In a new poll to mark the opening of the Monty Python musical Spamalot on Broadway, the Spanish Inquisition sketch has been named as the best.

Other well known Python lunacies including the Dead Parrot sketch (4th), the Lumberjack Song (7th) and the Argument Clinic (20th) are all present and correct, although one of my personal favourites, Self Defence Against Fruit, is not. Shame.

What? Still want to know more? I wasn't ready for all these questions! I didn't expect a sort of Spanish Inquisition!

(Pause. Wait for it.)

"No one expects the Spanish Inquisition! Surprise, that is our main weapon, that and fear! Two main weapons..." and so on.

The full list is as follows:

1. The Spanish Inquisition
2. Ministry Of Silly Walks
3. Guy De Loimbard’s Castle (from Holy Grail)
4. Dead Parrot
5. The Funniest Joke In The World
6. Fish-Slapping Dance
7. The Lumberjack Song
8. Nudge Nudge
9. Eric The Half A Bee
10. Stoning (from Life of Brian)
11. Crunchy Frog
12. Self Defence
13. Spam
14. Interesting People
15. Every Sperm Is Sacred (from Meaning Of Life)
16. The Visitors
17. Mrs Premise and Mrs Conclusion Visit Sartre
18. The Restaurant Sketch
19. Kilimanjaro Expedition
20. Argument Clinic