Old Radio comedy

DATE REVISED: 2024-10-23

ITEMS: 766

List of Censored and Banned programmes (‘Woke cuts’)

The BBC wants to cancel our culture:
https://www.google.com/search?btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=Woke+Cuts

The BBC philistines are censoring old comedy shows held in their radio archives, before repeating them on Radio 4 Extra. This is cultural vandalism: a disgraceful practice.

Often there are cuts which take the form of a complete sketch being cut; sometimes an entire episode is banned. It’s rarely a single line, and the banning of entire episodes has become a serious problem. Each radio broadcast affected is detailed in the list below.

Disgracefully, there are currently more than SEVEN HUNDRED banned and censored radio broadcasts (detailed below).

I can only report those cuts I have noticed myself, which may be a very incomplete list. I tend to listen mainly to comedy shows, and mostly to comedies aired before 1990. Roy Hudd comedies, which feature fairly heavily in the list, have been cut as late as 2002 though.

Roy Hudd and Frankie Howerd are particular victims of this evil practice. And even well-known gay icons such as Frankie Howerd and Kenneth Williams are being targeted, who one might have expected to be immune.

It’s unacceptable to re-write history. If things happened in the past, we should not hide them nor pretend they didn’t happen: those who are not willing to learn from history will be condemned to repeat its mistakes.

Nor is it acceptable to re-write our literature or culture, by banning books — or authors — the BBC no longer approves of. That was Hitler’s sinister solution in the 1930s: the BBC seeks to repeat the mistakes of Hitler, by adopting his intolerance for the views of others.

Like Hitler, political correctness is uninterested in engaging points of view, but only in shutting down all discussion, with censorship and personal attacks, whenever an individual disagrees with the currently “correct” point of view.

In a short video posted online, the comedian Rowan Atkinson expresses his support for free speech, condemning those who support censorship for trivial reasons, such as merely because a remark might insult or offend someone.

He points out that only a threat to use violence can justify censorship. And that merely expressing an alternative point of view never can.

You can watch the video here: https://archive.org/details/rowan-atkinson-on-free-speech

Each item in the list below is a radio programme held in the BBC’s archives which has been routinely repeated on Radio 4 Extra (previously called BBC 7) regularly between 2003 and 2019. These recent repeats are an admission that there is nothing wrong in them.

Since 2020, when the new Controller of Radio 4 and 4 Extra took over, each item in this list has suddenly and without justification been censored when repeated, or the broadcasting of it has been banned. He needs sacking.

The BBC pretend they only make cuts to remove derogatory expressions, but in fact none of these broadcasts contain any such expressions.

The broadcasts don’t use the kind of language that might genuinely cause offence. For example, they do NOT contain derogatory terms for foreigners (e.g. ‘wog’, ‘coon’, ‘nigger’). Wokes pretend to be offended, but actually no broadcast uses any of those terms.

Does having a foreigner in charge of Radio 4 Extra have an influence on the station’s (un)willingness to broadcast jokes about foreigners?

The BBC pretend that they make the cuts to comply with their operating licence, but in fact that licence contains no such condition (it does not address the BBC’s sound archive at all):

BBC Operating Licence – Updated version, March 2021

It only talks about current programmes. And only addresses issues such as how to balance the interests of the four participating countries—England, Scotland, N.Ireland and Wales.

Censorship, and the specious justifications cited for it, is such a slippery slope:

“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the BBC is always right.”

— George Orwell, in his novel “1984 ”

As a child of the Sixties, I’m laughing my ass off. From “you can’t tell me what to think” to groupthink — because they’re taught what to think, instead of how to think.

In Orwell’s novel, which he based on the actual truth of life under Stalinism in the Soviet Union, the forces of totaliarian repression tell the people what they are allowed to think, such as what they are allowed to find funny. This evil practice is termed groupthink by Orwell. The people are also strictly controlled as to what they are allowed to say: in new-speak many words are forbidden. In my opinion these practices are now common at the BBC.

The list, below, gives reasons why each broadcast has been cut or banned, together with criticism of those reasons. The reasons cited can sometimes seem vague, as the BBC take all decisions concerning censorship in secret. It’s therefore often not clear what their reasons are.

It’s possible to challenge their refusal to give reasons: see below, where a letter requesting this, under the UK’s Freedom of Information Act 2000, is reproduced. They usually refuse to comply, but there is a formal procedure under the Act to force them to answer (see below for details).

There has been some misunderstanding concerning the purpose of this list.

To clarify, I circulate the details to those who have expressed an interest in BBC radio comedy, to identify which repeats to avoid. Many recordings circulate online: my intention is to identify those which, because they’ve been censored, should be avoided.

