A new survey by British broadband supplier Plusnet has revealed that 44% of us Brits are most proud of Mr. Blackadder himself Rowan Atkinson (when polled against other great British comedic greats).

When asked to name the comedian they were most proud of, Rowan came out tops, followed by Python John Cleese with over a third of the votes.

Although news of Monty Python’s return after a 39 year break is music to many comedy fans’ ears, new research from home phone and broadband provider, Plusnet, reveals it is Blackadder star Rowan Atkinson who springs to mind when it comes to acts to be proud of.

Despite sell-out tours and multi million selling DVDs, big names in modern comedy do not rate as highly as their more established counterparts, with Ricky Gervais receiving just 16% of the vote, missing out on the top five by a clear 10%.

The news comes as Plusnet looks at British traits the public is most proud of, with 68% saying they take most pride in the British sense of humour. This rates significantly higher with men than women, with 42% of men saying they feel very proud of our wit compared to 32% of women.

The top five comedians Brits are most proud of are:

1.      Rowan Atkinson (44%)
2.      John Cleese (39%)
3.      Stephen Fry (39%)
4.      Billy Connelly (34%)
5.      Hugh Laurie (26%)

Nick Rawlings, Commercial Director at Plusnet commented, “We know how popular streaming and downloading classic content is, and with today’s technology offering so many different ways of enjoying our favourite comedians, it is no surprise that the nation’s funny-men can divide opinion. It is interesting to see that the entertainers we’re most proud of are of a certain vintage, proving that the newest generation still have a thing or two to learn!

“Plusnet is proud to offer great value home phone and broadband packages, allowing our customers to stream their favourite comedies today, regardless of how vintage the clips may be.”