I think British comedy has a much broader base to work from - it goes from the absurdist Monty Python or Spike Milligan stuff to the situational (the office, IT

I think British comedy has a much broader base to work from - it goes from the absurdist Monty Python or Spike Milligan stuff to the situational (the office, IT crowd) to the dark and cutting (In Bruges, The League of Gentlemen) to the clever and witty (Spaced, The Thick Of It, Red Dwarf). There's a huge variety of British comedy which I think is what makes it appeal to a lot of different audiences.