It might be possible to find some complete recordings of banned or cut radio shows using this link—

https://archive.org/details/radio-comedy-banned-and-censored-episodes

Some of the broadcasts survive only in low bitrates. Please upload a better quality recording to Archive.org if you have one.

There are HUNDREDS more banned episodes than are shown in this list:*

(a) All 67 editions of the comedy sketch show Hello Cheeky (aired between 1973 and 1979) are presumed to be banned, as the show, once popular on BBC 7, is no longer repeated. The show, written by Barry Cryer and John Junkin, is deemed by the BBC to be politically incorrect.

Uncut recordings of Hello Cheeky might be found at https://fourble.co.uk/podcast/cheeky or at https://theaudiobookbay.se/abss/hello-ccheeky-1973-1979-bbc/

(b) 547 editions of the comedy panel game Just A Minute (broadcast continuously since 1967, with more than 1,000 editions aired to date) are presumed to be banned, as the show, once popular on BBC 7, is no longer repeated. The regular panellists include Sir Clement Freud MP, who the BBC deem to be what George Orwell termed a ‘non-person’, who they pretend never existed, who appeared in 547 editions of the show.

Editions featuring Sir Clement Freud (858 broadcasts, including repeats):
https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?q=%22Just+A+Minute%22+%22Clement+Freud%22

Banned editions of Just A Minute from the 1960s (1967-1971, 77 episodes) might be found at https://archive.org/download/Just-A-Minute

Banned editions of Just A Minute from 1967 to the present can be listened to live 24/7 on Internet Radio (64 kbps mp3). Copy-and-paste the following URL into any media player (or download the file listen.pls then double-click on it): http://stream.beatradar.no:8007/listen.pls

(c) 14 editions of the comedy sketch show Radio Active (broadcast in the 1980s, which spoofed both BBC local radio and ILR commercial radio) are presumed to be banned, as the show was once popular on BBC 7 but 14 of the broadcasts have been excluded from the most recent repeats: all the editions of Series 1 (7 episodes), s02e02 to s02e05 (4 episodes), s06e01, s06e04 and s07e04.

In addition, Woke cuts have been identified in 13 other editions of the show. But as it is not a show I follow, I do not have details of those cuts.

Banned editions of Radio Active, and uncut repeats of the other editions, might be found using this link (where further details are given) –

https://archive.org/details/radio-active-patched

*TOTAL WOKE CUTS: More than SEVEN HUNDRED banned or censored broadcasts.

Added to the 138 broadcasts detailed below, 628 banned broadcasts are known (67 editions of Hello Cheeky, 547 editions of Just A Minute, and 14 editions of Radio Active) making in all 766 banned or censored broadcasts.

Where such a broadcast survives only as an .mp3 file, please upload a better recording (to Archive.org) if you have one. Perhaps you have it as a .wav or .flac file, or as an .mp3 file with a better bitrate.

There are MANY more cut episodes than are shown in this list.

The BBC’s archives hold a huge number of recordings which survive as BBC Transcription Service vinyl discs, formerly sold to overseas broadcasters, edited in the 1960s/1970s to fit the shorter playing time of a vinyl disc.

The BBC sometimes designate a Transcription Service disc as a ‘TS edit’, whilst the complete original broadcast tape may be designated ‘DOM’ (short for ‘Domestic’, meaning a recording aired on the UK’s domestic radio network).

Often the complete original broadcast tape also survives, but the BBC can’t be bothered to restore the tape for broadcasting, as it’s cheaper to just keep on repeating the edited disc version.

Almost a quarter of the recordings listed here are from the comedy sketch show I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again. I may decide to add to this list all 67 episodes of that show, as Radio 4 Extra transmits nearly all of them from the edited vinyl discs which BBC 7 inherited from the old Transcription Service. So even those episodes which don’t suffer from Woke cuts are incomplete.

Uncut episodes of I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again might be found using this link —
ISIRTA broadcast master recordings.

The BBC’s broadcast copyright under section 14(2) of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 expires 50 years after the first transmission of a broadcast. BBC copyright has accordingly now expired for all tv and radio broadcasts aired before 1974.

This list has been rearranged into alphabetical order, based on the programme titles. However, all titles beginning with the word ‘The’ are indexed here by the second word in the title.

For convenience, though, where an item is a compilation or a special, based on a particular programme, it will be grouped with the other entries for that programme, even where that violates alphabetical order.

A plain text version of the source file used to create this page, giving all the details included below, can be downloaded here —

Woke cuts text file

Recent additions to this list: Item #01, #02, #07, #21, #22, #23, #24, #25, #28, #29, #30, #32, #34, #46, #48, #49, #50, #51, #52, #62, #64, #85, #106, #107 (below)

The latest additions to this list: Item #23, #24, #25, #28, #29, #30, #32, #34

Political Censorship of Radio Comedy

Before political correctness there was… humour! But now the BBC’s thought police want to tell us what we can and can’t find funny.

