Comedy Connections
Encyclopedia
Comedy Connections was a BBC One
documentary
series produced by BBC Scotland
that aired from 2003 to 2008. The show looked at the stories behind the production of some of Britain's comedy television programmes, showing how they tied in with the production of other comedy shows (hence "connections"). The show featured interviews with some of the cast and crew of the subject programme, as well as footage from the series.
Comedy Connections mostly documented BBC
comedies and sitcoms, although two programmes have been from ITV
(three counting Men Behaving Badly which moved from ITV to the BBC after one series) and two from Channel 4
.
The first series consisted of six episodes, however the rest of the series consist of eight episodes each, the first two series were narrated by Julia Sawalha
, however the rest of the series were been narrated by Doon Mackichan
.
and the third series onwards by Doon Mackichan
.
, which used the same format, looked at the history of popular British television dramas. However, only one series was made and shown.
In 2007, the BBC broadcast Movie Connections
, focusing on popular British films. A second series was broadcast in early 2009.
In 2010, ITV
copied the idea for a show called "Drama Trails", narrated by James Nesbitt
.
series under the title Comedy Classics mostly documenting ITV
's sitcoms and comedies. A second series is currently in production and will air in 2012.
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
series produced by BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
that aired from 2003 to 2008. The show looked at the stories behind the production of some of Britain's comedy television programmes, showing how they tied in with the production of other comedy shows (hence "connections"). The show featured interviews with some of the cast and crew of the subject programme, as well as footage from the series.
Comedy Connections mostly documented BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
comedies and sitcoms, although two programmes have been from ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
(three counting Men Behaving Badly which moved from ITV to the BBC after one series) and two from Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
The first series consisted of six episodes, however the rest of the series consist of eight episodes each, the first two series were narrated by Julia Sawalha
Julia Sawalha
Julia Sawalha is an English actress well known for her roles as Saffron Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous, Lynda Day, editor of The Junior Gazette in Press Gang and Lydia Bennet in the 1995 television miniseries of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. She also played Dorcas Lane in the BBC's costume...
, however the rest of the series were been narrated by Doon Mackichan
Doon Mackichan
Doon Mackichan is an English comedienne and actress.-Biography:Born in London, Mackichan was brought up in Surrey until the age of 9 when she moved with her family to Upper Largo, Fife. She is a graduate of Manchester University...
.
Series Summary
| Series | Episodes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|
| Series 1 | 6 | 9 June - 14 July 2003 |
| Series 2 | 8 | 21 June - 30 August 2004 |
| Series 3 | 8 | 21 February - 11 April 2005 |
| Series 4 | 8 | 6 March - 8 May 2006 |
| Series 5 | 8 | 12 January - 2 March 2007 |
| Series 6 | 8 | 18 July - 4 September 2008 |
Episodes
The first two series were narrated by Julia SawalhaJulia Sawalha
Julia Sawalha is an English actress well known for her roles as Saffron Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous, Lynda Day, editor of The Junior Gazette in Press Gang and Lydia Bennet in the 1995 television miniseries of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. She also played Dorcas Lane in the BBC's costume...
and the third series onwards by Doon Mackichan
Doon Mackichan
Doon Mackichan is an English comedienne and actress.-Biography:Born in London, Mackichan was brought up in Surrey until the age of 9 when she moved with her family to Upper Largo, Fife. She is a graduate of Manchester University...
.
