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It's long been established that the British are a funny bunch, but just who is the funniest of them all? This summer ´óÏó´«Ã½ Entertainment posed the question to its viewers in the Nordic region and gave them the chance to determine which famous comedy face should receive the ultimate accolade of 'Britain's Funniest Comedian'.

Faced with the choice from a star studded comedy line up which included John Cleese, Rowan Atkinson and Ricky Gervais, over 5,500 votes were cast via the channel's website this summer ().

Competition was fierce but there could only be one winner. With 30% of the vote, the honourable title of ‘Britain’s Funniest Comedian’ was awarded to Stephen Fry in a comedy blaze of glory yesterday with an entire evening dedicated to the victorious funny man on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Entertainment .

Commenting on his victory, Stephen Fry said: "To all my Scandiwegian friends. I cannot tell you how touched I am to have been named a favourite comedian by the Nordic viewers of the ´óÏó´«Ã½.

"It always pleased P. G. Wodehouse that he was so incredibly popular in Scandinavia, and I know just how he feels. Despite the reputation of some of the gloomier film-makers and playwrights from the wonderful north, I have always found humour and delight in language and the ability "to play gracefully with ideas" as Oscar Wilde put it, to be something that has always been appreciated up where the aurora borealis dances and the fjords twinkle.

He continued: "Seriously I am just so honoured and delighted. I have more than a proportional share of close twitter friends and followers from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

"Thank you for honouring me. Thank you for watching and I shall do my very best to visit as soon as I'm free. My special love and thoughts, of course, go to those in Norway who have recently been through such a terrible, terrible ordeal. It looks though that as so often is the case, the worst has brought out the best. Love and thanks."

Comic genius Stephen Fry is a writer, actor, author, director and quiz show host. His TV comedy shows include A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Blackadder, Absolute Power and comedy quiz show QI. Viewers of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Entertainment can catch Stephen and the latest series of QI every Monday to Thursday at 22.45 CET.

Tune in to find a host of other comedy greats on the channel every weeknight from 22.00 CET.

Louise Loffel