British humour carries a strong element of

satire Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming o ...

aimed at the absurdity of

everyday life Everyday life, daily life or routine life comprises the ways in which people typically act, think, and feel on a daily basis. Everyday life may be described as mundane, routine, natural, habitual, or normal. Human diurnality means most peo ...

. Common themes include sarcasm,

tongue-in-cheek The idiom tongue-in-cheek refers to a humorous or sarcastic statement expressed in a serious manner. History The phrase originally expressed contempt, but by 1842 had acquired its modern meaning. Early users of the phrase include Sir Walter Scot ...

banter Conversation is interactive communication between two or more people. The development of conversational skills and etiquette is an important part of socialization. The development of conversational skills in a new language is a frequent focu ...

, insults, self-deprecation,

taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...

subjects, puns,

innuendo An innuendo is a hint, insinuation or intimation about a person or thing, especially of a denigrating or derogatory nature. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging (also called insinuation), that works obliquely by allusion ...

wit Wit is a form of intelligent humour, the ability to say or write things that are clever and usually funny. Someone witty is a person who is skilled at making clever and funny remarks. Forms of wit include the quip, repartee, and wisecrack. For ...

, and the British class system. These are often accompanied by a

deadpan Deadpan, dry humour, or dry-wit humour is the deliberate display of emotional neutrality or no emotion, commonly as a form of comedic delivery to contrast with the ridiculousness or absurdity of the subject matter. The delivery is meant to be blun ...

delivery which is present throughout the British sense of humour. It may be used to bury emotions in a way that seems unkind in the eyes of other cultures. Jokes are told about everything and almost no subject is off-limits, though a lack of subtlety when discussing controversial issues is sometimes considered insensitive.The Funny Side of the United Kingdom: Analysing British Humour with Special Regard to John Cleese and His Work
Page 5 Theo Tebbe, Publisher GRIN Verlag, 2008 . Accessed August 2011 Many British comedy series have become successful internationally, serving as a representation of

British culture British culture is influenced by the combined nations' history; its historically Christian religious life, its interaction with the cultures of Europe, the traditions of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland and the impact of the British Empire ...

to overseas audiences.

Themes

Some themes (with examples) that underpinned late-20th-century British humour were:Black Humour in British Advertisement
By Claudia Felsch, Publisher GRIN Verlag, 2007 . Accessed August 2011

Innuendo

Innuendo in British humour is evident in the literature as far back as ''

Beowulf ''Beowulf'' (; ang, Bēowulf ) is an Old English epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. ...

'' and

Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer (; – 25 October 1400) was an English poet, author, and civil servant best known for '' The Canterbury Tales''. He has been called the "father of English literature", or, alternatively, the "father of English poetry". He w ...

, and it is a prevalent theme in many British

folk song Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has ...

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

often used innuendo in his comedies, but it is also often found in his other plays, as in ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'' act 4 scene v: ''Young men will do't if they come to't'' / ''By Cock, they are to blame.'' Restoration comedy is notorious both for its innuendo and for its sexual explicitness, a quality encouraged by Charles II (1660–1685) personally and by the rakish aristocratic ethos of his

court A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in acco ...

. In the Victorian era,

Burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

theatre combined sexuality and humour in its acts. In the late 19th century, magazines such as ''

Punch Punch commonly refers to: * Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist * Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice Punch may also refer to: Places * Pu ...

'' began to be widely sold, and innuendo featured in its cartoons and articles. In the early 1930s, cartoon-style saucy postcards (such as those drawn by Donald McGill) became widespread, and at their peak 16 million saucy postcards were sold per year. They were often bawdy, with innuendo and

double entendre A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially ...

s, and featured

stereotypical In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can be, for example ...

characters such as vicars, large ladies and put-upon husbands, in the same vein as the '' Carry On'' films. This style of comedy was common in music halls and in the comedy music of

George Formby George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he s ...

. Many comedians from music hall and wartime gang shows worked in radio after World War 2, and characters such as Julian and Sandy on ''

Round the Horne ''Round the Horne'' is a BBC Radio comedy programme starring Kenneth Horne, first transmitted in four series of weekly episodes from 1965 until 1968. The show was created by Barry Took and Marty Feldman, who wrote the first three series. The ...