Series 1 (2003)
| Overall # | Ep # | Title | Airdate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Porridge Porridge (TV series) Porridge is a British situation comedy broadcast on BBC1 from 1974 to 1977, running for three series, two Christmas specials and a feature film. Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, it stars Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale as two inmates at the fictional HMP Slade in Cumberland... |
9 June 2003 | |
| 2 | 2 | The Good Life | 16 June 2003 | |
| 3 | 3 | Are You Being Served? Are You Being Served? Are You Being Served? is a British sitcom broadcast from 1972 to 1985. It was set in the ladies' and gentlemen's clothing departments of Grace Brothers, a large, fictional London department store. It was written mainly by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft, with contributions by Michael Knowles and John... |
23 June 2003 | |
| 4 | 4 | Men Behaving Badly Men Behaving Badly Men Behaving Badly is a British comedy that was created and written by Simon Nye. It follows the lives of Gary Strang and his flatmates, Dermot Povey and Tony Smart It was first broadcast on ITV in 1992... |
30 June 2003 | |
| 5 | 5 | Butterflies Butterflies (TV series) Butterflies is a British sitcom written by Carla Lane broadcast on BBC2 from 1978–83.The situation is the day-to-day life of the Parkinson family in a bittersweet style. There are both traditional comedy sources and more unusual sources such as Ria's unconsummated relationship with the... |
7 July 2003 | |
| 6 | 6 | Only Fools and Horses Only Fools and Horses Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003... |
14 July 2003 | |
Series 2 (2004)
| Overall # | Ep # | Title | Air date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1 | The Goodies The Goodies (TV series) The Goodies is a British television comedy series of the 1970s and early 1980s. The series, which combines surreal sketches and situation comedy, was broadcast by BBC 2 from 1970 until 1980 — and was then broadcast by the ITV company LWT for a year, between 1981 to 1982.The show was... |
21 June 2004 | |
| 8 | 2 | Birds of a Feather Birds of a Feather Birds of a Feather was a British sitcom that was broadcast on BBC1 from 1989 until 1998. Starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph, it was created by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, who also wrote some of the episodes along with many other writers.The first episode sees sisters... |
28 June 2004 | |
| 9 | 3 | Father Ted Father Ted Father Ted is a comedy series set in Ireland that was produced by Hat Trick Productions for British broadcaster Channel 4. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May... |
12 July 2004 | Featured as a special feature on the DVD box-set. |
| 10 | 4 | The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin is a series of novels which developed into a British sitcom starring Leonard Rossiter in the title role... |
18 July 2004 | Featured as a special feature on the DVD box-set. |
| 11 | 5 | Keeping Up Appearances Keeping Up Appearances Keeping Up Appearances is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke for the BBC. Centred on the life of eccentric, social-climbing snob Hyacinth Bucket , the sitcom portrays a social hierarchy-ruled British society... |
26 July 2004 | |
| 12 | 6 | The Young Ones The Young Ones (TV series) The Young Ones is a British sitcom, first broadcast in 1982, which ran for two series on BBC2. Its anarchic, offbeat humour helped bring alternative comedy to television in the 1980s and made household names of its writers and performers... |
2 August 2004 | |
| 13 | 7 | Hi-de-Hi! Hi-de-Hi! Hi-de-Hi! is a British sitcom that aired on the BBC from 1980-1988. It was set in a holiday camp during the 1950s and 1960s and was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, who had written Dad's Army and It Ain't Half Hot Mum. The title was the phrase used to greet the campers and in early episodes... |
9 August 2004 | |
| 14 | 8 | Red Dwarf Red Dwarf Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series... |
30 August 2004 | This episode was the last to be narrated by Julia Sawalha Julia Sawalha Julia Sawalha is an English actress well known for her roles as Saffron Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous, Lynda Day, editor of The Junior Gazette in Press Gang and Lydia Bennet in the 1995 television miniseries of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. She also played Dorcas Lane in the BBC's costume... and was included as a special feature on the Red Dwarf Series 8 DVD. |
Series 3 (2005)
| Overall # | Ep # | Title | Airdate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 1 | Monty Python's Flying Circus Monty Python's Flying Circus Monty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines... |
21 February 2005 | Doon Mackichan Doon Mackichan Doon Mackichan is an English comedienne and actress.-Biography:Born in London, Mackichan was brought up in Surrey until the age of 9 when she moved with her family to Upper Largo, Fife. She is a graduate of Manchester University... becomes narrator from this episode |
| 16 | 2 | Spitting Image Spitting Image Spitting Image is a British satirical puppet show that aired on the ITV network from 1984 to 1996. It was produced by Spitting Image Productions for Central Television. The series was nominated for 10 BAFTA Awards, winning one for editing in 1989.... |
28 February 2005 | |
| 17 | 3 | Three of a Kind | 7 March 2005 | |
| 18 | 4 | Harry Enfield's Television Programme Harry Enfield's Television Programme Harry Enfield's Television Programme was a British sketch show starring Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse... |
14 March 2005 | |
| 19 | 5 | Goodness Gracious Me | 21 March 2005 | |
