A NUMBER of popular British sitcoms have been removed from streaming services due to controversial content in recent years.
The classic comedy Little Britain was notably removed from all streaming platforms in 2020. A number of streamers have followed suit with other sitcoms, including Come Fly With Me, Peep Show, Fawlty Towers and Bo’ Selecta!
These shows have either been removed in full or certain episodes have been cut due to their use of controversial storylines and characters as well as outdated themes.
Even Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway has had episodes pulled over the presenters’ use of blackface.
Streamers like Netflix, NOW TV, Britbox and the BBC iPlayer have taken a stand against such shows for their use of racial slurs, sexist language and blackface as “times have changed.”
Acknowledging that their shows have caused offence, comedy stars have offered public apologies with Matt Lucas acknowledging that some of his Little Britain sketches were “wrong” and Bo’ Selecta star Leigh Francis saying he “didn’t realise how offensive” his work was at the time.
Keep reading for the full list of sitcoms you can no longer watch and details of why they were removed from streaming platforms.
Little Britain (2003 – 2006)
Little Britain, starring David Walliams and Matt Lucas was a TV favourite across the nation when it first aired but it has now been removed from Netflix, NOW TV, Britbox and BBC iPlayer because of its controversial portrayal of black and Asian characters as well as gay characters and those with disabilities.
Speaking about removing the sitcom, A BBC spokesperson said: “There’s a lot of historical programming available on BBC iPlayer, which we regularly review.
“Times have changed since Little Britain first aired, so it is not currently available on BBC iPlayer.”
Two years later Little Britain returned to BBC iPlayer but some major changes had been made to the episodes.
A BBC spokesperson said: “Little Britain has been made available to fans on BBC iPlayer following edits made to the series by Matt and David that better reflect the changes in the cultural landscape over the last twenty years since the show was first made.”
Come Fly With Me (2010 – 2011)
Come Fly With Me is David and Matt’s follow-up series to Little Britain, but this sketch show is set in an airport.
Like its predecessor, it has also been removed from streaming series like BBC iPlayer, Britbox and Netflix for featuring blackface.
Creators and stars David and Matt have apologised for any offence caused by their programs, with Matt tweeting in 2020: “David and I have both spoken publicly in recent years of our regret that we played characters of other races. Once again, we want to make it clear that it was wrong and we are very sorry.”
The Mighty Boosh (2003 – 2007)
Netflix removed all three series of Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt’s BBC series, The Mighty Boosh.
The comedy was pulled from the streamer due to Fielding’s performance, which saw him don dreadlocks and blackface paint to portray the ghost of a famous jazz musician in a number of episodes.
However, the sitcom has remained available on BBC iPlayer. BBC director general Tony Hall said the corporation was “constantly assessing whether things feel appropriate” but that no changes needed to be made in response to The Mighty Boosh.
The League of Gentlemen (1999 – 2022)
Like The Mighty Boosh, The League of Gentlemen, which follows the lives of four bizarre characters in Royston Vasey, a fictional town in northern England, has also been pulled from Netflix due to the use of blackface.
However, the series remains available to stream on BBC iPlayer with co-creator Reece Shearsmith denying that his character Papa Lazarou was supposed to be black.
“It was not me doing a black man,” he said.
“It was always this clown-like make-up, and we just came up with what we thought was the scariest idea to have in a sort of Child Catcher-like way.
Best 80s sitcoms
We take a look at some of the best sitcoms to air on TV in the 80s.
The Simpsons
This satirical depiction of life in the US was developed by Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, and Sam Simon. It first launched in 1989 and has been going ever since as viewers tune in to see the antics of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie and the rest of the Springfield residents. With over 35 series making it onto the television airwaves, it has become one of the most famous and long-running television shows in history.
Only Fools And Horses
Widely accepted as one of the best British sitcoms of all time, Only Fools and Horses has made viewers laugh for decades. Seven series of the show were made for the BBC One from 1981 for ten years. Set in working-class Peckham, it starred Sir David Jason in his most famous role as the infamous market trader Derek “Del Boy” Trotter. Nicholas Lyndhurst starred as his younger half-brother, Rodney Trotter. In 2004, it was voted as Britain’s Best Sitcom in a BBC poll.