'' used innuendo extensively. Innuendo also features heavily in many British films and TV series of the late 20th century. The ''Carry On'' series was based largely on smut and innuendo, and many of the sketches of ''

The Two Ronnies ''The Two Ronnies'' is a British television comedy sketch show starring Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett. It was created by Bill Cotton and aired on BBC1 from April 1971 to December 1987. The usual format included sketches, solo sections, ser ...

'' are in a similar vein. Innuendo with little subtlety was epitomised by Benny Hill, and the

Nudge Nudge "Candid Photography", better known as "Nudge Nudge", is a sketch from the third ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' episode, "How to Recognise Different Types of Trees From Quite a Long Way Away" (series 1, ep. 3) featuring Eric Idle (author of the ...

sketch by

Monty Python Monty Python (also collectively known as the Pythons) were a British comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over fou ...

openly mocks the absurdity of such innuendo. By the end of the 20th century more subtlety in sexual humour became fashionable, as in '' Not the Nine O'Clock News'' and ''

Blackadder ''Blackadder'' is a series of four period British sitcoms, plus several one-off instalments, which originally aired on BBC One from 1983 to 1989. All television episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as the antihero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robins ...

'', while '' Bottom'' and '' Viz'' continued the smuttier trend. In contemporary British comedy

Julian Clary Julian Peter McDonald Clary (born 25 May 1959) is an English actor, comedian, novelist and presenter. He began appearing on television in the mid-1980s. Since then he has also acted in films, television and stage productions, numerous pantomim ...

is an example of a prolific user of innuendo.

Satire

Disrespect to members of the establishment and authority, typified by: *'' Beyond the Fringe'', stage revue (1960–1966). *'' That Was the Week That Was (TW3)'', late night TV satire on

BBC2 BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream a ...

(1962–1966). *''

Private Eye ''Private Eye'' is a British fortnightly satirical and current affairs news magazine, founded in 1961. It is published in London and has been edited by Ian Hislop since 1986. The publication is widely recognised for its prominent critici ...

'', satirical magazine (1961–). *'' Not the Nine O'Clock News'', satirical sketch show, notable for launching the careers of

Rowan Atkinson Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English actor, comedian and writer. He played the title roles on the sitcoms '' Blackadder'' (1983–1989) and '' Mr. Bean'' (1990–1995), and the film series ''Johnny English'' (2003–20 ...

Griff Rhys Jones Griffith Rhys Jones (born 16 November 1953) is a Welsh comedian, writer, actor, and television presenter. He starred in a number of television series with his comedy partner, Mel Smith. Rhys Jones came to national attention in the 1980s for h ...

, Pamela Stephenson and

Mel Smith Melvyn Kenneth Smith (3 December 1952 – 19 July 2013) was an English comedian, actor and director. Smith worked on the sketch comedy shows ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' and ''Alas Smith and Jones'' with his comedy partner, Griff Rhys Jones. ...

on BBC2 (1979–1982). *'' Yes Minister'', political sitcom on

(1980–1988). *''

Spitting Image ''Spitting Image'' is a television in the United Kingdom, British satire, satirical television puppet show, created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn. First broadcast in 1984, the series was produced by 'Spitting Image Productio ...

'', TV puppet comedy lampooning the famous and powerful on ITV (1984–1996). Revived on

Britbox BritBox is an online digital video subscription service, founded by BBC Studios and ITV plc, operating in nine countries across North America, Europe, Australia and South Africa.

, (2020-). *'' Drop the Dead Donkey'',

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

sitcom recorded close to transmission that satirised the weekly events (1990–1998). *'' Have I Got News for You'', a satirical panel game originally on

, now on

BBC1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

(1990–). *'' The Day Today'', Nineties TV satire (1994). *'' Brass Eye'', a controversial alternative prime-time show on

(1997–2001). *''

The Armando Iannucci Shows ''The Armando Iannucci Shows'' is a series of eight programmes directed by Armando Iannucci and written by Iannucci with Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil. It was shown on UK's Channel 4 from August to October 2001. Each episode focused on specific the ...

'', satirical TV show on

(2001). *'' The Thick of It'', satirical political sitcom (2005–2012). *''

Mock the Week ''Mock the Week'' is a British topical satirical celebrity panel show, created by Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson. It was produced by Angst Productions for BBC Two, and was broadcast from 5 June 2005 to 4 November 2022. The programme was present ...

