The 'unofficial' history of London's television studios

Every so often, you run across a site on ‘the internets’ that you just have to share. This particular site came to our attention recently when we were taping the host segments at TC8 in BBC Television Centre with Moira Brooker (Judy, As Time Goes By) and Philip Bretherton (Alistair, As Time Goes By) for the […]

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Mr. Bean: Turkey 101

I’m guessing everyone’s in the Thanksgiving holiday mode, hopefully, by this time. As you prepare for Thanksgiving, there is no shortage of turkey recipes floating around the internet from the traditional roast turkey to a deep fried cajun turkey to some ‘I just can’t imagine trying this‘ concoction called turducken, which is a de-boned chicken […]

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Life imitates Art in The Good Life

Over the course of our Behind the Britcom interviews with Richard Briers and Penelope Keith from The Good Life (Good Neighbors in the U.S.), it was quite clear not only from the actors point of view, but also from the writer, Bob Larbey, that Tom and Barbara Good’s concept of self-sufficiency is more relevant today […]

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Connie Booth checks out of Fawlty Towers – for good

It’s an old story, but one worth re-telling. You’re an actor/actress targeted for life for a role done a lifetime ago. A legion of fans worldwide don’t want to let go. It’s something that every actor worries about. In the world of British comedy alone, just ask Patricia Routledge (Hyacinth Bucket), John Cleese (Basil Fawlty) […]

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Secret Yes Minister memos unearthed

Good writing = longevity in the world of British comedy One can’t help but think of the classics that have stood the test of time such as Fawlty Towers, Blackadder or Monty Python. Excellent writing delivers not only a classic comedy, but one that is also as relevant, or more, today than they were when first […]

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Friday scattershooting – British style

Doing a quick search around the Internets, there’s a lot going on in the British television world, whether it be the not-so-breaking news that your favorite hotel from hell manager, John Cleese, has magically decided he likes Germans now after 35+ years, the news of yet another failed attempt at an American re-make or just […]

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Do's and don'ts of successful British comedy

Whether you’re a budding sitcom writer searching for that next great idea or you’ve a viewer that has enjoyed British comedy for many years wondering just what it is that keeps you coming back week after week, there is hope on the horizon that could solve both your issues. The folks over at geeks.co.uk leave […]

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Real-life Fawlty Towers matriarch passes at 95

Much as been printed over the years with respect to the fact that Donald Sinclair, owner of the Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay, was the model for the most infamous hotelier, Basil Fawlty, in the classic British comedy, Fawlty Towers. As the story goes, the Pythons were staying at the hotel during a May 1970 location […]

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Happy Birthday / Anniversary, Mr. Bean

Sort of combined Happy birthday, Happy anniversary message to an individual who, in all his years on the small screen, barely uttered a word. Mr. Bean, brilliantly played by the genius that is Rowan Atkinson, is celebrating 20 years this year, having premiered on ITV in 1990. Much like the fact that there are only […]

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Fire at Fawlty Towers. Was it O'Reilly, Stubbs…or, Manuel?

Polly, what have you done to my hotel? Almost 20 years ago (March 1991), fire engulfed the Woodburn Grange Country Club, the site for the exterior shots filmed for, perhaps, the greatest British comedy of all-time, Fawlty Towers. Sadly, this led to the ultimate demolition of the property, making way for eight houses despite an approved […]

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