| 20 | 6 | Not the Nine O'Clock News Not the Nine O'Clock News Not the Nine O'Clock News is a television comedy sketch show which was broadcast on BBC 2 from 1979 to 1982.Originally shown as a comedy "alternative" to the BBC Nine O'Clock News on BBC 1, it featured satirical sketches on current news stories and popular culture, as well as parody songs, comedy... |
28 March 2005 | |
| 21 | 7 | A Bit of Fry & Laurie | 4 April 2005 | |
| 22 | 8 | The Two Ronnies The Two Ronnies The Two Ronnies is a British sketch show that aired on BBC1 from 1971 to 1987. It featured the double act of Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, the "Two Ronnies" of the title.-Origins:... |
11 April 2005 | |
Series 4 (2006)
| Overall # | Ep # | Title | Airdate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | The Fast Show The Fast Show The Fast Show, known as Brilliant in the US, was a BBC comedy sketch show programme that ran for three series from 1994 to 1997 with a special Last Fast Show Ever in 2000. The show's central performers were Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson, Simon Day, Mark Williams, John Thomson, Arabella Weir and... |
6 March 2006 | Featured as a special feature on the DVD box-set. |
| 24 | 2 | dinnerladies Dinnerladies Dinnerladies is a British sitcom written, co-produced by and starring Victoria Wood. It ran on BBC One for 16 episodes from 1998 to 2000.-Plot:... |
13 March 2006 | |
| 25 | 3 | Drop the Dead Donkey Drop the Dead Donkey - Major characters :* Gus Hedges — The unctuous Chief Executive of the company, and yes-man to Sir Roysten Merchant. A management stereotype, complete with clichés and clumsy metaphors, he swiftly transforms GlobeLink from a serious news network to a ratings-chasing tabloid channel... |
20 March 2006 | |
| 26 | 4 | Shooting Stars Shooting Stars Shooting Stars is a British television comedy panel game broadcast on BBC Two as a pilot in 1993, then as 3 full series from 1995 to 1997, then on BBC Choice from January to December 2002 with 2 series before returning to BBC Two for another 3 series from 2008 until its axing in 2011... |
3 April 2006 | |
| 27 | 5 | To the Manor Born To the Manor Born To the Manor Born is a British sitcom that first aired on BBC1 from 1979 to 1981. A special edition appeared in 2007. Starring Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles, the first 20 episodes and the 2007 special were written by Peter Spence, the creator, while the 1981 finale was written by Christopher... |
10 April 2006 | |
| 28 | 6 | 'Allo 'Allo! 'Allo 'Allo! 'Allo 'Allo! is a British sitcom broadcast on BBC One from 1982 to 1992 comprising eighty-five episodes. It is a parody of another BBC programme, the wartime drama Secret Army, and was created by David Croft, who also wrote the theme music, and Jeremy Lloyd. Lloyd and Croft wrote the first 6... |
24 April 2006 | |
| 29 | 7 | That Was The Week That Was That Was The Week That Was That Was The Week That Was, also known as TW3, is a satirical television comedy programme that was shown on BBC Television in 1962 and 1963. It was devised, produced and directed by Ned Sherrin and presented by David Frost... |
1 May 2006 | |
| 30 | 8 | Ever Decreasing Circles Ever Decreasing Circles Ever Decreasing Circles is a British situation comedy which ran on BBC1 for four series from 1984 to 1989.It was written by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, and reunited them with Richard Briers, the star of their previous hit show, The Good Life. It was much less brash than most situation comedies,... |
8 May 2006 | |
Series 5 (2007)
| Overall # | Ep # | Title | Airdate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 1 | One Foot in the Grave One Foot in the Grave One Foot in the Grave is a BBC television sitcom series written by David Renwick. The show ran for six series, including seven Christmas specials, two Comic Relief specials, over an eleven year period, from early 1990 to late 2000... |
12 January 2007 | |
| 32 | 2 | Bread Bread (TV series) Bread was a British television sitcom, written by Carla Lane, produced by the BBC and screened on BBC1 from 1 May 1986 to 3 November 1991.... |
19 January 2007 | |
| 33 | 3 | It Ain't Half Hot Mum It Ain't Half Hot Mum It Ain't Half Hot Mum was a British sitcom about the adventures of a Royal Artillery Concert Party, broadcast on the BBC between 1974 and 1981, and written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of Dad's Army... |
26 January 2007 | |
| 34 | 4 | The New Statesman The New Statesman The New Statesman is an award-winning British sitcom of the late 1980s and early 1990s satirising the Conservative government of the time... |
2 February 2007 | |
| 35 | 5 | Don't Wait Up Don't Wait Up Don't Wait Up is a British sitcom that aired for six series from 1983 to 1990 on BBC1. It starred Nigel Havers, Tony Britton and Dinah Sheridan, and was written by George Layton... |
9 February 2007 | |
| 36 | 6 | The Office The Office (UK TV series) The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious... |
16 February 2007 | Featured as a special feature on the 10th Anniversary DVD box-set. |
| 37 | 7 | Just Good Friends Just Good Friends Just Good Friends was a British sitcom written by the late John Sullivan. It starred Paul Nicholas and Jan Francis as former lovers Vincent Pinner and Penny Warrender, who meet in a pub five years after he jilted her at the altar.... |
23 February 2007 | |
| 38 | 8 | Alas Smith and Jones Alas Smith and Jones Alas Smith and Jones is a British comedy sketch television series featuring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones. It was broadcast on the BBC from 1984 to 1998... |
2 March 2007 | |
Series 6 (2008)
| Overall # | Ep # | Title | Airdate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 1 | Till Death Us Do Part | 18 July 2008 | |