'', a satirical current affairs panel game on

. (2005–2022). *''

Time Trumpet ''Time Trumpet'' is a six-episode satirical television comedy series which aired on BBC Two in August 2006. The series was written by Armando Iannucci, Roger Drew and Will Smith in a similar manner to Iannucci's earlier one-off programmes, '' 20 ...

'', Noughties TV satire (2006). *'' The Last Leg'',

(2012–)

Absurd

The absurd and the surreal, typified by: *''

The Goon Show ''The Goon Show'' is a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme. The first series, broadcast from 28 May to 20 September ...

'', surreal radio show on the

BBC Home Service The BBC Home Service was a national and regional radio station that broadcast from 1939 until 1967, when it was replaced by BBC Radio 4. History 1922–1939: Interwar period Between the early 1920s and the outbreak of World War II, the BBC ...

(1951–1960). *''

Bus Driver's Prayer The Bus Driver's Prayer, also known as the Busman's Lord's Prayer, is a parody of the Lord's Prayer that takes the bus driver around Greater London (while avoiding further destinations). The words are apocryphal and have been around since 1960 at l ...

'' *''

Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (also known as The Bonzo Dog Band or The Bonzos) was created by a group of British art-school students in the 1960s. Combining elements of music hall, trad jazz and psychedelia with surreal humour and avant-garde art, ...

'', musical group playing songs inspired by the music of the 1920s and comic rock songs (1962–). *'' The Magic Roundabout'', a dub

parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its sub ...

of a French children's cartoon that gained a cult following (1964–1971). * Spike Milligan's '' Q'', sketch show and direct inspiration for ''Monty Python'' on

(1969–1982). *''

'', comedy troupe, originally noted for performing sketches without conclusions (1969–1983). *''

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue ''I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'' is a BBC radio comedy panel game. Billed as "the antidote to panel games", it consists of two teams of two comedians being given "silly things to do" by a chairman. The show was launched in April 1972 as a pa ...

'', radio panel game with bizarre games, notably Mornington Crescent and

One Song to the Tune of Another This is a list of games featured on BBC Radio 4's long-running "antidote to panel games", ''I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue''. Some are featured more frequently than others. Ad-Lib Poetry The host gives a line of a poem, and each panelist has to c ...

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC's ...

(1974–). *''

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (sometimes referred to as ''HG2G'', ''HHGTTG'', ''H2G2'', or ''tHGttG'') is a comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally a 1978 radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, it ...

'', in radio, book, TV series and film form (1978–). *'' Count Duckula'', cartoon show on ITV (1988–1993). *''

Red Dwarf ''Red Dwarf'' is a British science fiction comedy franchise created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, which primarily consists of a television sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999, and on Dave since 2009, gaining a cult following. ...

'', science fiction sitcom on

BBC 2 BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream ...

and

Dave Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...

(1988–1999, 2009, 2012–) *'' Brittas Empire'', Chris Barrie sitcom set in a leisure centre about an annoying manager on

(1991–1997). *''

The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer ''The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer'' is a BBC TV sketch show written by and starring double act Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer. Its first series appeared in 1993 following the duo's move to the BBC after parting company with Channel 4. The show d ...

'', variety show of sketches and songs in the surrealist genre of comedy on the BBC (1993–1995). *'' Shooting Stars'', panel game show with seemingly no rules on

(1993–2011). *'' Big Train'', sketch show with absurd situations performed in a realistic, deadpan style on

(1998–2002). *'' The Mighty Boosh'', comic fantasy containing non-sequiturs and pop-culture references (1998–2009, 2013). *''

The League of Gentlemen ''The League of Gentlemen'' is a surreal British comedy horror sitcom that premiered on BBC Two in 1999. The programme is set in Royston Vasey, a fictional town in northern England, originally based on Alston, Cumbria, and follows the live ...

'', sitcom about the eccentric inhabitants of a fictional northern village Royston Vasey, shown on

(1999–2002, 2017). Also macabre. *'' Black Books'', sitcom about a bookshop owner, flavoured with surreal and nonsensical elements on

(2000–2004). *''

'', comedy sketch show utilising surrealism (2001). *'' Green Wing'', experimental sitcom using surrealism, sped-up/slowed-down camera work and ethereal, dream-like sequences on

(2004–2007).

