Latest news with #OnlyFoolsAndHorses
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Only Fools and Horses voted UK's favourite sitcom – as Farage fans flock to Del Boy
Labour might have it cushty at the ballot box in Peckham, but it's Reform voters who've claimed Del Boy as one of their own. Only Fools and Horses – the sitcom synonymous with south-east London – has been crowned Britain's favourite sitcom in a new poll, with Nigel Farage supporters leading the charge for the Trotters of Nelson Mandela House. The survey, commissioned by Richard Osman and Marina Hyde's The Rest is Entertainment podcast, polled 2,000 people across the UK and found clear links between political leanings and comic tastes. Participants were asked to choose their favourite British sitcom from each decade between the 1970s and 2000s. The winners from each era were then pitted against each other in a final round to determine the overall national favourite. While Labour voters still turned out strong for Del Boy, it was Reform UK backers who gave the wheeler-dealer market trader his biggest share of support. The BBC series, which ran from 1981 to 2003, starred David Jason as Del Boy and Nicholas Lyndhurst as his younger brother, Rodney. Across seven series and 16 Christmas specials, it regularly topped annual viewing charts – and reruns still draw millions. In recent years, however, the show has faced content warnings for 'dated attitudes and behaviours and racist language', including on early episodes such as 'The Russians Are Coming' and the 1985 Christmas special 'To Hull and Back'. The political split among sitcom fans was telling. Reform UK also scored highly among fans of Benidorm (44 per cent) and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (48 per cent). Lib Dem voters preferred Outnumbered (27 per cent) and Yes, Minister (22 per cent), while Labour found its base in The Young Ones (36 per cent) and Father Ted (33 per cent). Mr Bean fans leaned Green – with 14 per cent backing the party, more than double its national polling. And The Vicar of Dibley skewed Tory, with 28 per cent of fans voting Conservative. The poll results echo a recent YouGov survey from May, which put Reform UK in first place for voting intention – eight points ahead of Labour and 10 ahead of the Conservatives. Farage's party also made gains in May's local elections, winning 677 seats and control of 10 local authorities. Full analysis of The Rest is Entertainment poll will be published for subscribers on Friday 8 August.
Telegraph
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
From Monty Python to Morecambe and Wise: Telegraph readers' favourite comedy moments:
While no-one expects the Spanish Inquisition, we always anticipated our list of the 20 best TV comedy sketches of all time to prompt some reader reaction. And react you did, piling in with suggestions (over a 1000 of them) for other great comedic moments. Some, we're shocked we missed out from our list (Two Soups with Julie Walters – of course!) others, well, if we're being pedantic, they're not from sketch shows (Del Boy falling through the bar), but we can't deny they're perfect distillations of TV humour. Here then is a brand-new list, taken entirely from Telegraph readers' feedback. From Mitchell and Webb, to Morecambe and Wise via Hale and Pace; wrap your laughing gear around this little lot. The best Monty Python sketches Dead Parrot is well-known but I wouldn't put it in the top 10 even of Python sketches. Here are better ones: The Dirty Fork, Olympic Hide-and-seek, The Spanish Inquisition, Dennis Moore, Four Yorkshiremen, The Argument Clinic. Dav Chaz Substitute Teacher (Key & Peel, 2012) Key and Peele's substitute teacher, far superior. Sid Edmondo The People's Front of Judea (Life of Brian, 1979) How could you possibly leave out the people's Judean Front scene in Monty Python's Life of Brian? Funniest scene of all time. Tim Jeffery Only Fools and Horses and Dad's Army There's more comedy and jokes in one episode of Only Fools and Horses and Dad's Army. G Craven Mark Heap as Dr Alan Statham (Green Wing, 2004–2006) I still think Mark Heap's performance and character, Dr Alan Statham, Consultant Radiologist, in Channel 4's Green Wing is superb. His scene with a coffee enema should be in this list and pretty close to the top. Mark Horsfield Grandma's Wedding (Friday Night Dinner, 2014) Friday Night Dinner, Grandma's wedding. SE Adamson Crossed Lines (The Two Ronnies, 1981) The Two Ronnies were masters at word play and I'd certainly add the 'Crossed Lines' sketch to the others listed below. Duncan Cameron Two Soups (Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV, 1986) Two Soups with Julie Walters playing an elderly waitress. Rosemary Wildish 'Waitress' by Victoria Wood, which most people call 'two soups', with Dame Julie Walters in the eponymous role is hilarious. Vicki Lester Guide Cat (Hale and Pace, 1989) I vote for Hale and Pace, The Guide Cat. Denise Henderson-Cleland 10 Pound Note (Dave Allen, 1972) One sketch by Dave Allen always receives uncontrolled laughter by non-English speakers. I can't remember the name, but it's the one where Allen and about 20 other people are waiting in a cafe for a vehicle owner to return to a car which has a 10 pound note trapped under one wheel. Excellent! Brit