The British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Entertainment Programme or Series was first presented at the 1981 ceremony. According to British Academy of Film and Television Arts the category "includes programmes that capture the idea of comedy being central to the editorial of the programme and includes panel-led shows, chat shows where comic content plays a big part, stand-up and comedy clip shows". Since the 2000 BAFTA TV Award ceremony there has been a separate award category for Best Situation Comedy. This category had previously been presented from 1973-1980 (when there was no Best Comedy Series award). Throughout the 1980s and 1990s 'Situation Comedies' were included in the Best Comedy Programme or Series category. Name variations for this category:

Winners and nominees

1960s

Best Comedy Series

1980s

Best Comedy Series

1990s

Best Comedy Series Best Comedy Programme or Series

2000s

Best Comedy Programme or Series

2010s

Best Comedy Programme or Series Best Comedy Entertainment Programme

2020s

Note: In BAFTA production categories, entrants are asked to submit no more than four names to be listed as nominees should the programme be nominated. If it is not possible to decide on four names the nomination credit is listed as "production team", in these cases no individual can refer to themselves as BAFTA winning. It will be the programme that is BAFTA winning, not any individual.