Macabre

Black humour, in which topics and events that are usually treated seriously are treated in a humorous or satirical manner, typified by: * '' Nighty Night'', a TV series about a sociopathic beauty therapist who fakes her husband's death in order to steal her disabled neighbour's husband * '' Jam'', an unsettling TV

sketch comedy Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and ...

with an

ambient music Ambient music is a genre of music that emphasizes tone and atmosphere over traditional musical structure or rhythm. It may lack net composition, beat, or structured melody.The Ambient Century by Mark Prendergast, Bloomsbury, London, 2003. It ...

soundtrack * '' Garth Marenghi's Darkplace'', a horror comedy revolving around the

supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...

, and is set in a hospital in the 1980s * '' Murder Most Horrid'', a TV series in which Dawn French plays murderesses and victims. * '' Snuff Box'', a sketch show about a hangman (

Matt Berry Matthew Charles Berry (born 2 May 1974) is an English actor, comedian, musician, and writer. He is best known for his roles in comedy series such as '' The IT Crowd'', '' Garth Marenghi's Darkplace'', ''The Mighty Boosh'', ''Snuff Box'', ''Wha ...

) and his assistant (

Rich Fulcher Richard Fulcher (born November 18, 1968) is an American comedian, actor and author. He played Bob Fossil and other characters in the British comedy series ''The Mighty Boosh'', and Edward Sheath in the American series ''Jon Benjamin Has a Van''. ...

), who make jokes or light-hearted conversation while hanging men. * '' Death at a Funeral'', a 2007 black comedy film. *'' Kind Hearts and Coronets'', a film about a man murdering his way to a hereditary position, starring

Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. After an early career on the stage, Guinness was featured in several of the Ealing comedies, including '' Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1 ...

in numerous roles. * '' Four Lions'', a 2010 film satirising Jihadi terrorists within British Society. *'' Inside No. 9'', a black comedy, drama anthology series. (2014-)

Surreal and chaotic

* '' Vic Reeves Big Night Out'' (1990 and 1991) a parody of the variety shows which dominated the early years of television, but which were, by the early 1990s, falling from grace. * '' Bottom'' (1991–1995) noted for its chaotic humour and highly violent

slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such ...

. * '' The Young Ones'' (1982–1984), a British sitcom about four students living together. It combined traditional sitcom style with violent slapstick, non sequitur plot-turns and surrealism.

Humour inherent in everyday life

The humour, not necessarily apparent to the participants, inherent in everyday life, as seen in: *'' Gavin & Stacey'' *''

Benidorm Benidorm is a town and municipality in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Benidorm has been a tourist destination within Spain since 1925, when its port was extended and the first hotel ...

'' *''

Father Ted ''Father Ted'' is a sitcom created by Irish writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews and produced by British production company Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4. It aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May 1998, includin ...

'' *''

Only Fools and Horses ''Only Fools and Horses....'' is a British television sitcom created and written by John Sullivan (writer), John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom from 1981 to 1991, with sixteen sporadic Christmas ...

'' *''

Hancock's Half Hour ''Hancock's Half Hour'' was a BBC radio comedy, and later television comedy series, broadcast from 1954 to 1961 and written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The series starred Tony Hancock, with Sidney James; the radio version also co-starr ...

'' *'' Till Death Us Do Part'' *'' Steptoe and Son'' *''

Porridge Porridge is a food made by heating or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, (dried) fruit or syrup to make a sweet cereal, ...

'' *'' Human Remains'' *''

I'm Alan Partridge ''I'm Alan Partridge'' is a British sitcom written by Steve Coogan, Peter Baynham and Armando Iannucci. Coogan stars as Alan Partridge, a tactless and inept radio DJ and television presenter who has been left by his wife and dropped from the B ...

'' *''

The Office ''The Office'' is a mockumentary sitcom created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, first made in the United Kingdom, then Germany, and subsequently the United States. It has since been remade in ten other countries. The original ser ...

'' *'' The Royle Family'' *''

Spaced ''Spaced'' is a British television sitcom created, written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, and directed by Edgar Wright, about the (comedic and sometimes farcical and action-packed) misadventures of Daisy Steiner and Tim ...

