Little Britain (TV series)

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For other uses, see Little Britain (TV series) (disambiguation).
Little Britain
File:Littlebritainvhscover.png
From left to right: Daffyd Thomas, Andy Pipkin (in wheelchair), Lou Todd and Emily Howard.
Created byDavid Walliams and Matt Lucas
StarringDavid Walliams
Matt Lucas
Tom Baker
Anthony Stewart Head
Paul Putner
Steve Furst
Charu Bala Chokshi
Joann Condon
Ruth Jones
No. of episodes21 (including Comic Relief special) as of 24 December 2005
Production
Running time30 mins
Original release
NetworkBBC
ReleaseSeptember 16, 2003 –
December 24, 2005

Little Britain is a BBC radio and television sketch show written by and starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams. The original series debuted on BBC Radio 4 in 2001, running for two short series of five and four half-hour episodes respectively.

In 2003, the show began as a television series on the BBC's digital-only channel BBC Three, running to 8 episodes. Most of the TV material was adapted from the original radio sketches, but there were also some original sketches featuring new recurring characters. Due to the success of the series, the first series was repeated on the mainstream channel BBC Two. Although reactions to the series were mixed, many critics were enthusiastic, and the show was commissioned for another series.

A second TV series featuring several new characters began on BBC 3 on October 19, 2004, and due to the show's popularity the scheduled repeat run was "promoted" to BBC One, starting on December 3, 2004, guaranteeing higher ratings. However, the repeat showing did not feature material from the original run deemed too offensive for the BBC 1 audience.

A compilation of sketches from the first radio series was released on CD, later followed by the complete first series. 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 that began in mid-March. In June–July 2004 BBC 7 broadcast the remaining four.

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A DVD of the first TV series was released in December 2004 in the UK, as well as a book: The Complete Scripts and That: Series One. In January 2005 a half-hour episode was specially commissioned and released on DVD in aid of the Comic Relief charity fundraising event. The episode featured guest appearances from Elton John, Robbie Williams, Simon Callow, Trisha Goddard and George Michael and was broadcast on 11 March 2005. Heat magazine reported in early 2005 that a request by 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 [1]. The 2005/2006 Tour is a stage show of Little Britain sketches playing at venues throughout the UK. Tickets quickly sold out.

On the October 10, 2005, waxworks of Lou and Andy were unveiled at Madame Tussaud's in London, after having been announced in July 2005, and cost in excess of £100,000 each. On the same day, a DVD of the second TV series was released.

A third series began on Thursday 17th November on BBC One, and ended on Christmas Eve six weeks later. It is unclear whether there will be a fourth series, as so many sketches were given dramatic twists and "wrapped up"; for example all the members of FatFighters left, the Prime Minister resigned and Carol Beer's computer finally said "yes". However, many other characters survived (including Daffyd, Anne, Lou and Andy, and Vicky Pollard) and Matt and David are reportedly in talks for a fourth series with the BBC; furthermore, they admitted in a recent interview that they preferred to "kill off" certain characters in order to make way for new ones.

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The show is aired in the United States by BBC America [2], in Canada by BBC Canada, in Australia by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, in Sweden by SVT, in The Netherlands on Nederland 3 by VPRO [3], in Finland by SubTV, and in Norway by NRK.

The name is a modification of the terms 'Little England' and 'Great Britain'.

The sketches

The format of the show is based around short sketches featuring familiar characters, linked by voiceovers from Tom Baker (most famous as the Fourth Doctor on Doctor Who). These voiceovers take a wry look at Britain, with comically absurd statements on the nature of Britain (e.g. "Britain ... we've had running water for over 10 years and we invented the cat"; "unlike other countries, Britain has people of two genders; male and female")

