We're not Gavin a laugh

ROB Brydon thinks the state of comedy on TV is no laughing matter.

- BY ED GLEAVE

The funnyman fears the days of the nation laughing together at the same show are over.

Gavin & Stacey pulled in a whopping 12million viewers for its finale last Christmas. Another nine million have watched it since.

As one of its stars, he was thrilled it did so well. But his joy is tainted slightly by the idea that it'll probably be the last time a comedy manages it.

Rob says: "Gavin & Stacey touched people. They felt such love for it.

"It got to them on an emotional level.

"What was special is that it got the whole family watching.

"But I don't know when the next time that will happen... a narrative comedy that everybody wants to watch at the same time.

"I can't see anything coming. Only Fools And Horses has gone and The Royle Family has gone."

TOUGHER

Comedy used to be big business for TV channels.

Ratings of 20million were a regular occurrence.