"Father Ted" picks up three comedy awards

"I USED to hire out a tuxedo but now I've gone and bought one," said Father Ted co writer, Graham Linehan, yesterday, referring to the show's magnet like properties when it comes to winning awards.

At Saturday night's British Comedy awards the show picked up three honours - Dermot Morgan and Pauline McLynn won top TV comedy actor and actress respectively and Linehan and writing partner, Arthur Matthews, won the best Channel 4 sit com award to go along with the Baftas they won earlier this year.

The pair also narrowly missed out on an Emmy award in New York earlier last week when they were pipped by one vote by Wallace and Gromit in the "Best International Comedy" section.

"With Dylan Moran winning the Perrier this year, Ardal (O'Hanlon) doing so well with his stand up, Dave Allen winning the lifetime achievement in the comedy award at Saturday's ceremony and Father Ted winning more awards, it's a great time for Irish comedy," said Linehan (27), from Castleknock, Dublin.

He was particularly pleased with Pauline McLynn's award. "I suppose we'll have to give the character of Mrs Doyle more to do now. She was originally brought in just to say `Go on' over and over again," he said, before firmly dismissing rumours that Ardal O'Hanlon is set to leave the show and that he and Matthews will kill it off after the next series.

"At the moment we're just really concerned about the one hour Father Ted special that will go out on Channel 4 over Christmas. Then there will be a bit of a break before we write the third series which will be screened next year. Depending on how easy that is to write we'll do more series. It's a bizarre show and it makes up its own rules."

It was a jubilant Father Ted table at the awards ceremony, which was hosted by Jonathan Ross, despite the absence of Ardal O'Hanlon who was in the middle of a British tour. Linehan and Matthews shared their best Channel 4 sit com award with the show's director, Declan Lowney, and producer, Lissa Evans. They also had a small share in the award for BBC 2's The Fast Show to which they contribute regularly.

Linehan's and Matthews' three idiotic priests and pre feminist housekeeper have now become the second most watched programme on Channel 4 after Brookside and a multitude of catch phrases thrown up by the show has now entered common usage.

Another Irish win was Caroline Ahearne - alias Mrs Merton - who won the top female comedy performer award. English comic Eddy Izzard won the best standup comedy award.