| 40 | 2 | Yes Minister/Yes, Prime Minister Yes Minister Yes Minister is a satirical British sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn that was first transmitted by BBC Television between 1980–1982 and 1984, split over three seven-episode series. The sequel, Yes, Prime Minister, ran from 1986 to 1988. In total there were 38 episodes—of which all but... |
25 July 2008 | |
| 41 | 3 | The Liver Birds The Liver Birds The Liver Birds is a British situation comedy, set in Liverpool, Merseyside, North-West of England, which aired on BBC1 from 1969 to 1978, and again in 1996. It was created by Carla Lane and Myra Taylor. The two Liverpool housewives had met at a local writers club and decided to pool their talents... |
1 August 2008 | |
| 42 | 4 | Ripping Yarns Ripping Yarns Ripping Yarns is a British television comedy series, shown on BBC 2 from 1976 to 1979. It was written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones of Monty Python fame... |
8 August 2008 | |
| 43 | 5 | Rab C. Nesbitt Rab C. Nesbitt Rab C. Nesbitt is a Scottish sitcom which began in 1988. Produced by BBC Scotland, it stars Gregor Fisher as an alcoholic Glaswegian who believed unemployment was the life for him... |
15 August 2008 | |
| 44 | 6 | Sorry! Sorry! (TV series) Sorry! was a British sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1981 to 1982 and from 1985 to 1988. Starring Ronnie Corbett, it was written by Ian Davidson and Peter Vincent, both of whom had previously written for The Two Ronnies, of whom Corbett was one half.... |
22 August 2008 | |
| 45 | 7 | Dad's Army Dad's Army Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show... |
29 August 2008 | |
| 46 | 8 | Little Britain Little Britain Little Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas... |
4 September 2008 | |
Special
| Overall # | Title | Airdate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | Geoffrey Perkins Geoffrey Perkins Geoffrey Howard Perkins was a comedy producer, writer and performer, and an important figure in British comedy broadcasting. This was recognised in December 2008 when he was awarded with an Outstanding Contribution to Comedy Award... |
8 November 2008 | The only special episode based on a person |
Spin-offs based on other TV generations
In 2005, the BBC broadcast Drama ConnectionsDrama Connections
Drama Connections is a BBC One documentary series which looks at the stories behind the production of some of Britain's most popular drama television programmes, showing how they tie in with the production of other drama shows...
, which used the same format, looked at the history of popular British television dramas. However, only one series was made and shown.
In 2007, the BBC broadcast Movie Connections
Movie Connections
Movie Connections is a BBC One documentary series which looks at the stories behind the production of popular British films, showing how they tie in with the production of other movies...
, focusing on popular British films. A second series was broadcast in early 2009.
In 2010, ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
copied the idea for a show called "Drama Trails", narrated by James Nesbitt
James Nesbitt
James Nesbitt is a Northern Irish actor. Born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Nesbitt grew up in the nearby village of Broughshane, before moving to Coleraine, County Londonderry. He wanted to become a teacher like his father, so he began a degree in French at the University of Ulster...
.
Other show based on the Comedy Connections format
In 2008, ITV launched their own documentaryDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
series under the title Comedy Classics mostly documenting ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's sitcoms and comedies. A second series is currently in production and will air in 2012.
Series 1 (2008)
- On the BusesOn The BusesOn the Buses was a British situation comedy created by Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney which was broadcast in the UK from 1969 to 1973. The writers' previous successes with The Rag Trade and Meet the Wife were for the BBC, but the Corporation rejected On the Buses, not seeing much comedy potential...
(9 September 2008) - Rising DampRising DampRising Damp is a television sitcom produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV, first broadcast from 1974 to 1978. It was adapted for television by Eric Chappell from his well-received 1971 stage play, The Banana Box The series was the highest-ranking ITV sitcom on the 100 Best Sitcoms poll run in...
(23 September 2008) - Doctor in the HouseDoctor in the House (TV series)Doctor in the House is the syndicated title given, by the United States, to a British television comedy series , based on a set of books and a movie of the same name by Richard Gordon about the misadventures of a group of medical students — and their later misadventures as doctors.The first...
(7 October 2008) - BrassBrass (TV series)Brass was a British television Comedy-Drama, made by Granada Television for ITV.Set mostly in Utterley, a fictional Lancashire mining town in the 1930s, Brass was a comedy satirising the working-class period dramas of the 1970s and the American supersoaps such as Dallas and Dynasty...
(14 October 2008) - Duty FreeDuty Free (TV series)Duty Free is a British sitcom written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr that aired on ITV from 1984 to 1986. It was made by Yorkshire Television.-Cast:*Keith Barron – David Pearce*Gwen Taylor – Amy Pearce*Joanna Van Gyseghem – Linda Cochran...
(18 November 2008) - The New StatesmanThe New StatesmanThe New Statesman is an award-winning British sitcom of the late 1980s and early 1990s satirising the Conservative government of the time...
(2 December 2008)