Results tagged “uk”

Charlie Brooker nails it.

“Down The Line” is a radio programme that aired on BBC Radio 4. It parodied the talkback genre, which had the traditional listeners spluttering in protest, unaware that it was all just a laugh. Now the creators have reinvented it for TV:

[Charlie] Higson, who, in partnership with [Paul] Whitehouse, has also been responsible for one of the finest BBC2 sketch-programmes of recent years, The Fast Show, admits that much of Down the Line’s comic charm could have been lost in translation. “Obviously doing a radio phone-in on TV would have been daft. So we had to think, ‘Down the Line has been perfectly designed for radio - what’s the TV equivalent?’”

And then Higson and Whitehouse - with the rapidity of a “Suits You” tailor whipping out an innuendo - had a “eureka” moment. “We realised that all these programmes with celebrities driving round the country meeting people and saying ‘isn’t Britain brilliant?’ would be ideal for us to parody,” continues the 51-year-old Higson, who has carved out a very successful second career as the writer of novels about young James Bond.

Here’s the quoted article^*, from the UK’s Independent. I’m obliged to warn you, however, that the subs got a bit carried away with the exclamation marks! In the article! Which is quite irritating!

Bellamy’s People begins screening on BBC2 from 21 January. So if you’re in Australia you can set your DVR to record it in approximately six years.

^* While you’re there, try clicking the “enlarge” button next to the picture and see how much bigger it gets.

Has the world finally gone mad? Creative Review reports that the map of London’s Underground, one of design’s most enduring classics, has undergone surgery to remove the river Thames.

Fortunately the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has spluttered words to the effect that this kind of insubordination is beyond the pale and it shall be reinstated as soon as he has finished elevenses. Well. I should jolly well think so.

Advertising Age reports that the UK is going to allow product placement for the first time.

In the country’s most popular soap, “Coronation Street,” customers at the Rover’s Return pub drink a fictional beer, Newton & Ridley, served on beer mats bearing the mock brewer’s logo. Viewers are used to seeing actors and presenters picking up bottles in such a way as to disguise the brand name, and even to seeing logos covered up with tape. When “American Idol” is shown in Britain, the Coke logo on Mr. Cowell’s cup is pixillated in an attempt to disguise it.

(“Pixillated”? What, replaced with a pixie?)

(Upon further investigation I’ve discovered that “pixillated” is an acceptable spelling. I still contend, however, that digitally replacing the cup with a pixie or other small mythical beast would be an effective - and entertaining - way to avoid product placement issues.)

At least according to Dave the Chimp they are, and who’s to argue? His illustrations are wünderbar. The creative nerds at Creative Review have a mini-interview.

Here’s Dave the Chimp’s bananatastic website.

My pals (and former colleagues) Nigel Coan and Ivana Zorn made this sweet animated spot for Honda, on behalf of Wieden and Kennedy London:

Nigel and Ivana’s company is Nipple.

Via CR Blog.

The Thick Of It is one of the best British comedies in recent memory. Created by the genius behind “I’m Alan Partridge” – Armando Iannucci – it parodies the behind-the-scenes events of the British government. It’s extremely sharp, witty, and fast paced. The main characters are delightful – especially Malcolm Tucker, an aggressive, obscene Scottish press co-ordinator, and Hugh Abbot, the bumbling minister around whom events unfold.

My erudite and well-informed friend Simon points me towards the trailer for the film “In The Loop”, which appears to be an extension of The Thick Of It. It stars many of the same characters, is also penned by Iannucci, and as a bit of a bonus features none other than Tony Soprano himself: James Gandolfini.

Here’s the trailer. If it’s even half as good as The Thick Of It, it’ll be very good indeed.

The News Quiz is a quintessentially British comedy show, broadcast weekly on BBC Radio 4. Effectively using current events as an excuse to make jokes, the “contestants” answer questions posed by dry diminutive Dane, Sandy Toksvig. It served as the template for the long-running TV programme “Have I Got News For You”, so if you’ve ever chortled along with Ian Hislop and pals (or, indeed, enjoyed Private Eye magazine) this will be right up your street. A jolly good weekly wheeze.