'' (a sitcom depicting the realistic, everyday lives and emotional dramas of two London-dwelling twentysomethings, also incorporating aspects of surreal and absurd comedy) *'' Peep Show'' *'' The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' *'' One Foot in the Grave'' *'' Monkey Dust'' *''

The IT Crowd ''The IT Crowd'' is a British sitcom originally broadcast by Channel 4, written and directed by Graham Linehan, produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson, and Matt Berry. Set in the offices of the f ...

'' *''

The Inbetweeners ''The Inbetweeners'' is a British coming-of-age television teen sitcom, which originally aired on E4 from 2008 until 2010 and was created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris. The series follows the misadventures of suburban teenager ...

'' *'' The Vicar of Dibley'' *The Giles cartoons *'' Goodness Gracious Me'' and ''

The Kumars at No 42 ''The Kumars at No. 42'' is a British television show. It won an International Emmy in 2002 and 2003, and won a Peabody Award in 2004. It ran for seven series totalling 53 episodes. It was reportedly a favourite of Queen Elizabeth II. Plot Th ...

'', TV programme featuring an Indian family, starring

Sanjeev Bhaskar Sanjeev Bhaskar (born 31 October 1963) is a British actor, comedian and television presenter. He is best known for his work in the BBC Two sketch comedy series '' Goodness Gracious Me'' and as the star of the sitcom ''The Kumars at No. 42''. H ...

and

Meera Syal Meera Syal FRSL (born Feroza Syal; 27 June 1961) is a English comedian, writer, playwright, singer, journalist and actress. She rose to prominence as one of the team that created '' Goodness Gracious Me'' and portraying Sanjeev's grandmother, ...

*'' Come Dine with Me'', reality cookery programme where eccentric cooks and their guests are often mocked by narrator Dave Lamb *''

Citizen Khan ''Citizen Khan'' is a British sitcom produced by the BBC and created by Adil Ray. Five series have been shown so far. It is set in Sparkhill, South Birmingham, described by its lead character, a British Pakistani man Mr Khan (Ray), as "the capit ...

'', a sitcom about a British Asian family in Birmingham. *'' Uncle (TV series)'', starring comedian and actor ''

Nick Helm Nicholas Tristan Phillip Helm (born 1 October 1980) is an English comedian, actor and rock musician known for his comedic confrontational delivery. His routines have been described as "brash and bullish". Many of his performances begin with him ...

'' *''

Friday Night Dinner ''Friday Night Dinner'' is a British television sitcom written by Robert Popper and starring Tamsin Greig, Paul Ritter, Simon Bird, Tom Rosenthal, and Mark Heap. The comedy is focused on the regular dinner experience of the middle-class Briti ...

'', sitcom about a Jewish family celebrating

Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical stori ...

. * Michael McIntyre

Adults and children

The 'war' between parents/teachers and their children, typified by: *'' The Beano'' and ''

The Dandy ''The Dandy'' was a British children's comic magazine published by the Dundee based publisher DC Thomson. The first issue was printed in December 1937, making it the world's third-longest running comic, after '' Il Giornalino'' (cover dated 1 O ...

'', comics of publisher D C Thomson *''

Just William ''Just William'' is the first book of children's short stories about the young school boy William Brown, written by Richmal Crompton, and published in 1922. The book was the first in the series of William Brown books which was the basis for ...

'', books by Richmal Crompton *'' Molesworth'' books by Geoffrey Willans and illustrated by Ronald Searle *'' St Trinian's'' books and films also originated by Ronald Searle * Kevin and Perry in '' Harry Enfield and Chums'' *'' My Family'', British TV series *'' Outnumbered'', British TV series *'' The Fast Show'', notably Competitive Dad *'' Uncle (TV series)'', starring comedian and actor ''

British class system

The British class system, especially class tensions between characters; and pompous or dim-witted members of the upper/middle classes or embarrassingly blatant social climbers, typified by: *''

Jeeves and Wooster ''Jeeves and Wooster'' is a British comedy-drama television series adapted by Clive Exton from P. G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves" stories. It aired on the ITV network from 22 April 1990 to 20 June 1993, with the last series nominated for a Britis ...

'', books by P. G. Wodehouse (later played by Fry and Laurie) *'' Dad's Army'', comedy TV series *'' Rising Damp'', comedy TV series *'' Fawlty Towers'', comedy TV series *'' Keeping Up Appearances'', comedy TV series *''

You Rang, M'Lord? ''You Rang, M'Lord?'' is a BBC television sitcom written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of ''Dad's Army''. It was broadcast between 1990 and 1993 on the BBC (although there had earlier been a pilot episode in 1988). The show was s ...