In Exile Working Class Playwright (Monty Python, 1969) Morecambe and Wise with 'Andrew Preview' should be at number one, but one of my personal favourites is the Monty Python parody of the 'Working Class Playwright with the Coal Miner Son'. A hilarious parody. Coming from near Barnsley, and a child of the 50 and 60s it never ceases to make me laugh. Trish Beech The Evil Voice (That Mitchell and Webb Look, 2009) No Mitchell and Webb? The Evil Voice sketch is a work of observational genius. David Harris The Breakfast Sketch (Morecambe and Wise, 1976) Morecambe and Wise cooking eggs, one of the funniest sketches ever made. Almost anything with Dave Allen. Helen Walshe Del Boy falls through the Bar (Only Fools and Horses, 1989) Where is the Only Fools And Horses sketch where Del Boy falls through the bar counter that isn't there? Ian Breach Dame Shirley Bassey performs Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Morecambe and Wise, 1971) Never tire of Shirley Bassey singing Smoke Gets in Your Eye on Morecambe and Wise. Amazing how she got through it without laughing. Chris Dodson The School Master (1979) Rowan Atkinson's schoolteacher taking the register? Dibble? Ponsonby Minor? David David The Fish Slapping Dance (Monty Python, 1971) Loved the Monty Python fish slapping dance. Love the Harry Enfield football sketch, the Arsenal team of 1936 Vs the current day. What about the RAF pilots on Armstrong and Miller? Heather Dallimore Star Mitzvah (Frasier, 2002) Frasier and Freddie's Bar Mitzvah speech in Klingon. Mary Chismus Dawn French's duet with Darcey Bussell (The Vicar of Dibley, 1998) Dawn French and Darcey Bussell ballet scene from Vicar of Dibley. Darcey Bussell
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
I'm an Only Fools And Horses superfan and Sir David Jason was a family friend - he showed his true colours away from the BBC show
'Lovely jubbly', 'plonker' and an ever increasingly bizarre use of the French language - it could only be one programme. Only Fools And Horses, the BBC sitcom about two south-east London market trader brothers, won its away into the nation's hearts as soon as it hit our screens in 1981. Created by the inimitable late John Sullivan, it starred Sir David Jason as Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter and Nicholas Lyndhurst as his little brother Rodney. And the pair were joined in Peckham by a host of beloved supporting characters, including Grandad (Lennard Pearce) and Uncle Albert (Buster Merryfield). As one of the most iconic British sitcoms of all time, running for seven series until 2003, its stars were bound to become the stuff of acting legend. It means when a fan recently revealed online what David, 85, was really like in person, keen Only Fools viewers jumped at the chance to find out. Created by the inimitable late John Sullivan, it starred Sir David Jason as Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter and Nicholas Lyndhurst as his little brother Rodney (pictured) They posted on discussion site Reddit: 'My mate's dad was good friends with David and used to run a B&B in Weston-super-Mare. 'Over the years, "Uncle David" would pop by now and then and my mate would also see him at family gatherings and events.' David has had an illustrious career outside Only Fools too. He has starred variously in detective series A Touch Of Frost, grocery shop sitcom Open All Hours and fifties-set family life comedy The Darling Buds of May. But it is ambitious Cockney Del Boy, known for his catchphrase, 'This time next year, we'll be millionaires!', who seemed to capture the user's family the most. They continued: 'As you can imagine, whenever he showed up, people couldn't resist asking him to "do a bit of Del Boy". 'He always politely declined, until one unforgettable occasion. After a bit of friendly badgering, David finally gave in. 'My mate said he took a deep breath and in that moment, everything about him changed - his posture, his expression, even the way he stood. They posted on discussion site Reddit: 'My mate's dad was good friends with David and used to run a B&B in Weston-super-Mare' 'It was like Del Boy had walked into the room. For the next 20 minutes, Del Boy was the life of the party, giving everyone a performance they'd never forget.' The heartwarming anecdote shows the funny, nice man David is off as well as on screen - perhaps putting paid to the idea you should never meet your heroes. But fans might have to cough up a hefty sum to do so at an upcoming fan event. David is set to appear at the Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society Convention in Milton Keynes in October. It has been revealed, though, that the price for tickets for a professional photo opportunity with the actor in the Trotter flat set starts at an eye-watering £350. Any fans who want a signed photo mount and dinner as well as the image will have to find an astonishing £550 for the so-called 'platinum' tickets. Despite the premium price tag, no selfies or autographs will be allowed. The event's website reads: 'Due to time constraints, Sir David will not be signing any items across the convention weekend. 'We kindly ask you do not bring anything to attempt Sir David to sign as it will not be permitted. We will have staff on call to ensure this in fairness to everyone. 