1. William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616): line given to Orlando in As You Like It.
2. John Wilkes (1725 –1797) in reply to John Montagu (1718 – 1792).
3. Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) in reply to Lewis Morris (1833 –1907).
4. Edith Sitwell (1887 – 1964) on Ethel Mannin (1900 – 1984).
5. F.E. Smith (1872 – 1930) in reply to J.H. Thomas (1874 – 1949).
6. Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965) in reply to Nancy Astor (1879 – 1964).
7. Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965), relieving himself in the House of Commons toilets, in reply to Aneurin Bevan (1897 – 1960).
8. Noel Coward (1899 – 1973) in reply to George Arliss (1848 – 1946).
9. Sir John Gielgud (1904 – 2000) on Ingrid Bergman (1915 – 1982).
10. Alan Bennett (1930 – ) on Arianna Stassinopoulos (later Huffington).
11. Jo Brand (1957 –) in reply to a heckler.
12. Stephen Fry (1957–)
13. Liam Gallagher (1972 –) on Victoria Beckham (1974 –).
Source: Great British Wit by Rosemarie Jarski.