All repeats of BBC radio comedies which aired on Radio 4 Extra before 2023 (i.e. prior to 31st December 2022) are uncut, so far as is known, except if specified otherwise in this list. Please send me any corrections.

Repeats aired on Radio 4 Extra after that date may contain cuts not itemised in this list.

It has not always been possible to check the contents of the 3 Hour specials, generally aired on Saturdays at 9am, when repeated in or after 2020. So broadcasts included in them should be treated with caution.

Repeats of BBC radio dramas aired on the station at any date may contain cuts.

Any cuts to radio dramas notified to me will be added to this list, but the list is mainly for identifying vandalism to comedy shows. I listen to pre-1980 dramas, but not systematically. Any such additions will be haphazard.

Note : 1980 was in the middle of the BBC’s golden age (but the BBC’s truly awful now).

LIST OF CENSORED AND BANNED PROGRAMMES

This list is in Alphabetical order by Series

# ITEM 01

Title of programme –

Absolute Power – s02e01
Situation Comedy starring Stephen Fry and John Bird

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007t3kk

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-08-02 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2021-01-05 (uncut) (uncut duration 27’00”)

Note: Uncut duration means the duration of the original broadcast present in the audio file (i.e. the original episode). Non-programme material that precedes or follows the episode is disregarded, such as silence, modern continuity announcements, and/or modern trailers.

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Merely making jokes about the Labour Party is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about lefties. Is it a coincidence that jokes about the loony left are being banned now that a biased leftie is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

# ITEM 02

Title of programme –

Absolute Power – s03e01 – 2002/01/01 (“Poking the PM”)
Political Sitcom starring Stephen Fry and John Bird

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007wwf1

Date of Repeat –
2021-06-10

Description of cuts –
A cut at 24:36 lasting 7 seconds.

When a competition is launched by the British Government to compose a new National Anthem to replace ‘God Save The Queen’, this line is cut :

  • Archie: “[Charles, sort this out.] And sort it out big time. I don’t want
     any suicidal ones, that make Leonard Cohen sound like Rolf Harris.”
     (Audience laughter) “No losers and boozers…”

Last uncut repeat : 2014-07-09 (uncut duration 28’01”)

Reason for Rolf Harris cut –

Rolf has been declared a “non-person” (or ‘unperson’) by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2014), who they pretend never existed.

Rolf Harris, an Australian entertainer who came to Britain in the 1960s, was originally a comedian specialising in singing comic songs:
https://archive.org/details/RolfHarrisCollection

# ITEM 03

Title of programme –

Absolute Power – s04e02 – 2004/02/12 (“The Notion of Nation”)
Political Sitcom starring Stephen Fry and John Bird

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018tsh9

Date of Repeat –
2018-12-05 (Note: The repeat on 2021-08-19 contains identical cuts)

Description of cuts –
A cut at 25:32 lasting 3 seconds

One character tries to show he is not drunk, by reciting the complicated lyrics to a song popularised by comedian Rolf Harris. This line is cut:

• Stephen Fry: “So either you’re Rolf Harris or you’re legless.”

Last uncut repeat : 2012-01-04 (uncut duration 27’59”)

Reason for Rolf Harris cut –

Rolf has been declared a “non-person” (or ‘unperson’) by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2014), who they pretend never existed.

Rolf Harris, an Australian entertainer who came to Britain in the 1960s, was originally a comedian specialising in singing comic songs:
https://archive.org/details/RolfHarrisCollection

# ITEM 04

Title of programme –

Albert and Me – 1977/01/05 – Pilot Episode
Situation Comedy starring Richard Beckinsale, Pat Coombs, John Comer

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jv04

Date of Repeat –
2023-11-03

Description of cuts –
A cut at 2:10 lasting 4 seconds.

When baby Albert falls into the shoeshine box and blacks himself up with boot polish like a Black And White Minstrel, this line is cut :

• John Comer: “I thought he was one of the Black And White Minstrels fallen out [of] the telly.”

Last uncut repeat : 2017-11-10 (uncut duration 27’25”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Merely making a joke about foreigners is enough to get the joke banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

For reasons of political correctness they always cut references to “The Black and White Minstrel Show”, a popular 1960s BBC variety show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPDn0EMPZK0

BBC hypocrisy, as the television show which they’re pretending doesn’t exist is a BBC show!

Note : The Black and White Minstrels (a traditional Minstrel show) was based on an early American group called the Christy Minstrels.

# ITEM 05

Title of programme –

Albert and Me – s01e07 1977/12/17 – The Homecoming
Situation Comedy starring Richard Beckinsale, Pat Coombs, John Comer

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jsm1

Date of Repeat –
2023-12-29

Description of cuts –
A cut at 24:15 lasting 4 seconds.