'There will be NO "selfies" with Sir David Jason. 'Selfies are left to the discretion of the other guest actors, although most are very happy to pose for a photograph if asked politely.' It comes after Only Fools fans recently had another amazing revelation about David. Even the staunchest observers have only just realised the TV legend, born David John White in 1941, has an older brother who is also a famous actor. Arthur White, 91, starred next to his brother in several episodes of A Touch of Frost where he played PC Ernie Trigg in the police crime drama. He also appeared briefly along with his brother in two episodes of The Darling Buds of May back in 1991. In 2008, he worked with David again on the comic fantasy The Colour of Magic where he played a character called Rerpf. In other work, Arthur appeared in time travel sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart in 1996. The series also starred his brother's Only Fools co-star Nicholas, who played Del Boy's brother Rodney, in the lead role of Gary Sparrow. From 1995 to 2001, Arthur starred in the ITV fire service workplace drama London's Burning, before appearing in police procedural Heartbeat. He has also been seen on a episode of Holby City in 2016, in which he played the part of Sidney Bickton. His other television credits include include Doctors, Family Affairs, Grange Hill, The Professionals and many more roles dating back to the 1950s. More recently, Arthur featured in 13 Hours That Saved Britain, a documentary which delves into the events of the Battle of Britain. In the film, he shared his personal experiences of living in London through World War Two and residing in the capital during the Blitz.
Daily Mail
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE We live in the Margate you DON'T see.. Residents in 'dive' one road back from Britain's most gentrified postcode say trendy day trippers are destroying their town
It's a beautiful summers day in Margate and a young couple are celebrating happy news by quaffing champagne and oysters on the seafront. Three streets back, a homeless man sits slumped in the street beneath a boarded up Poundland. This, locals say, is their home town in a nutshell and they've had enough. Thanks to its beautiful location, nestled right on the horn of Thanet in sunny Kent, the town has always been a popular spot for day trippers seeking sun, sand and serenity. It is is no different to other seaside towns in that it experienced its hay day way back when King George VI was still on the throne and doctor's genuinely believed a spot of sea air could cure things like cancer and emphysema. Morrisey, once whined about his life being like 'the coastal town they forgot to close down, the seaside town they forgot to bomb.' And whilst nobody would argue with the controversial singer's own reflection of his career, he does touch on a sad but common assessment of UK seaside spots following the boom times. That they are sad, depressing places. Steeped in generations of irreversible decline and all but abandoned by the government who secretly hope climate change will drag them into the sea. Why then, does Margate remains something of an enigma in the public imagination? It has always had a sexier reputation than say Southend, after being immortalised in the Only Fools and Horses Jolly Boys Outing the hit Chas and Dave song 'Margate.' But hardly any young people genuinely like Chas and Dave or Only Fools and Horses - so why are they coming? And coming in droves. Sections of the old town are now basically East London according to the mouths of locals through gritted teeth, who say they have been forced to watch as hordes of yuppies flock about with soy lattes and pedigree dogs. And that's just the day trippers! In the last ten years, property prices in the town have surged due to a DfL (down from London) boom which has seen thousands of families move down to the Kent coast. Now residents living one road back from Britain's most gentrified postcode say trendy day trippers are ruining their town. Locals find it 'astonishing' that an area of the town has been named the place that has gentrified the most in England over the last decade. The area is Cliftonville West and is based on a combination of household disposable income data, higher education attainment, house prices and a deprivation score. It also takes into everything from poor health and disability rates to crime and access to services. After enjoying decades as one of Britain's favourite seaside destinations, Margate went into a period of decline. But in recent years - especially post Covid - it has become a fashionable magnet for Londoners, even nicknamed 'Shoreditch-on-Sea'. Nearly 6,000 people from London relocated to Thanet in the three years following the pandemic. The great boom of DFLs has given Margate a new identity, but locals fear it is merely a 'disguise' for what is really going on. Pauline Kirkwood, 72, who has lived in Margate for 50 years, said locals had been 'abandoned'. The retired shop worker said: 'There's a lot of noise about everyone coming down from London and it all being a great thing. They bang on about the new cafe's, art galleries and how it's trendy. 