Hill was a prominent figure in British culture for nearly four decades. His show proved to be one of the great success stories of television comedy and was among the most-watched programmes in the UK, with the audience peaking at more than 21 million in 1971.[2] The Benny Hill Show was also exported to half the countries around the world.[3] He received a BAFTA Television Award for Best Writer, a Rose d'Or, and was nominated for the BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance and two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Variety. In 2006, Hill was voted by the British public number 17 in ITV's poll of TV's 50 Greatest Stars.[4]