Comedian Dom Joly has made an emotional appeal after the giant mobile phone prop "which made him famous" has seemingly been stolen from a museum.

The roughly two-foot-long fake phone became an iconic piece of entertainment history after it was used in the smash-hit Channel 4 series, Trigger Happy TV, from 2000 to 2003.

The device featured in hilarious sketches filmed in public places, such as libraries, museums and popular tourist locations.

Pretending to answer the huge prop, Mr Joly would then shout at the top of his voice as if he was having a normal conversation, resulting in stunned comedic reactions from onlookers.

Millions of Brits went on to copy booming catchphrases, such as "Hello!, I'm in the library...", as mobile phones became an increasing part of everyday life.

Mr Joly, 57, said he had kept the prop for the past two decades in his home as a much-loved memento.

But now disaster has struck after the comedian said he agreed to loan it to a pop-up museum in Amsterdam, as part of a "history of the mobile phone" exhibition.

Speaking to the Sunday Express, Mr Joly said a few days later he received an email telling him his prized possession, which he said is surprisingly heavy, had been stolen.

"The phone is what I got famous for, it's not like I wander around with it, I've never used it for 20 years, but it's something that is part of my life", an emotional Mr Joly said.

"Why would someone nick it? It's sort of worth a lot, it's worth a lot to me, but it's sort of worth nothing.

"It's not like someone can sell it, maybe there is a black market for stolen comedy props, it's very weird.

"I can only imagine the guy from the museum has gone to the police and said, 'we're missing a massive phone?' and the police say, 'can you not call it?'."

CCTV supplied by the museum shows a man with his hood pulled up over his face walk into a room where the comedy phone is displayed on a pedestal at around 6.30am on February 19.

A spokesperson from the museum pop-up said police had been informed about the theft. The Sunday Express has approached officers in Amsterdam for comment.