Location, location, location. Not only is this phrase valid when talking about property sales, it is also key when writing comedy, it seems.
For countless British and Irish sitcoms are often firmly rooted in a single location. Be it a workplace, café or restaurant, most comedies have a focal point we all recognise, even years later.
In most cases, this is a house. The central location for some of the greatest gags in TV history have taken place in the home of the main character, or one of the series sidekicks.
But where are these houses in real life? Do they exist, or are they merely sets, created to fool us, the hapless viewer? We decided to hunt down some notable - and often nostalgic - locations from comedy old and new, to find out where the settings for many of the laughs actually are.
Google Street View was our tool, and we found lots of iconic locations for you to have a look around without bothering anyone when taking a sneaky selfie...
However, be warned, it seems a number of locations are - rather suspiciously in our view - not available on Street view, including locations featured in The Young Ones and Absolutely Fabulous. But we didn't let that stop us - we found plenty more.
Click through to see the famous sitcom locations we found on Google Street View...
5. The Good Life: Tom and Barbara Good famously embarked on their bid for self-reliance at a semi-detached home in Surbiton (which is near Kingston, in south west London). However, the property used for exterior shots of their home was, in fact, not in Surbiton, but in Northwood, not far from Watford.
Tom and Barbara Good famously embarked on their bid for self-reliance at a semi-detached home in Surbiton (which is near Kingston, in south west London). However, the property used for exterior shots of their home was, in fact, not in Surbiton, but in Northwood, not far from Watford. | Google/BBC Photo: Google/BBC
6. Keeping Up Appearances: Notoriously houseproud Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced boo-kay, of course) lived in a bungalow with husband, Richard. While the interior scenes were filmed on a set, external shots of their home used a property in Heather Road, Binley Woods - which has now changed a bit. Would Hyacinth have approved?
Notoriously houseproud Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced boo-kay, of course) lived in a bungalow with husband, Richard. While the interior scenes were filmed on a set, external shots of their home used a property in Heather Road, Binley Woods - which has now changed a bit. Would Hyacinth have approved? | Google/BBC Photo: Google/BBC
7. One Foot in the Grave: Victor Meldrew is forever pottering around the house he shares with long-suffering wife, Margaret, getting in to one scrape or another. Well, grumpy Mr Meldrew's house can be found in Tresillian Way, Walkford, which is in Christchurch, Dorset.
Victor Meldrew is forever pottering around the house he shares with long-suffering wife, Margaret, getting into one scrape or another. Well, grumpy Mr Meldrew's house can be found in Tresillian Way, Walkford, which is in Christchurch, Dorset. | Google/BBC Photo: Google/BBC
8. Arkwright's shop in Open All Hours: Another location that while not a house, might as well be, as we are so at home there. Arkwright's shop - which sold everything it seems - is a true icon of comedy and is still there, so you can pop by on Street View. It is in Lister Avenue, in Balby, South Yorkshire.
Another location that while not a house, might as well be, as we are so at home there. Arkwright's shop - which sold everything it seems - is a true icon of comedy and is still there, so you can pop by on Street View. It is in Lister Avenue, in Balby, South Yorkshire. | Google/BBC Photo: Google/BBC