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Last Updated: Friday, 19 March, 2004, 12:24 GMT

Blackadder named best TV finale

Sitcom Blackadder Goes Forth ended on a serious note The poignant finale of sitcom Blackadder has been voted the best farewell episode of a TV series. The closing episode of Blackadder Goes Forth - which saw the cast go into battle in World War I - won 23% of the vote in the poll for cable firm NTL.

It narrowly beat The Office, which took second place with 22%. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was third with 17%.

Some 4,675 people were questioned to mark the end of long-running US shows Friends, Frasier and Sex and the City.

TOP 10 TV ENDINGS
1. Blackadder Goes Forth
2. The Office
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
4. Cold Feet
5. Dallas
6. Mash
7. Cheers
8. Inspector Morse
9. The Young Ones
10. Ally McBeal
Source: NTL

Sitcoms feature heavily in the poll - with Mash, Cheers and The Young Ones appearing in the top 10.

Comedy dramas Cold Feet and Ally McBeal also feature alongside 1980s family saga Dallas - with Inspector Morse appearing as the only serious drama in the poll.

NTL’s director of TV David Thatcher said the survey proved "TV viewers are more able to bond with comedy characters".

He also said the UK public should be "very proud about the performance of our home-grown TV programmes".

"Despite the massive hype surrounding the success of US comedy in the UK, almost 50% of the votes cast went to the top two programmes."