LITTLE BRITAIN
COMEDY
UNITED KINGDOM
2003-2006
LITTLE BRITAIN is a British sketch comedy series that began as a radio show in 2000 and ran as a television series between 2003 and 2007. One-off specials were broadcast in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2020. It was written and performed by David Walliams and Matt Lucas. Financed by the BBC, the radio series was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4, with the initial two television series premiering on BBC Three and the third and final series on BBC One. LITTLE BRITAIN consists of 23 episodes of 29 minutes.
STORY: The programme consists of a series of sketches involving exaggerated parodies of British people from various walks of life. Each sketch was introduced by a voice-over narration (Tom Baker) suggesting that the programme was a guide – aimed at non-British people – to British society. Despite the narrator's description of "great British institutions", the comedy arises from the British audience's self-deprecating understanding of either themselves or of people known to them.
Andy Pipkin (Matt Lucas) & Lou Todd (David Walliams)
MATT LUCAS (2003-2006) March 5, 1974, Paddington, London, UK
DAVID WALLIAMS (2003-2006) August 20, 1971, Wimbledon, London, UK
GAY STORYLINE: Recurring characters included Andy Pipkin (Matt Lucas), who falsely presented himself as requiring the use of a wheelchair to gain the attention of his wheelchair pusher Lou Todd (David Walliams). Daffyd Thomas (Matt Lucas), who claims to be "the only gay in the village" despite much evidence to the contrary; and Vicky Pollard (Matt Lucas), presented as a working-class chav engaging in anti-social behaviour.
SPECIAL: The programme, particularly the second and third series, has been criticised for its treatment of women and minority groups and "punch-down" comedic style. Lucas explained that if he were to re-make Little Britain he would avoid making jokes about transvestites and would not play the role of a black character.
AWARDS: ‘LITTLE BRITAIN’ won 4 BAFTA Awards. 28 wins and 12 nominations
7.6 IMDB