'', comedy TV series *'' Absolutely Fabulous'', comedy TV series *'' To the Manor Born'', comedy TV series *''

'', comedy TV series *''

The New Statesman The ''New Statesman'' is a British political and cultural magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first connected with Sidney and Beatrice Webb and other leading members ...

'', political comedy TV series *'' Yes Minister'', political comedy TV series *''

'', science fiction comedy TV series and novels *''The Fast Show'', notably

Ted & Ralph Ted and Ralph are fictional characters created by Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan, played by Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson in the BBC comedy sketch show ''The Fast Show''. They featured in all three series of the show, and are arguably amo ...

and The 13th Duke of Wymbourne sketches *'' Are You Being Served'', department store comedy TV series *''Monty Python's

Upper Class Twit of the Year "Upper Class Twit of the Year" is a comedy sketch that was seen on the 1970 ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' episode "The Naked Ant" (series 1, episode 12), and also in a modified format as the finale of the movie ''And Now for Something Complete ...

'' sketch Also, some comedy series focus on working-class families or groups, such as: *'' Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps'', sitcom *'' The Royle Family'', sitcom *''Monty Python's Four Yorkshiremen'' and ''Working-class playwright'' sketches

Lovable rogue

The lovable rogue, often from the impoverished working class, trying to 'beat the system' and better himself, typified by: * Arthur Daley in Minder *The '' Andy Capp'', cartoon strip created by Reginald Smythe *'' The Likely Lads'', TV series *'' Steptoe and Son'', sitcom TV series *'' Rising Damp'', sitcom TV series *'' Open All Hours'', sitcom TV series *''

'', comedy TV series (1981–2003) starring

David Jason Sir David John White (born 2 February 1940), known professionally by his stage name David Jason, is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Derek "Del Boy" Trotter in the BBC sitcom '' Only Fools and Horses'', Detective Inspector ...

as Del Trotter *'' The Flashman Papers'', books *Alan B'stard in ''

'', TV series *

Norman Wisdom Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, (4 February 1915 – 4 October 2010) was an English actor, comedian, musician and singer best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring a hapless onscreen character often called Norman ...

*''

'', sitcom TV series *''

'', comedy TV series *''

'', science fiction comedy TV series and novels *'' Black Books'', sitcom TV series on

*''The Fast Show'', notably Chris the Crafty Cockney sketch *''

'' * Billy Connolly, comedian and actor

Embarrassment of social ineptitude

The embarrassment of social ineptitude, typified by: *'' Mr. Bean'', comedy TV series starring

*''

'', comedy TV series starring

Ricky Gervais Ricky Dene Gervais ( ; born 25 June 1961) is an English comedian, actor, writer, and director. He co-created, co-wrote, and acted in the British television sitcoms ''The Office'' (2001–2003), '' Extras'' (2005–2007), and ''An Idiot Abroad'' ...

*'' Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'', comedy series starring Michael Crawford *'' Alan Partridge'', comedy TV series starring

Steve Coogan Stephen John Coogan (; born 14 October 1965) is an English actor, comedian, producer and screenwriter. He is most known for creating original characters such as Alan Partridge, a socially inept and politically incorrect media personality, whi ...

*''

Count Arthur Strong Steve Delaney (born 1954) is an English comedian and character actor, best known for his comedy character Count Arthur Strong on BBC Radio 4 and then a television sitcom broadcast on BBC2 and BBC1. Early life and career Delaney was born in Le ...

'', radio show *'' Extras'' *'' One Foot in the Grave'', comedy TV series, 1990 to 2000 *'' Peep Show'', TV series *'' Miranda'', BBC TV comedy series from 2009, starring

Miranda Hart Miranda Katherine Hart Dyke (born 14 December 1972) is an English actress and writer. Following drama training at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, Hart began writing material for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and making appearances in va ...

