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Little Britain is a character-based BBC radio and television sketch show written by and starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams. Its title is an amalgamation of the terms 'Little England' and 'Great Britain'. It made its debut on BBC Radio 4 in 2001, running for two short series of five and four half-hour episodes respectively. In 2003, it transferred to television, with an eight-episode series on the BBC's digital-only channel BBC Three. Two more series, of six episodes each, have followed since. The programme will return for a 2006 Christmas special 'Visit Little Britain Off've the Telly' BBC Radio 1. URL accessed 3 July, 2006 and Lucas and Walliams continue to deny press speculation that the third series would be the last.Little Britain TV Series Four DavidWalliamsFans.com. URL accessed 3 July, 2006 Indeed the BBC regard the series so far as a success, further securing its future.'BBC Statements of Programme Policy 2006/2007' BBC, URL Accessed 3 July, 2006

Background

Most of the TV material was adapted from the radio version, but some new sketches featured recurring characters. Due to its success, the first television series was repeated on the mainstream channel BBC Two. Although reactions to it were mixed, many critics were enthusiastic, and the show was commissioned for another run.

The second TV series, featuring several new characters, began on BBC Three October 19, 2004. Because of its popularity, the scheduled repeats were "promoted" to BBC One, starting December 3 2004, which guaranteed higher ratings. However, this showing did not feature material from the original run that was deemed too offensive for the BBC One audience.

A third series began on Thursday 17 November 2005 on BBC One, and ended six weeks later. After its transmission, it was unclear whether there would be another, as so many sketches were given dramatic twists and "wrapped up" — see individual character articles for examples. Lucas and Walliams are reportedly in talks for a fourth series with the BBC. Furthermore, they admitted in a recent interview they preferred to "kill off" certain characters in order to make way for new ones.

Radio 4 began a rerun of all nine episodes in February 2004. Unusually, this overlapped with a rerun on digital radio channel BBC 7 of the first five, which began in mid-March. In June–July 2004, BBC 7 broadcast the remaining four.

Overseas

The show is aired in Continental Europe and Scandinavia on BBC Prime, in the United States by BBC America in Canada by BBC Canada and Showcase Television, in Australia by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, in New Zealand by C4 (Channel 4, of CanWest), in Sweden by SVT, in Ireland by BBC and RTÉ, in The Netherlands on Nederland 3 by VPRO Finland by SubTV, in Norway by NRK, in the United Arab Emirates, in India, Pakistan & Malaysia by Star World, in Belgium on Canvas TV Station, in Italy by Jimmy, in Austria on ORF1, in Israel by Yes [http://www.yes.co.il" target="_blank" >* and in Switzerland by SF DRS, in Singapore by Arts Central.

Style and content

Little Britain utilises vulgar, 'lowest denominator' comedy, albeit with societal truisms embedded within it, and this is especially evident during the second and third series. It plays heavily on memorable catchphrases that have become ingrained in playgrounds and offices around the UK.

The format of the show is a compilation of short sketches featuring familiar characters, linked by narration from Tom Baker (most famous as the Fourth Doctor on Doctor Who). The voiceovers take a wry look at Britain, with comically absurd statements on the nation's character, such as, "Britain ... We've had running water for over 10 years and we invented the cat" or, "Unlike other countries, Britain has people of two genders: male and female."

Criticism

However, the most recent series have been not without their critics, who have been particularly vociferous at the perceived treatment of minority groups. For example, Johann Hari, writing in The Independent, stated:
"Little Britain has been a vehicle for two rich kids to make themselves into multi-millionaires by mocking the weakest people in Britain. Their targets are almost invariably the easiest, cheapest groups to mock: the disabled, poor, elderly, gay or fat. In one fell swoop, they have demolished protections against mocking the weak that took decades to build up." Independent Online Edition: Why I Hate Little Britain URL accessed 3 July, 2006

Similarly, Fergus Sheppard, writing in The Scotsman, had this to say:

"The latest series of the hit BBC comedy Little Britain may be hauling in record viewing figures, but it has also sparked a previously unthinkable chorus of criticism, with claims that the show has lost its way, trading early ingenuity for swelling amounts of toilet humour in the search for cheap laughs, and becoming increasingly offensive." Scotsman.com: Little Britain's in trouble... no buts about it URL accessed 3 July, 2006

The cast

  • Matt Lucas and David Walliams play all the main characters in the show.

Other cast:

Guest appearances

Since its debut on television, Little Britain has featured guest appearances from celebrities and television personalities, the most prominent of these being Anthony Head as the Prime Minister.

As themselves

As characters
Simon Callow, Christian Coulson, Mark Gatiss, Nigel Havers, Jon Culshaw, Imelda Staunton, David Baddiel, Indira Varma , Jamie Theakston and Siobhan Hayes.