'But it's just driven up the house prices of the homes around here, making it much harder for locals to buy. People who have lived here all their lives can't afford to buy. So they rent or have to rely on the council, even though they work. It's really sad. 'Surely they should be the priority? There are also deep routed issues here. It's rough. You can make it look as nice as you want but I feel more unsafe now than in the last 50 years of living here. 'So what's being done about that? If you go one street away from the coast, there's drug dealing and drug taking everywhere. 'People are hammered quite often and causing big problems. This is in the day. 'It's scary.' Pauline said many people who have moved only stay at weekends, creating more problems. She added: 'It can be dead in the week and absolutely rammed at weekends. There's always been a big need for tourism and that's really important. 'But it doesn't feel like a holiday destination anymore and doesn't have that seaside feel.' Reacting to the gentified news, Pauline, who lives in Cliftonville, said: 'That's astonishing. Tell that to locals and people who have lived here for years. They won't have seen the improvement they are on about.' Another local, who refused to give his name, questioned the title, saying: 'You're figures are wrong there mate. Have you seen it? It is a complete dive and always has been!' Kate Stuart, 85, who originally moved herself to Margate from London 14 years ago, thinks the influx of people has had a negative impact. She said: 'I didn't move because I wanted to be trendy. I moved because I had nowhere else to go really. It was all I could afford. 'They are now coming here because they like it and they want to change it. 'I think it's gone too far. The people who have moved don't have a lot of consideration for those who have been here years. 'I have a lot of friends with children and grandchildren here, but they would not be able to afford to live here now and get a house.' Kate also said there had been a lack of respect shown towards the town. She added: 'The newer residents quite often play loud music and cause problems on the beach. They blast it out of their phone speakers. It's really annoying. 'That never used to happen. There's just a lack of consideration for others now.' The phenomenon plaquing Margate is not an uncommon one. In 2021, an LSE study found that Margate is particularly rife for something known as 'poverty-based polarisation' - in which everyone is either mega rich or mega poor with no in-between. And the data backs this up. Since 2000, the average house price in the town has soared from £73,644 to £317,451 - a rise of £243,807. Jerry Wright, 72, said he believes Margate has become a 'victim of its own success'. The retired scaffolder said: 'In a way it's great what's happened. But the gap between locals and the newer residents is getting bigger and bigger and that is not good. 'Margate is losing its identity. I have lived here 30 years and it does not feel the same. Yes, it's very gentrified. There's some lovely places. 'But there's poverty. There's clearly an issue with substance abuse among some people which you see in public. What's being done about that?' Adil Darik, 60, moved in 2020 from London, and said he 'loves life' in Margate. The DJ said: 'I just got fed up of London and wanted a change. I moved when it was safe to do so after the first wave of Covid. 'I got a seafront place at a bargain price of £100,000. I spent £60,000 on it and it'll now be worth considerably more. 'I had lived in Primrose Hill in north London but wanted to go by the sea. I think it's brilliant that more people have followed. It's given it a new lease of life. 'Loads of tourists come and spend money and there's loads of new businesses.
The Sun
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Award-winning comedy becomes latest hit show to be slapped with woke trigger warnings in crackdown by the BBC
HIT mockumentary sitcom The Office has been slapped with 'discriminatory language' trigger warnings by BBC bosses. Five episodes of Ricky Gervais 's award-winning show on iPlayer have been flagged. 1 All 14 episodes are available on the streaming service. Its two series, with Gervais as paper company branch boss David Brent, carry a 'G' rating to indicate adult humour. But some episodes also carry the additional warning. In the first series, debut episode Downsize — first aired in July 2001 — and the sixth episode Judgement are hit with the alert. And from series two, the first, third and fifth — Merger, Party and Charity — also carry the warnings. The Office won a clutch of awards in its time — most notably scooping a Golden Globe in 2004 for Best Television Series, the first British comedy to win. It was co-written and co-created by Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and went on to spawn a successful US version starring Steve Carell. The Office's alerts come after the BBC also put disclaimers about offensive or outdated language on episodes of Only Fools and Horses from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In February, Channel 4 was branded 'humourless' for flagging a series of Father Ted on its catch-up. Broadcasters also hit Bafta-winning C4 sitcom The IT Crowd with advisories, with one warning: 'This episode was made in 2006 and contains strong, strong/offensive derogatory language and adult humour.'
