Fly on the Walls
Encyclopedia
Fly on the Walls is an episode of the BBC comedy series KYTV, from Series 3.
) is the omnipresent KYTV host, often interfering with the family's life and outstaying his welcome. During the documentary he starts a relationship with Jenny, although he does ask her "how does it feel to be a mistake?" beforehand, thanks to her parents telling Mike this information in assumed confidence. He inadvertently kills Granny.
Les Wall (played by Angus Deayton
) is an alcoholic in denial. He can often be found with a drink in his hand, either falling over in the bar (a la Only Fools and Horses
), talking to himself in the mirror, or walking through glass doors.
Mrs Wall (played by Helen Atkinson-Wood
) tries to be a good hostess but often fails; this is shown when her Christmas pudding
is passed around the table by Les, and eventually the same bowl comes back to him. At the end of the show, she is alone in the house due to the rest of the family leaving, and overdoses on pills.
Mark (played by Philip Pope
) is the rebel of the family, stealing cars, crashing cars (after being challenged by Mike Flex), and wishing his parents were dead so he could have the house. He is arrested at the end of the show with the assumption that he won't be coming back for a while.
Kevin (played by Michael Fenton-Stevens) is a slob, always sitting on the sofa and watching the TV. He is very insensitive, mainly because in his life, the TV comes first. He complains about going to Granny's funeral because he's missing Neighbours
. When his partner Sandra asks how much money she could get for the way she looks, he says she'd get more than Demi Moore
because "there's more of ya". At the end of the show he gets a job in a service station, ideal for him as he can watch CCTV all day, shame about the customers.
Sandra is Kevin's partner, and mother of their baby, Fizz. She cuts her knee when falling over KYTV equipment, and later her leg is amputated (see Mishaps, below). At the end of the show she leaves in a taxi with Fizz.
Jenny (played by Lucy Whybrow) is bad-mouthed to most of the family, even Granny, although Granny gives as good as she gets. Mike Flex starts getting friendly with her and they quickly form a relationship. At the end of the episode they leave the show together.
Granny (played by Jean Heywood
) is going senile, always thinking it's Christmas. When someone turns off a porn video that Kevin rented, she says "oi! I was enjoying that!". She annoys Mark during charades by continually saying "not allowed to talk". Eventually he tells her to shut up. Granny is killed when she puts her cigarette down the toilet after Mike Flex cleans it with turps.
About the show
Fly on the Walls is one of the few episodes of KYTV to lack a studio presence for virtually the entire show. It is a documentary about the Wall family, chosen mostly because their name made such a clever title.Characters
Mike Flex (played by Geoffrey PerkinsGeoffrey 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...
) is the omnipresent KYTV host, often interfering with the family's life and outstaying his welcome. During the documentary he starts a relationship with Jenny, although he does ask her "how does it feel to be a mistake?" beforehand, thanks to her parents telling Mike this information in assumed confidence. He inadvertently kills Granny.
Les Wall (played by Angus Deayton
Angus Deayton
Gordon Angus Deayton is an English actor, writer, musician, comedian and broadcaster. He is best known for his role as Victor Meldrew's long-suffering neighbour Patrick Trench in the comedy series One Foot in the Grave...
) is an alcoholic in denial. He can often be found with a drink in his hand, either falling over in the bar (a la 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...
), talking to himself in the mirror, or walking through glass doors.
Mrs Wall (played by Helen Atkinson-Wood
Helen Atkinson-Wood
Helen Atkinson-Wood is an English actress and comedian born in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, Cheshire.Atkinson-Wood studied fine art at the Ruskin School, Oxford University, where she performed with Rowan Atkinson...
) tries to be a good hostess but often fails; this is shown when her Christmas pudding
Christmas pudding
Christmas pudding is a pudding traditionally served on Christmas Day . It has its origins in medieval England, and is sometimes known as plum pudding or plum duff, though this can also refer to other kinds of boiled pudding involving dried fruit.-Basics:Many households have their own recipe for...
is passed around the table by Les, and eventually the same bowl comes back to him. At the end of the show, she is alone in the house due to the rest of the family leaving, and overdoses on pills.
Mark (played by Philip Pope
Philip Pope
Philip R. J. Pope is a British composer and actor. He was educated at Downside School and New College, Oxford.-Performer:He appeared in the Oxford Revue in Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1978 and 1979, both with Angus Deayton...
) is the rebel of the family, stealing cars, crashing cars (after being challenged by Mike Flex), and wishing his parents were dead so he could have the house. He is arrested at the end of the show with the assumption that he won't be coming back for a while.
Kevin (played by Michael Fenton-Stevens) is a slob, always sitting on the sofa and watching the TV. He is very insensitive, mainly because in his life, the TV comes first. He complains about going to Granny's funeral because he's missing Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
. When his partner Sandra asks how much money she could get for the way she looks, he says she'd get more than Demi Moore
Demi Moore
Demi Guynes Kutcher , known professionally as Demi Moore, is an American actress. After minor roles in film and a role in the soap opera General Hospital, Moore established her career in films such as St...
because "there's more of ya". At the end of the show he gets a job in a service station, ideal for him as he can watch CCTV all day, shame about the customers.
Sandra is Kevin's partner, and mother of their baby, Fizz. She cuts her knee when falling over KYTV equipment, and later her leg is amputated (see Mishaps, below). At the end of the show she leaves in a taxi with Fizz.
Jenny (played by Lucy Whybrow) is bad-mouthed to most of the family, even Granny, although Granny gives as good as she gets. Mike Flex starts getting friendly with her and they quickly form a relationship. At the end of the episode they leave the show together.
Granny (played by Jean Heywood
Jean Heywood
Jean Heywood is a British actress, appearing in films such as Billy Elliot and Our Day Out as well as TV series When the Boat Comes In, All Creatures Great and Small, Boys from the Blackstuff, Family Affairs, The Bill and Casualty.In 2010, Heywood made a guest appearance in the ITV series Married...
) is going senile, always thinking it's Christmas. When someone turns off a porn video that Kevin rented, she says "oi! I was enjoying that!". She annoys Mark during charades by continually saying "not allowed to talk". Eventually he tells her to shut up. Granny is killed when she puts her cigarette down the toilet after Mike Flex cleans it with turps.
Mishaps
A variety of things go horribly wrong during the course of the documentary:- The freezer defrosts due to the KYTV crew unplugging it so they can power up their equipment.
- Sandra trips over some KYTV equipment, falling through a glass panel. One of the crew stops the bleeding from her knee with some heavyweight black tape. Later, Sandra has an operation on her knee, but a cameraman climbs a ladder and falls onto the surgeon, which results in her leg being amputated from just above her knee.
- Mike Flex cleans the toilet with turps, then Granny uses the toilet and puts his cigarette in the bowl, resulting in her demise. At Granny's funeral, Mike Flex asks the undertakers to turn the coffin to the camera — cue clunking noises — and adds some dialogue to make the event more interesting. The undertakers start saying, "Up your end," until Mike asks one of them to add, "Down a bit".
- Mark is arrested several times, mostly for stealing or crashing cars.
- Les walks through a glass panel while heavily drunk.
- Mrs Wall kills herself by taking an overdose on pills. In an earlier comment she stated that the show was a good idea in that it "brought out the best in all of us!"