Major characters

  • Fred 'Florence' Rose: Emily's moustachioed companion, who can be similarly described. (Series 2–3)
    • Maggie Blackamoor: an upper-class Conservative, accompanied by her friend Judy Pike — she is very picky about what she eats, or more specifically, who prepares it (Series 2–3)
  • Sebastian Love: smitten aide of the Prime Minister — woe betide anyone who comes between them
  • Anne & Dr. Lawrence: part-time mental health patient and her caregiver. Anne frequently has deranged outbursts, though she has occasional moments of lucidity.
  • Dame Sally Markham: an elderly romantic novelist who's short on ideas (Series 1)
  • Kenny Craig: a stage hypnotist, who tries to use his technique to personal advantage (Series 1–2, Series 3 deleted scene)
  • Dennis Waterman: a minuscule out-of-work actor (a caricature of his real-life namesake), who always wants to "write the theme tune, sing the theme tune" (Series 1–2)
  • Mr. Cleeves: a school teacher who instructs his students on eccentric and random subjects, and constantly makes life difficult for them (Series 1)
  • Sir Bernard Chumley: a sinister former actor who keeps his invalid sister, Kitty, locked away. He is noted for wearing a range of very obvious toupées (Series 1)
  • Gary and Jason: Jason is head-over-heels in love with Gary's grandmother — a fact to which Gary is completely oblivious, even though they are best mates (Series 1, Series 2 deleted scene)
  • Mr Mann, Roy, and Margaret: Mr Mann always visits Roy's shop to buy an impossibly exact item, for which Roy has to ask Margaret (who is never seen but apparently limbless)
  • Bubbles DeVere: overweight woman who has spent months at a spa without paying her bill, usually by dodging the management (Series 2–3)
  • Mr. Hutton: Hill Grange Health Spa owner who is constantly chasing Bubbles for debts owed (Series 2)
  • Roman and Desiree DeVere: Bubbles' ex-husband and his new lover (Series 3)
  • Gita: Member of staff at Hill Grange, played by Yuki Kushida
    • Carol Beer: listless bank worker (then travel agent) who processes customers' requests on her computer, usually responding flatly, "Computer says no..." (Series 2–3)
  • Harvey Pincher: a soon-to-be-married upper-class man, who shocks outsiders of his family by his unusual habit — he is still breast fed (Series 2)
  • Dudley Punt and Ting Tong Macadangdang: middle-aged man and his awkward, mail-order Thai wife (Series 3)
  • Linda Flint: a university counsellor who insults students on some aspect of their appearance (Series 2–3)
  • Mrs Emery: Severely incontinent, elderly woman (Series 3). The name is a reference to Dick Emery
  • Sir Norman Fry MP: always apologising to the media over being found in a compromising situation (Series 3)
  • Sid Pegg: zealous Neighbour Watch leader (Series 3)

Trivia

Doctor Who

There are many references to the popular science-fiction series:
  • In Jeremy Rent's Office in the pilot episode, you can see a picture of Tom Baker (the show's narrator) in his Fourth Doctor costume on the wall.
  • In an Andy and Lou sketch from Series 2, some yobs shout abuse at them in the park. Andy snaps and beats them up when they shout, "Oi, Davros!" — Davros is the (similarly wheelchair-bound) creator of the Daleks.
  • Matthew Waterhouse is named after the actor who played Adric, one of the companions of the Fourth and Fifth Doctors.
  • One of the Judy & Maggie (Women's Institute) sketches in Series 2 features actor Paul Darrow as a Conservative MP. He played Avon in Blake's 7, as well as roles in the Doctor Who stories "Doctor Who and the Silurians" and "Timelash".
  • In the pilot's Dennis Waterman sketches, his agent was named "Sir Michael Craze", an allusion to Michael Craze, who played Ben Jackson, a companion to William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton (the First and Second Doctor, respectively). The name reappeared in a sketch for the Matthew Waterhouse character, in which it was identity of the play producer to whom he pitched ideas for various musicals.
  • One of Tom Baker's narrations refers directly to Doctor Who (and Blackadder — another TV series in which he appeared) when discussing popular video rentals in season one.

Other

  • Lou and Andy are the only characters to appear in every single episode of the show (including the Comic Relief special), Marjorie Dawes is in second place: she appears throughout the recurring series.
  • Several sketches were removed from Series 1. Two featured April and Neville, another pair included the Peter Andre character, while also excised were some in which Mr Cleeves and the Piano Player appeared.
  • Lou and Andy are named after Lou Reed and Andy Warhol.
  • Jamie Theakston appeared in Series 2 after he worked with Lucas and Walliams on Rock Profile.
  • On "Little Britain Night" on BBC Three, the duo announced that they will do a Christmas special of the programme in 2006.
  • In Series 3, there is an homage to One Foot in the Grave and its character Victor Meldrew when Bubbles De Vere says the popular catchphrase, "I don't believe it!", as her first line in the series.
  • On October 10, 2005, waxworks of Lou and Andy were unveiled at Madame Tussaud's in London, having been announced three months earlier, and cost in excess of £100,000 each. This event tied in with the DVD release of the second TV series.
  • In 2005, Heat magazine reported that a request by the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to appear in one of the sketches was turned down, with Walliams and Lucas stating that they did not want to be seen as supporting any particular political party in the run-up to the general election *.

CDs

  • The complete radio series (along with much supplemental material, including the pilot show), was released on 7 November 2005 as Little Britain... on Radio (ISBN 0563504145).
  • Subsequently issued were:
    • Little Britain: Best of TV Series 1, 3 October 2005, ISBN 0563504951
    • Little Britain: Best of TV Series 2, 3 October 2005, ISBN 0563504951
    • Little Britain: Best of TV Series 3, 1 May 2006, ISBN 0563504285

DVDs

Books

  • Little Britain: The Complete Scripts and Stuff: Series One, 20 September 2004, ISBN 0007193025
  • Little Britain: The Complete Scripts and Stuff: Series Two, 3 October 2005, ISBN 0007198728

Stage show

See Little Britain Live

The 2005–06 Tour is a stage show of Little Britain sketches that played at venues throughout the UK. Tickets quickly sold out.

See also

References

External links

Official sites

Episode guides

Other related sites

BBC television programmes | British cultural icons | Little Britain | UKTV programmes

Little Britain | Little Britain | Little Britain | Pikku-Britannia | Little Britain

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Little Britain".

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