The cast

  • Matt Lucas: Vicky Pollard, Marjorie Dawes, Andy Pipkin, Daffyd Thomas, Kenny Craig, Jeremy Rent, Florence, Dr. Lawrence, Roy, Bubbles, Ting Tong (it's actully Tong Ting), Dame Sally Markham, Judy Pike, Sir Bernard Chumley, Mr. Cleeves, Harvey Pincher's father, Orville, Gary, Don, Mrs. Fry, Neville, others
  • David Walliams: Emily Howard, Sebastian Love, Lou Todd, Ray McCooney, Anne, Mr. Mann, Harvey Pincher, Carol Beer, Des Kaye, Miss Grace, Desiree, Mrs. Emery, Maggie Blackamore, Linda Flint, Dudley, Sid Pegg, Sir Norman Fry, Dennis Waterman, April, Piano Player, Posh Diner, Boris The Creepy Babysitter, others

Other cast:

Guest appearances

Since its debut on television, Little Britain has featured guest appearances from celebrities such as Vanessa Feltz, Mollie Sugden, Robbie Williams, Elton John, George Michael, Cat Deeley, Simon Callow, David Soul, Christian Coulson, Keith Harris, Paul Daniels, Debbie McGee, Caroline Quentin, Mark Gatiss, Richard Madeley, Judy Finnigan, Derek Martin, Nigel Havers, Trisha Goddard, Jon Culshaw, Imelda Staunton, David Baddiel and Jamie Theakston.

Major Characters

Main article: Little Britain characters
File:Lou and Andy.jpg
Lou and Andy
File:Marjorie Daws1 copy.jpg
Marjorie Dawes "Dust is low in fat"
  • Dame Sally Markham – an eldely romantic novelist who's short on ideas (Series 1)
  • Kenny Craig – a stage hypnotist, who uses his technique to his advantage (Series 1-2, Series 3 Deleted Scene)
  • Dennis Waterman – a miniscule out of work actor who always wants to write and sing new theme tunes (Series 1-2)
  • Sir Bernard Chumley – a sinister actor who keeps his invalid sister Kitty locked away, noted for wearing a range of very obvious toupees (Series 1)
  • Gary and Jason – Gary is completley oblivious to the fact that his best mate Jaso is completley head over heels in love with his grandma (Series 1, Series 2 Deleted Scene)
  • Mr Mann, Roy and Margeret – Mr Mann asks for bizarre things in Roy’s shop (Series 1-3)
  • Bubbles DeVere – overweight woman who has spent months at a spa without paying her bill and dodging the management (Series 2-3)
  • Carol Beer – bank worker (then travel agent) who talks to her computer, usually stating "Computer says no." (Series 2-3)
  • Harvey Pincher – a soon-to-be married upper class man, who shocks outsiders of hs family by his unusual habit - he is still breast fed! (Series 2)
File:Vicki Pollard1 copy.jpg
Vicky Pollard sniffing Pritt Stick
  • Roman and Desiree DeVere – Bubbles’ ex-husband and his new lover (Series 3)
  • 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. (Series 2-3)
  • Mrs. Emery - Incontinent elderly woman (Series 3)
  • Sir Norman Fry - MP often found in compromising situations (Series 3)
  • Letty Bell - Frog-obsessed elderly woman (Series 3)
  • Sid Pegg - Neighbourhood Watch leader (Series 3)

Trivia

  • There were two April and Neville sketches, two Peter Andre sketches and a number of Mr. Cleeves and Piano Player sketches removed from Series 1.
  • 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, yobs shout abuse at them in the park. Andy snaps and beats them up when they shout "Oi, Davros!" - Davros is the creator of the Daleks in Doctor Who, which is another nod to the classic series.
  • Matthew Waterhouse is named after the actor who played Adric, one of the companions of the Fourth and Fifth Doctor's on Doctor Who
  • One of the Judy & Maggie (Women's Institute) sketches in Series 2 features actor Paul Darrow as a Conservative MP. Darrow played Avon in Blake's 7 as well roles in the Doctor Who stories The Silurians and Timelash.
  • In the pilot Matthew Waterhouse sketches his agent was named "Sir Michael Craze", an allusion to the Michael Craze who played Ben Jackson, a companion to William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton (the first and second doctors respectively in 'Doctor Who'). The name reappeared in a sketch for the character Matthew Waterhouse, in which it was the name of the play producer to which he pitched ideas for various musicals.
  • The characters 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, they announced that they will do a Christmas special of the programme in 2006.

See also

External links

Official sites

Wikiquote has quotations related to Little Britain (TV series).

Unofficial sites

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