Ronnie Barker discusses his double life as the mysterious Gerald Wiley and the art of comedy writing in this retrospective which was broadcast on Thursday, 28th August, 1997. Fans of the Two Ronnies will of course enjoy this, but I think fans of comedy in general will at the very least find it interesting, if only to see how things were done back then. (And when I say "full episode" in the title, I'm afraid the 'Content ID' system insists that some of the sketches be cut out - sorry about that.)
Apparently this was Ronnie's first television interview nearly a decade on from his retirement, and to be honest I suspect it may be every bit as scripted as one of his skits, but it's still nice to hear the stories from the horse's mouth. Meanwhile, minor points of interest include the dystopian future with the women in charge serial apparently being set in 2009, while the Phantom Raspberry Blower doesn't even get a mention. (Possibly because Barker was merely adapting Spike Milligan's original concept.)
On a tangent, that Bloomin' Marvellous programme trailed in the junction after the main show with Sarah Lancashire and Clive Mantle looks ace, and not at all like a parody of a mid-90s hacky British sitcom. Extraordinary.
(If you're a copyright holder and have any objections, please feel free to contact me. Alternatively, I haven't monetised the video, so you're welcome to do so, and that way everybody wins.)
23 июл 2022
