A Very British Television Thread

alan.murrie · #41 10-16-2004, 06:15 AM

This late nineties show was "brilliant"! Paul Whitehouse who was previously known for his great collaborations with Harry Enfield, co-wrote and starred in this hilarious sketch show. IMO it was far better than Harry Enfield's show and featured some great talents like Charlie Higson, Simon Day, Caroline Hook (now Aherne), Mark Williams, and Cold Feet's John Thompson.

My personal favourite character was from the early episodes, where Mark Williams played a really shifty-looking guy trying to be 'inconspicuous'. I always remember the scene...

In a police station. The portly desk sergeant appears busy and does not acknowledge Mark's character's presence.

Mark: Oi! Captain! Oi...chumpy! Oi...cocker chumpy!

Eventually the officer comes to the desk...

Mark: (Calmly) You ain't seen me...roight!

Priceless! Did anyone else like this show?

Karyn · #42 10-16-2004, 01:30 PM

French and Saunders - Excellent, lovely to see them back on TV together for a new series it's been a while, nice to see Liza Tarbuck with them too

**Marty** · #43 10-17-2004, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by alison
more kids programmes:

PLAY AWAY

HANDFULL OF SONGS

W.D.Y [why don't you....]

BANNANA SPLITS

A typical rundown of a morning on BBC1 during the school holidays, bet no-one remembers these.

Flashing Blade
Robinson Crusoe
White Horses

Karyn · #44 10-17-2004, 01:42 AM

Robinson Crusoe and White Horses - I can even remember the signature tune of White Horses! Now I am going to have that in my head all day!

Do you remember Belle & Sebastian and Heidi

Set Avatar · #45 10-17-2004, 06:50 AM

i remember Robinson Crusoe, but not the other two

what about Stig of the Dump

**Marty** · #46 10-17-2004, 08:23 AM

We Got a Handful Of Songs To Sing You
Can't Stop Our Voice Cos It Longs To Bring You
New Songs & Blue Songs
And Songs To Bring You
Happiness, No More No Less....

Did Robinson ever get off that bloody island btw?

White Horses, i've been trying to find the theme for that for years, thought I got it on a compilation tape once, but it turned out to be the theme to "Follyfoot" now I bet no-one remembers that one...The Lightning Tree...

Another one I remembered today was the original Tomorrow People..god I wish I had one of those Jaunting belts.

Karyn · #47 10-17-2004, 11:30 AM

remember Follyfoot - I used to be horse mad when I was younger! I also had a crush on the guy in it - can't remember his name now, but he used to be quite a sex symbol!

Down in the meadow where the wind blows free,
In the middle of a field stands a lightning tree.
It’s limbs all torn from the day it was born
For the tree was born in a thunderstorm.

Grow, grow, the lightning tree,
It’s never too late for you and me;
Grow, grow, the lightning tree,
Never give in too easily.

Down in the meadow where the wind blows light,
The lightning struck in the middle of the night.
Limbs stripped bare by the lightning flare
The lightning flare was a wild affair.

Grow, grow, the lightning tree,
It’s never too late for you and me;
Grow, grow, the lightning tree,
Never give in too easily.

Down in the meadow where the wind blows cold,
The lightning tree stands stiff and old.
Branches bent when the lightning rent
The lightning rent from the firmament.

Grow, grow, the lightning tree,
It’s never too late for you and me;
Grow, grow, the lightning tree,
Never give in too easily.

Down in the meadow with the wind in the west,
The lightning tree faced up to the test.
Its heart went snap when it took the rap,
the terrible rap of the thunder clap.

Grow, grow, the lightning tree,
It’s never too late for you and me;
Grow, grow, the lightning tree,
Never give in too easily.

Down in the meadow when the wind blows free,
A whispering breeze in the lightning tree.
Dreams come true if you want them to
If you want them to, then it’s up to you.

Grow, grow, the lightning tree,
Never give in too easily.
Grow, grow, the lightning tree,
It’s never too late for you and me.

Grow, grow, the lightning tree,
Never give in too easily.
Grow, grow, the lightning tree,
It’s never too late for you and me.

**Marty** · #48 10-17-2004, 11:58 AM

now I don't suppose your talking about Arthur English (remember the guy from the warehouse in Are You Being Served) so you must be talking about that breaker of hearts Steve Hodson who luckily enough played "Steve", you know that early episodes of Follyfoot were directed by the late David Hemmings of Blow Up fame.

Karyn · #49 10-17-2004, 12:17 PM

Why Marty now you know my taste in men, of course I meant Arthur English! But Steve Hodson wasn't so bad either!

I used to read the Follyfoot Farm books, written by Monica Dickens if I remember correctly. David Hemmings, now he was gorgeous as well mmmmmm

Do you remember "The Liver Birds", now that is one show that really brings back memories for me, Nerys Hughes and Polly ?, it was brilliant, I used to try and dress like Nerys Hughes, but I must have been all of 12! Or younger

(Hopefully not older

), I can't remember when it ran.

White Horses sung by Jacky Lee (I have been singing it all day thanks very much

now you can!)

White Horses
Originally performed by Jackie Lee (Jackie).

