“He said, ‘You remind me of a pepper pot.’ I said, ‘I’ll take that as a condiment’”

A top British pun (confusing “condiment” with “compliment”) has been cited in print since at least 2001:
 
“He said: ‘You remind me of a pepper pot’ I said: ‘I’ll take that as a condiment.’”
 
It’s uncertain who told the joke and when. British comedians such as Tommy Cooper (1921-1984), Tim Vine and Peter Kay have been credited.
   
 
Google Groups: alt.support.anxiety-panic
Puns - enjoy….
crazyjeyesy
1/25/01
(...)
This girl said, “You remind me of a pepper pot”. I said, “I`ll take that as a condiment”.
 
Google Groups: alt.uk.penpals
Some Funnies
Dazza
10/3/01
(...)
So I was having dinner with Garry Kasporov and there was a check tablecloth. It took him two hours to pass me the salt. He said “You remind me of a pepper-pot”, I said “I’ll take that as a condiment”.
   
4 December 2002, Belfast (Northern Ireland) News Letter, “Looking Down on Life” by Geoff Hill, pg. 8:
He said: “You remind me of a pepper pot”
I said: “I’ll take that as a condiment.”
 
Google Groups: alt.tasteless.jokes
Tim Vine & Tommy Cooper Jokes
Daio
3/11/02
(...)
So I was having dinner with Garry Kasporov and there was a checked tablecloth. It took him two hours to pass me the salt. He said “You remind me of a pepper-pot”, I said “I’ll take that as a condiment”.
   
6 August 2007, Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland), “Off the Record” by pat Roller, pg. 12:
She told me I looked like a pepper-pot. I said: “I’ll take that as a condiment.”
 
Twitter
Frank Howley
‏@FrankHowley
this chick said I reminded her of ketchup, and I was just like “I’ll take that as a condiment”.
12:09 AM - 29 Jul 2008
 
Twitter
Matthew Pennell
‏@matthewpennell
He said “You remind me of a pepper-pot”, I said “I’ll take that as a condiment”.
8:19 AM - 18 Nov 2008
 
Twitter
Bort Flancrest
‏@bortflancrest
Last night my wife told me that I remind her of mustard.  I said to her “I’ll take that as a condiment.”
6:52 PM - 5 Apr 2009
 
Google Books
The Mammoth Book of Really Silly Jokes
Edited by Geoff Tibballs
London: Constable & Robinson Ltd
2011
Pg. 373:
A girl said to her boyfriend, “You remind me of a pepper pot.” He said, “I’ll take that as a condiment.”
 
Google Books
More One Liners, Jokes and Gags
Compiled by Grant Tucker
London: Biteback Publishing
2013
Pg. ?:
My friend said to me, ‘You remind me of a pepper pot.’ I said, ‘I’ll take that as a condiment.’
 
Twitter
Tommy Cooper
‏@TheTommyCooper
This man said,  “you remind me of a pepper-pot”. I said “I’ll take that as a condiment”.
7:32 AM - 2 Dec 2016