Book of Minutiae – Chapter 1

From the Tellyspotting book of little known facts….. Next time you feel the need to amaze your friends with some British comedy trivia, here are some great starters that will have them, well, amazed. Guaranteed. Or, if you find yourself at a pub quiz and one of these questions pops up…you can thank me later. […]

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More Funny Ladies….of British comedy, of course

Let’s hear it for the ladies…the Funny Ladies, that is, of British comedy.  Coming your way on PBS stations nationwide beginning this weekend is More Funny Ladies of British Comedy. Airing tonight on KERA Channel 13 in the North Texas area at 10:30pm (following the new season of Red Dwarf: Back to Earth, which airs […]

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BBC Showcase – Brighton, UK

Greetings from BBC Showcase, Day one As you were, hopefully, sleeping the night away this morning, tellyspotting was arriving at the train station in Brighton, England ready to attend the 2010 BBC Showcase on your behalf. What is BBC Showcase, you may be asking yourself? In simple terms, it’s an incredible meeting put on by […]

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Happy 81st, Hyacinth

Forever linked with the snobbish, social climbing, eccentric Hyacinth Bucket (bou-quet) famous for her candlelight suppers, Patricia Routledge has had a long and very successful career not only in British comedy, but film, television and musical theatre with numerous appearances in West End London. Her Broadway debut resulted in a Tony Award for Best Actress […]

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Vote for your favorite British comedy couple of all-time. Polls open!

Could it be Audrey & Richard, a couple that an entire nation wanted to see together? Could it be Richard & Hyacinth or Basil & Sybil, couples that you can’t imagine how they ever got together let alone stayed together? Maybe Blackadder & Baldrick? After all, they’ve been together for 432 years! Maybe it should […]

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Daisy & Onslow – longshot for favorite British comedy couple?

Couple #11 – Daisy and Onslow He’s “bone-idle”, reads the Financial Times, and is a regular viewer of Open University. She’s responsible for Daddy and keeping tabs on the daily escapades of her sister, Rose. Forced to lose herself in romantic novels while Onslow drinks beer and watches racing on “the telly”, Daisy almost lost Onslow […]

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Poor Richard's Almanac with Hyacinth

Couple #9 – Favorite all-time British comedy couple or, Hall of Fame worthy? Richard has had to change the pronunciation of his last name, then, wear a tie to “deadhead the roses” in the garden for fear the neighbors might comment, then, his son Sheridan decides to rebuild Romania with Tarquin and, now, he’s facing […]

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Valentine's shopping list – British comedy edition

That time of year again. Valentine’s Day rolling around and you aren’t sure what to get beyond the flowers/dinner option. You’re kicking yourself because Eddie Izzard has come and gone so tickets to see him are out. That’s where we come in. Based on no scientific research other than these are the sets that I […]

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The holidays – Hyacinth style

Fortunately, the Chinese take-away, the Green Lotus, is closed for the day, so the Family Boxing Day candlelight supper can be enjoyed by all in attendance. But, what would the holidays be without Hyacinth? Who amongst us can beat Hyacinth’s record of 112 Christmas cards? Popularity does have its penalties, however, as Richard has run […]

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Hyacinth a Dame? It could happen.

The folks over at the “official” Keeping Up Appearances Forum have begun a petition to make Patricia Routledge a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. A Tony Award winning actress in 1968 for her performance in Darling of the Day on Broadway, Patricia received an OBE in 1993 for her […]

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