Old school comedians still rule!

Recently, a poll was conducted in the UK to identify Britain’s all-time favorite comedians. Surprising to some, not surprising to many, was the fact that the old-style comedians topped the poll with 67 year old Billy Connolly heading a list that included Victoria Wood and the late, Tommy Cooper. Perhaps just as surprising was the […]

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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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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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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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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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Keeping Up Appearances – Take 2

Why do I like this show even more now? And, why do I really want to go to the pub with Geoffrey Hughes (Onslow)…or even Patricia Routledge (Hyacinth)? It’s interesting to note that there are very few bloopers or outtakes floating around for Britcoms. In talking with a number of British actors and actresses over […]

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Happy Thanksgiving from Tellyspotting!

Well, it’s not British, but it’s a classic and it has something to do with turkey. If anyone can find the entire clip of this, I’d love to have it. For those of you that remember this, enjoy! For those of you that don’t, you need to find it. That said, we hope everyone has […]

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B4 Hyacinth – 20 years B4 Hyacinth!

Patricia Routledge in Steptoe and Son In 1974, Patricia Routledge played Madame Fontana in one episode of this long-running hit BBC TV series. It’s said that in 1966, the audience was so big that PM Harold Wilson asked the BBC to delay transmission of a repeat episode until after the polls closed on election day […]

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Doh! Weren't you in….

That’s the question that viewers often ask when watching British comedy on public television. It’s not unusual to see your favorite British comedy actor or actress step out of the roles that we have become friends with over the years and stretch themselvesĀ using their formal training in period drama, contemporary drama, hit movies, American “sitcoms” […]

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