*''

'', Channel 4 comedy series detailing the last years of sixth form for a group of average teenage boys *''

'', a sitcom about a British Asian family in Birmingham *'' Derek'' *'' Uncle'', starring comedian and actor ''

Race and regional stereotypes

The An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman joke format is one common to many cultures, and is often used in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

, including having the nationalities switched around to take advantage of other stereotypes. These stereotypes are somewhat fond, and these jokes would not be taken as xenophobic. This sort of affectionate stereotype is also exemplified by '' 'Allo 'Allo!'', a programme that, although set in France in the Second World War, and deliberately performed in over-the-top accents, mocked British stereotypes as well as foreigners. This also applies to a lot of the regional stereotypes in the UK. Regional accent and dialect are used in such programmes as ''

'', '' Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'' and ''

'', as these accents provide quick characterisation and social cues. Although racism was a part of British humour, it is now frowned upon, and acts such as

Bernard Manning Bernard John Manning (13 August 1930 – 18 June 2007) was an English comedian and nightclub owner. Manning gained a high profile on British television during the 1970s, appearing on shows such as '' The Comedians'' and ''The Wheeltappers and ...

and Jim Davidson are pilloried. Although some observers once argued certain comedy series of the 1970s were targeting racism rather than being in sympathy with it, such series as '' Love Thy Neighbour'' and '' It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' are no longer considered acceptable for repeat screenings. Along with the first of these two series, '' Till Death Us Do Part'', was an attempt to deal humorously with the influx of immigrants to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

, but it is now usually considered to have been counter-productive. Still much admired, however, '' Fawlty Towers'' featured the mistreatment of the Spanish waiter, Manuel, but the target was the bigotry of the lead character, Basil Fawlty. '' The Young Ones'' featured a police officer (in sunglasses) engaged in racial profiling, only to discover the man was white and wearing dark gloves. Later, '' The Fast Show'' has mocked people of other races, such as the Chanel 9 sketches, and '' Banzai'' has mimicked Japanese games shows, which have an exaggerated sense of violence, sex and public absurdity. '' Goodness Gracious Me'' turned stereotypes on their heads in sketches such as 'Going for an English' and when bargaining over the price of a newspaper. An episode from '' The Goodies'' depicted all of the black population of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

leaving to escape

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

, leaving the Afrikaners with nobody to oppress – instead, they begin a system of discrimination based on height, targeting short people, labelled "apart-height".

Bullying and harsh sarcasm

Harsh sarcasm and

bullying Bullying is the use of force, coercion, hurtful teasing or threat, to abuse, aggressively dominate or intimidate. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perception (by the bully or by others) of an ...

, though with the bully usually coming off worse than the victim – typified by: *'' On the Buses'', Arthur toward his wife, Olive, and Jack and Stan towards their boss Blakey *''Blackadder'', Edmund Blackadder toward his sidekick, Baldrick *''The Young Ones'', comedy TV series *''Fawlty Towers'', Basil Fawlty toward his waiter, Manuel *''

'', satirising a domineering

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

*'' The Thick of It'', satirising the spin culture prevalent in Tony Blair's heyday *'' Never Mind the Buzzcocks'', satirical music-based panel show *''

Mock The Week ''Mock the Week'' is a British topical satirical celebrity panel show, created by Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson. It was produced by Angst Productions for BBC Two, and was broadcast from 5 June 2005 to 4 November 2022. The programme was present ...

'', satirical news-based panel show *''Black Books'', where Bernard Black attacks his assistant, Manny *'' Bottom'', in which Richie attacks Eddie with little or no provocation, usually resulting in Eddie violently (often near-fatally) retaliating. *'' The Ricky Gervais Show'', Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais mocking Karl Pilkington's unique outlook on life.

Parodies of stereotypes

Making fun of British

stereotype In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can be, for exampl ...

s, typified by: *'' Beyond the Fringe'' *'' That Was the Week That Was (TW3)'', late-night TV satire *''

Little Britain Little Britain may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Little Britain'' (sketch show), a British radio and then TV show ** ''Little Britain USA'', an American spin-off * "Little Britain", a song by Dreadzone from the 1995 album ''Second Light'' * ...

'' *'' The Fast Show'' *'' The Young Ones'' *''

Harry Enfield Henry Richard Enfield (born 30 May 1961) is an English comedian, actor, writer and director. He is known in particular for his television work, including '' Harry Enfield's Television Programme'' and ''Harry & Paul'', and for the creation and ...

s Television Programme *''

French and Saunders ''French and Saunders'' is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring comedy duo and namesake Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders that originally broadcast on BBC2 from 1987 to 1993, and later on BBC One until 2017. It is a ...

