Think of it like the holiday resort in Dirty Dancing, but much MUCH more down market.
Ooh…how about Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace? It’s like watching horror made by Stephen King’s retarded brother.
I now read that Lee Mack was indeed briefly a “bluecoat” (equivalent of a redcoat at Butlins’ arch-rival Pontins). He got sacked for calling audience members “cunts” during a routine.
The New Statesman
The Young Ones
Bottom
Fawlty Towers
Blackadder
Yes minister
Red dwarf
One foot in the grave
Bottom
The Brittas Empire
that would be my top 7.
SIGNH is brilliant. It is a kid’s show, but I love it. It’s twisted and a bit Little Britain, without being overtly rude or disgusting.
Nobody here but us Chickens…
Surly its Ripping Yarns?
First 3 series a must - after Jeff left - it went down hill. Spiderman episode was the best ever.
Scottish Comedy at its best - Chewin’ The Fat and don’t forget Still Game.
Good Brit comedy - Hyperdrive
It is, and don’t call me Shirley.
One Foot In The Grave
Keeping Up Appearances
Last of the Summer Wine
Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister are must-sees.
I’m Alan Partridge
Brass Eye
The Day Today
Phoenix Nights
League of Gentlemen
Trigger Happy TV
Top 2. I love this show, and always happy to see someone else loving it also.
On radio, has no-one yet mentioned Round the Horne (widely considered a classic, especially og gay comedy) and its slightly inferior, but still good, precursor, Beyond Our Ken? If you like vintage double entendres you will love these. (Kenneth Horne is nominally the star, but Kenneth Williams gets most of the laughs.)
For more modern, slightly “edgy” radio, try Lionel Nimrod’s Inexplicable World (they had Tom Baker for their crazy announcer before Little Britain stole the idea, but don’t worry, otherwise it is not like Little Britain at all).
In jest, I was going to suggest Monty Python, but I see at least 4 other posters have beaten me to it. People, he’s been watching British comedy religiously for 20 years and you suggested the single biggest troupe in British Comedy ever. I dunno. Maybe it’s me but I’d take him seeing MP as a given.
It would be akin to me walking into a bookstore, saying I’m a priest and asking for a recommendation on some good religious texts and the guy’s response is “oh hey, have you heard of The Bible? You should totally check that out!”
ETA: have you checked out the old radio tapes of Douglas Adams, particularly the Hitchhiker’s show?
Sorry I haven’t responded properly - it’s been a busy couple of days. I’ll do another list of responses as soon as I get some time.
That reminds me - there was a TV version of HHGG made 30 years ago.
Oh, and another thought - given a news story getting a lot of airtime at the moment, how about Drop The Dead Donkey?