Little Britain Brexit special announcement sparks backlash
Matt Lucas and David Walliams have announced a comeback for their problematic sketch show
For the first time in almost a decade, Little Britain is returning. The BBC has announced that Matt Lucas and David Walliams will be reprising their sketch show for a special Brexit-themed show on Radio 4.
But there’s just one problem: people really don’t want it.
At least that’s what we can gather from the reaction to the announcement on Twitter. Although some were excited to hear from characters including Dafydd, Vicky Pollard and Lou and Andy once more, the majority weren’t taken by the Little Brexit announcement.
In fact, many voiced concerns that the show’s brand of un-politically correct humour would simply be offensive to today’s audiences.
Some also highlighted how Lucas himself had expressed such worries in 2017. "Basically, I wouldn’t make that show now. It would upset people. We made a more cruel kind of comedy than I’d do now,” he told Big Issue.
"Society has moved on a lot since then, and my own views have evolved."
What do YOU think? Will you welcome the return of Little Britain? Or are its characters too problematic to make a comeback?
Little Brexit will see the return of Walliams and Lucas, alongside narrator Tom Baker and cast members Ruth Jones and Anthony Head.
Following the announcement, Walliams shared a picture of himself, Lucas and Baker on Twitter.
Sioned Wiliam, commissioning editor for Radio 4 comedy, said: "Matt Lucas and David Walliams are uniquely talented writers and performers as well as one of the UK's most loved comedy duos.
"It's a privilege to have them back on Radio 4, where Little Britain first began almost 20 years ago."
The original Little Britain series, first aired on BBC Radio 4 before moving to BBC3 in 2003. The sketch show ran for a further four years and featured characters such as ‘only gay in the village’ Dafydd and teenage delinquent Vicky Pollard.
Little Brexit will air on BBC Radio 4, 6.30pm on Thursday 31st October
Authors
Thomas is Digital editor at BBC Science Focus. Writing about everything from cosmology to anthropology, he specialises in the latest psychology, health and neuroscience discoveries. Thomas has a Masters degree (distinction) in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield and has written for Men’s Health, Vice and Radio Times. He has been shortlisted as the New Digital Talent of the Year at the national magazine Professional Publishers Association (PPA) awards. Also working in academia, Thomas has lectured on the topic of journalism to undergraduate and postgraduate students at The University of Sheffield.