the wheeler-dealer brothers from Peckham.