Sincere apologies to the USA...

[Alan Eardley]

I'm British. I travel the world. I get used to being asked to apologise for my country's part in everything from the Industrial Revolution to the Amritsar Massacre to the Irish Potato Famine to the Opium Wars. I usually decline politely, since I wasn't personally involved in any of these incidents and I have not been mandated to speak on behalf of the whole British nation.

However, something so horrible and regretable has occurred that I feel I must assume this mantle of responsibility and apologise deeply and sincerely to our US cousins. You see, a new Head of BBC America has been appointed. And like all modern managers, he has begun by screwing things up. There will be be no more 'Avengers', no more 'The Saint'. 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' and 'The Benny Hill Show' will be no more. Instead there will be (groan) 'Hollyoaks', (whine) 'Hotel Babylon' and (God forgive him) 'Footballers' Wives'.

The reason for this travesty? According to his Director of Communications (now there's a job created to provide employment for a Media Studies MA) the current programmes (which they admit are 'very popular with viewers') do not give 'a good picture of modern Britain'. Sheeesh! I wasn't aware they were supposed to! This isn't some post-Revolution Politbureau propaganda operation - it's entertainment. If people in the US want to watch 1960s British TV programmes, why not let them? Anyway, I shudder to think that 'Hotel Babylon' or 'Footballers' Wives' reflects anything about the values of Britain today or at any any time. They're just crap TV! If you haven't seen them...you're lucky. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Alan

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Thank you, I accept your apology

That is distressing news. He's making a dreadful blunder. Where's my Pimm's?

 

[SinatraStyle]

I love Benny Hill and the Monty Python! Hopefully time will reveal the error of his ways.

 

[pigeon toe]

No more Avengers and The Saint? My dad will kill himself! Especially since he just got digital cable so he could watch those programs!

 

[czack]

Does this man know the meaning of Classic? Of course those programs don't represent modern Britain, they are all at least 30-40 years old. They have stood the test of time.

 

[jamespowers]

I just heard the news today. No more Benny Hill?! I say we find this executive and string 'em up. (A little old west lingo there.)

Regards,

J

 

[Hemingway Jones]

All I can say is, Thank God I bought The Prisoner on DVD!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I don't see why they couldn't just have reduced the amount of old stuff and increased the new without eliminating the old altogether. Though removing Benny Hill, Coronation Street and Eastenders would be a blessing, i can't see that Hollyoaks presents contemporary Britain in any realistic fashion either. All students, all beautiful, and all in terrible relationships.

On a related point, how old is Hollyoaks? I remember it from about 15 years ago. Shurely that can't be representativ eof Britain today . . .

bk

 

[Story]

Remove the most popular elements of your programming, just to be 'modern'?

BRILLIANT!

 

[dhermann1]

I read the Times of London online almost every day, plus BBC, plus The Guardian, so I think I'm pretty up on Britain today, I must say, bring back Winston! Red Ken Livingston! Oh boy! Gordon Brown and David Cameron! How inspiring!
I've seen a few 90's shows from BBC that I hope they bring back, e.g. Darling Buds of May (early Catherine Zeta Jones! vavavoom!), but Footballers Wives! Gak!!! BBC America already has a lot of stuff I would never watch. Seems like they want to prove they can produce garbage just as bad as Hollywood.

 

[Feraud]

You mean all my English cousins across the pond do not act like Benny Hill?!
I am cancelling my trip! :rage:

 

[Sefton]

I say we sick Spiny Norman on him. That'll teach him....

 

[moustache]

Hmmmm.Funny.Last time i was in London(2005),i specifically remember seeing re-runs of "Cheers" on one of the channels.Maybe not BBC1 to 4.Maybe it was ITV.Anyway...I can't see how taking off the popular shows and exchanging it with these "new" ones will help an already troubled channel.I had BBC America for a few months and was most disappointed.I see more Brit shows on PBS channels here than from the Beeb.So i cancelled it.I will buy DVD's if i have to.
I now have many Monty Python's,Last of the Summer Wine(a favourite of mine)Fawlty Towers,Thin Blue Line,Keeping up Appearances and others.

They are what America sees and enjoys.Cancel what is popular and down the tubes goes the network.

JD

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Gawblimy, not what!? Shall we send back Alistair Cook?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

if you can find him

bk

 

[Story]

if you can find him
bk

Dinsdale!

 

[lindylady]

No fair Guess we'll all have to order on Amazon for the shows on dvd

 

[Amy Jeanne]

My husband is from London and I told him about this.

His reply: "Hollyoaks and Footballers Wives are shows about Trash. They want America to think we're all Trash?"

He is emabarrassed by this news.

I'm disappointed with BBC America anyway. How many times can one station show the same show over and over and over again (Cash In The Attic -- which also peeves me off!)

We'll stick to our DVDs of The Young Ones and Allo Allo -- the shows that made me love England even more while growing up in an uninteresting suburban NJ home!

 

[Story]

It just struck me that this must all be a cheap marketing ploy and Garth Ancier is nothing more than a hapless pawn. Any day now there'll be a live break-in as John Cleese, followed by a camera crew, enters Ancier's office, questions his sanity and then beats the daylights out of him with a ten-day old Codfish.

Cleese will then turn to the camera and apologize to America for the dirty trick, but claim it's fair turn-about for unleashing Britney Spears on an unsuspecting world.

 

[RedPop4]

Garth Ancier? He's the guy responsible for the Ricki Lake Show. Lord help us all.:eusa_doh: :eusa_doh: :eusa_doh: :eusa_doh: