He was, without doubt, one of the most successful comic actors of his generation whose gags still make us roar with laughter today.

So, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Ronnie Barker is still Britain’s favourite comedian – nearly two decades after he died.

Catapulted into legendary status thanks to his inimitable role in The Two Ronnies, Barker is viewed favourably by 69 per cent of Brits.

His late co-star and fellow TV treasure Ronnie Corbett, famed for his comic timing, trademark thick-rimmed glasses and diminutive stature, ranks sixth.

The iconic duo worked together for four decades and enjoyed huge success with The Two Ronnies, which attracted up to 18million viewers in its heyday.

The league table of comedians comes from YouGov’s ratings collection, described as the ‘biggest and boldest attempt ever made to quantify what Britain thinks’. It is based on millions of responses from the public on topics ranging from opinions on David Attenborough to the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street, food and politics.

For this, pollsters asked the public what they thought of 82 comedians.

Popularity was classified as the percentage of people who had a positive opinion.

Barker comes joint-first alongside Bolton-born funnyman Peter Kay, who hailed the late comic as his ‘hero’.

Kay, mastermind of the early noughties comedy classic Phoenix Nights, is currently on a comeback stand-up tour across the UK.

Dawn French, creator of The Vicar of Dibley and half of French and Saunders, ranks joint-third, with a popularity rating of 67 per cent.

She ties with Bradley Walsh, whose frequent TV appearances from daytime quizzer The Chase to road trip adventures with his son Barney in Breaking Dad, have clearly warmed him to the hearts of the British public.

Sir Billy Connolly, 81, known for his witty and bizarre stand-up comedy routines and his varied acting career, rounds out the top five.

Favourite comics vary between generations, however.

For millennials, American Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane is their favourite, with his 73 per cent popularity rating.

Kay, Walsh and Ricky Gervais all score 71 per cent among younger adults, with Eddie Izzard in fifth at 66 per cent.

Generation Xers, on the other hand, put Barker first, with a rating of 84 per cent. He is followed by beloved comedy troupe Monty Python (74 per cent).

Barker again tops the list for Baby Boomers, with a 95 per cent popularity. Kay ranks second.

Porridge Star Richard Beckinsale comes third, with a popularity of 83 per cent.