On white horses let me ride away
To my world of dreams so far away
Let me run
To the sun

To a world my heart can understand
It's a warm and gentle wonder land
Far away
Stars away

Where the clouds are made of candyfloss
As the day's born
When the stars are gone
We'll race to meet the dawn

So when I can only see the grey
Of a sad and very lonely day
That's when I
Softly sigh
On white horses
Snowy white horses
Let me ride away

Oh and Marty, if you want to buy a cd with this song on still, check this out http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00012SZ9K/qid=1098045792/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_11_1/202-7081346-0328660

Set Avatar · #50 10-18-2004, 10:38 AM

Marty and Karyn are showing their ages now.....

Karyn · #51 10-18-2004, 12:11 PM

Alison, Alison it's all lies, I don't really remember!!! I don't really have personal knowledge of these TV shows! I am not really that old -am I!

Leanne · #52 10-18-2004, 02:22 PM

I've just got to big up Early Doors. It was on BBC TWO tonight and I think it's one of the best programmes on television right now. It's a 30 minute comedy, with no studio audience, (and no canned laughter, of course), and it's set in a seedy Manchester pub. The action never leaves the pub, and it has a very claustrophobic feel. The landlord, (on the left in the pic below), isn't exactly God's gift to women in the looks department, but he's just so sweet that you'd kind of understand why the barmaid, Tanya, fancies him so much. His kindness is so subtle and it comes from caring for those around him.

There was plenty of action in the men's toilets tonight. The bad-tempered old man had moved his table in there because there was too much noise in the 21st party. And the poor young man who was trying to get away from the pub bore went into the toilets to get away from him and he followed him in and kept talking while he was having a wee

and the grumpy old man was still sitting there eating his pie.

I was laughing and crying all at the same time and that's a sign of a good comedy for me. It's ace and I could write pages and pages about it, but you would probably want to go to the toilet to get away from me.

**Marty** · #53 10-20-2004, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Karyn
Alison, Alison it's all lies, I don't really remember!!! I don't really have personal knowledge of these TV shows! I am not really that old -am I!

Don't let her fool you Karyn, Alison remembers all those shows too, bet she even bought "Look In" in her time as well as sitting glued to "Shang A Lang".

Quote:

Originally posted by Karyn
Do you remember "The Liver Birds", now that is one show that really brings back memories for me, Nerys Hughes and Polly ?, it was brilliant, I used to try and dress like Nerys Hughes, but I must have been all of 12! Or younger (Hopefully not older ), I can't remember when it ran.

Memories of The Liver Birds, considered quite risque in it's day, Bergerac as Nerys's boyfriend, with the worst scouse accent on telly until "Acccccccccrington Stanley, Ooooh Ar They?", "Egggsacccctleeee", Mollie Sugden played the mum too, I have vague memories of the Polly years, but I remember more when that one who run the pub in Emmerdale was in it as part of a family of ne'er do wells named The Boswells, The dad was a bus driver who used his Merseyside Transport Bus as a personal taxi service, and of course the brilliant Michael Angelis (Chrissie from Boys From The Blackstuff) played the rabbit obsessed brother Lucian. The scene I always remember was Lucian attempting suicide by jumping from the roof of "Lewis's" dept. store (someone had nicked his rabbits) and Sandra coming to the rescue by getting the whole of Liverpool to sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" to make him reconsider.

**Marty** · #54 10-20-2004, 05:00 AM

Polly James. Just remembered the name, when the show came back a couple of years ago, went to watch them set up at New Brighton, in the freezing cold and pouring rain, that district nurse one has some real Stevadorish language in her vocabulary by the way..

Karyn · #55 10-20-2004, 05:02 AM

I loved Polly James, she was my favourite Liver Bird - what happened to her anyway?

Karyn · #56 10-20-2004, 08:36 AM

Remember "Softly, Softly", "Dixon of Dock Green" and "Z Cars"? Bet you are all too young!

Set Avatar · #57 10-20-2004, 11:11 AM

shang a lang

how on earth would i remember that marty? but i do know someone who was in the audience once [what a claim to fame]

Karyn and Marty keep the programmes you list to this century please

Set Avatar · #58 10-20-2004, 01:04 PM

The" Brittas Empire" that horrid man Mr BBriiiittas with his team of flaky folk.
The man who looked after the plumbing at the leisure centre his unfortunate skin condition, the baby in the drawer at the reception desk, i have forgotten the lead actors name but he is also in" Red Dwarf" this is another favourite
Tony

Karyn · #59 10-20-2004, 01:12 PM

I loved Carol the receptionist, I used to mimic her and answer the 'phones at work like she did, I thought she was just brilliant, she was also good in Ab Fab. Have seen the actress recently (for the life of me I can't bring her name to mind) walking the Moonwalk with Victoria Wood for breast cancer.

Alison - cheek

**Marty** · #60 10-20-2004, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by alison
shang a lang

how on earth would i remember that marty?

You mean you never had those socks with "I Love Woody" or "I Love Les" on them? or were you a Duranie Alison.

Quote:

Originally posted by Karyn (without a T)
Remember "Softly, Softly", "Dixon of Dock Green" and "Z Cars"? Bet you are all too young!

"Evenin' All" used to watch George Dixon every Saturday with me nan (after the wrestling on World Of Sport..I used to have the nickname Dickie Davis because of a blonde streak in my hair ala The Mallens), and my dad was an extra on Z Cars in 1964, him and some other lads from the Birkenhead Boys Club played a gang of thugs on the show, tey still play the theme "Johnny todd" a Liverpool folk song when Everton come out of the tunnel at Goodison Park.