'' *'' The Day Today'' *'' Brass Eye'' *''

Citizen Smith ''Citizen Smith'' is a British television sitcom written by John Sullivan, first broadcast from 1977 to 1980. It starred Robert Lindsay as Walter Henry "Wolfie" Smith, a young Marxist "urban guerrilla" in Tooting, south London, who is attempti ...

'' parodied the disaffected left-wing anarchist *'' Mind Your Language'', late 1970s sitcom *'' Goodness Gracious Me'' *'' Monkey Dust'' *''

'' *'' PhoneShop'' *''

'' *'' Hale and Pace'' *''

Ali G Alistair Leslie Graham, better known as Ali G, is a satirical fictional character created and performed by English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. A faux-streetwise poseur from Staines, Ali G speaks in rude boy-style Multicultural London English a ...

'' *''

'', a sitcom about a British Asian family in Birmingham.

Tolerance of, and affection for, the eccentric

Tolerance of, and affection for, the eccentric, especially when allied to inventiveness, typified by: *

Heath Robinson William Heath Robinson (31 May 1872 – 13 September 1944) was an English cartoonist, illustrator and artist, best known for drawings of whimsically elaborate machines to achieve simple objectives. In the UK, the term "Heath Robinson contr ...

cartoons *''

Professor Branestawm ''Professor Branestawm'' is a series of thirteen children's books written by the English author Norman Hunter. Professor Theophilus Branestawm is depicted throughout the books as the archetypal absent-minded professor and his name is a variant o ...

'' books *'' Wallace and Gromit'' animations *'' The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'', situation comedy starring Leonard Rossiter *''

Morecambe and Wise Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew, 14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984) and Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman, 27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known as Morecambe and Wise (and sometimes as Eric and Ernie), were an English comic double act, workin ...

'', comedy show starring Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise *'' Last of the Summer Wine'', the longest-running TV comedy series in the world (1973–2010) *'' A Bit of Fry and Laurie'', sketch show written by and starring

Stephen Fry Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director and writer. He first came to prominence in the 1980s as one half of the comic double act Fry and Laurie, alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring ...

and

Hugh Laurie James Hugh Calum Laurie (; born 11 June 1959) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and musician. He first gained recognition for his work as one half of the comedy double act Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. The two men acted together in ...

noted for its eccentric and inventive use of language *'' The Vicar of Dibley'', a sitcom in which

Dawn French Dawn Roma French (born 11 October 1957) is a British actress, comedian, presenter and writer. French is known for writing and starring on the BBC comedy sketch show '' French and Saunders'' with her best friend and comedy partner, Jennifer Sau ...

plays a female vicar whose parishioners are archetypically eccentric and mad *'' QI'' or ''Quite Interesting'', a panel game where points are given for being quite interesting and points are taken away for common misconceptions *'' The Fast Show'', notably Rowley Birkin QC sketch

Pranks and practical jokes

Usually, for television, the performance of a practical joke on an unsuspecting person whilst being covertly filmed, epitomised by: *''

Candid Camera ''Candid Camera'' is a popular and long-running American hidden camera reality television series. Versions of the show appeared on television from 1948 until 2014. Originally created and produced by Allen Funt, it often featured practical joke ...

'' *'' Beadle's About'' *'' Game for a Laugh'' *''

Trigger Happy TV ''Trigger Happy TV'' is a hidden camera/practical joke comedy television series. The original British edition of the show, produced by Absolutely Productions, starred Dom Joly and ran for three series on the British television channel Channel 4 ...

'' *'' Balls of Steel''

References

*Sutton, David. ''A chorus of raspberries: British film comedy 1929–1939''. Exeter: University of Exeter Press, (2000) *Alexander, Richard. ''Aspects of verbal humour in English'' Volume 13 of Language in performance, Publisher Gunter Narr Verlag, 1997
Google books
Accessed August 2011

External links

"British Humour" Sketch from "Waldorf And Sauron's Extremely Serious Circus," Podcast #2, 2009
{{Authority control Humour, British Ethnic humour

Themes

Innuendo

Satire

Absurd

Macabre

Surreal and chaotic

Humour inherent in everyday life

Adults and children

British class system

Lovable rogue

Embarrassment of social ineptitude

Race and regional stereotypes

Bullying and harsh sarcasm

Parodies of stereotypes

Tolerance of, and affection for, the eccentric

Pranks and practical jokes

See also

References

External links