Full House
The US sitcom Full House was created in 1987 with Bob Saget starring father-of-three Danny Tanner. After his wife died, he called in the help of his brother-in-law Jesse (John Stamos) and best friend Joey (Dave Coulier) to move in and help raise his young daughters, DJ (Candace Cameron Bure), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and Michelle (Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen). After eight series, the show came to an end before Netflix revived the franchise for a spin-off, Fuller House.
Golden Girls
Seven series aired from 1985 until 1992. It followed Four women – who were previously married – moved in together in a shared apartment in Miami. Together, they faced various struggles and encounter comical situations in their daily lives. Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty starred in roles that short them to superstardom.
Cheers
1982 was the year that saw the inception of Cheers. An eclectic group of people from all different paths of life meet at a bar Cheers. The boston boozer sees the group share their experiences as they work and drank at the establishment. It starred the likes of Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Perlman. Huge names such as Kelsey Grammer, Woody Harrelson and Kirstie Alley also starred in the hit series.
Growing Pains
Dr. Jason Seaver (Alan Thicke) is a psychiatrist who works from home so his wife, Maggie (Joanna Kerns), can resume her career as a journalist. They share three children, Mike (Kirk Cameron), Carol (Tracey Gold), and Ben (Jeremy Miller). This was before their precocious daughter Chrissy (Ashley Johnson) was born. The programme tackled topical issues such as drugs, suicide, peer pressure and alcohol.
“And I don’t think we ever had any complaints then.”
Bo Selecta (2002 -2004)
Leigh Francis’ comedy sketch show has been removed from Channel 4’s streaming platform.
The show received nominations for a BAFTA and British Comedy Awards during its run, but creator Leigh Francis has since been criticised for his portrayal of Michael Jackson, Craig David and Trisha Goddard using latex face masks.
The comedian has since apologised, saying in an Instagram video: “I portrayed many black people. Back then I didn’t think anything about it, people didn’t say anything, I’m not going to blame other people. I didn’t realise how offensive it was back then.”
Fawlty Towers (1975 – 1979)
Fawlty Towers had one of its episodes, The Germans (1975), temporarily removed from UKTV over “racial slurs” and “outdated language”.
The episode, which shows the character Major Gowen (Ballard Berkeley) repeatedly using the N-word in reference to members of the West Indies cricket team, was taken off the platform while the streamer carried out an investigation.
It includes hotel owner Basil Fawlty, played by John Cleese, goose-stepping around while shouting “don’t mention the war” in front of a group of visiting Germans, after suffering a blow to the head. The scene had been edited out of repeats shown on the BBC in 2013.
However, the episode has returned to UKTV. In a statement the streamer said that its return would come with “extra guidance and warnings… to highlight potentially offensive content and language.”
Peep Show (2003 – 2015)
A series two episode of Peep Show in which Jez (Robert Webb) wears blackface has been re-edited for Netflix.
However, the unedited version remains on Channel 4’s streaming service.
The moment appears in the season two episode Dance Class, during a bedroom scene featuring Jez and his girlfriend Nancy, played by Robert Webb and Rachel Blanchard, respectively.
In a statement, Channel 4 said: “We do not believe that erasing our creative history is a quick fix for the issues affecting our society today.”
Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway (2002 – 2024)
Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway was essential weekend viewing for over a decade – but early episodes of the popular ITV sketch show did feature some controversial moments.
During undercover sketches in 2003 and 2004, Ant and Dec dressed as Jamaican women and Japanese girls using makeup and exaggerated accents.
The episodes have since been removed from ITV’s catch-up service and the presenters apologised, saying: “We realise that this was wrong and want to say that we are sincerely sorry to everyone that we offended.
“We purposely stopped doing this several years ago and certainly would not make these sketches today.”