When Richard Beckinsale’s character wins a snooker match by default, and mimics a foreign accent, his dialogue is cut :

• Richard Beckinsale: (accent) “De fault of whoever sprayed him!” (Audience laughter)
• John Comer: “That’s enough of that…”

Last uncut repeat : 2021-11-08 (uncut duration 26’45”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a joke banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the cut dialogue contains jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

# ITEM 06

Title of programme –

Albert and Me – s02e04 1983/04/06 – Casual Labour
Situation Comedy starring Robert Lindsay and Pat Coombs

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0480vfp

Date of Repeat –
2022-05-26

Description of cuts –
A cut at 1:15 lasting 3 seconds. This line is cut when Brian explains his boss’s reaction to him bringing up baby Albert as a single father :

• Robert Lindsay: “He thinks I’m a closet poofter.” (Audience laughter)

Last uncut repeat : 2020-07-07 (uncut duration 23’06”)

Reason for cuts (poof joke) –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms (‘queer’, ‘pervert’, etc).

The dictionary definition of poof is ‘a well-dressed homosexual’. It’s a polite euphemism, employed in popular culture in order to avoid using a derogatory term.

# ITEM 07

Title of programme –

All Gas and Gaiters – s02e12 1972/10/09 – The Bishop Loses His Chaplain
Situation Comedy starring Derek Nimmo, William Mervyn, Jonathan Cecil

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/083bf2f97116471aab02bf59ca3dd613

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-03-03 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 1972-10-11 (uncut) (uncut duration 29’34”)

Reason for banning –

It seems likely the episode is the victim of a copyright dispute.

When the Bishop buys a television set, the episode includes some tv audio, derived from a popular American tv series owned by Paramount Pictures. It’s possible that Paramount didn’t give permission.

In 1972, the tv show in question was fairly obscure, so probably no one thought using a small section of its soundtrack would cause a problem. Much later the tv show became a hit, thus sparking a copyright dispute.

# ITEM 08

Title of programme –

Anything Legal – Episode 5 – 1984/12/10
Situation Comedy starring Donald Hewlett and Michael Knowles

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0088z2b

Date of Repeat –
2020-12-03

Timing information –

This episode was rescued from an off-air tape recorded by a listener, who was using poorly maintained consumer equipment. In all previous repeats, on 2019-02-01 and before, the BBC broadcast the uncorrected tape running at the wrong speed (so the episode ran slow).

The censored repeat (aired on 2020-12-03) is a recording in which the running speed of the tape has been corrected. All timings given here are based on the running speed of the last uncut broadcast (2019-02-01), being the last complete recording available.

Description of cuts (55 seconds in all) –

1st cut at 14:38 lasting 18 seconds.

In a discussion about the torture of Allied prisoners-of-war, in World War 2, the following dialogue is cut:

  • Donald Hewlett : “Just thinking of all those poor chaps
who went through the Japanese prisoner-of-war camps.”
  • Michael Knowles: “What chaps?”
  • Donald Hewlett : “Prisoners of war.”
  • Michael Knowles: “Oh, those chaps.”
  • Donald Hewlett : “Yes.”
  • Michael Knowles: “Why?”
  • Donald Hewlett : “Why what?”
  • Michael Knowles: “Why did you think of prisoners of war?”
  • Donald Hewlett : “I don’t know. Can’t quite put my finger on it…”

Note: Due to the speed correction, in the censored repeat this 1st cut occurs at 13:55.

2nd cut at 15:32 lasting 37 seconds.

In a discussion about Chinese water torture, the following dialogue is cut:

  • Michael Knowles: “How awfully interesting.”
  • Donald Hewlett : “What?”
  • Michael Knowles: “Your Chinese water torture thing.”
  • Donald Hewlett : “Yes.”
  • Michael Knowles: “Ah, so.”
  • Donald Hewlett : “Ah so? I didn’t know you spoke the language George.”
(Audience laughter)
  • Michael Knowles: “I don’t. Should’ve been a sort of pause between
the ‘ah’ and the ‘so’. Then I was going to continue.”
  • Donald Hewlett : “Ah, so… that’s what it was.” (Audience laughter)
  • Michael Knowles: “Yes. Wonder where they got the taps?”
  • Donald Hewlett : “What taps?”
  • Michael Knowles: “The china taps.”
  • Donald Hewlett : “China taps?”
  • Michael Knowles: “Yes, for the Chinese drips.”
  • Donald Hewlett : “Local plumber, probably.”
  • Michael Knowles: “Yellow Pages?” (Audience laughter)
  • Donald Hewlett : “More than likely.”

Note: Due to the speed correction, in the censored repeat this 2nd cut occurs at 14:35.

Last uncut repeat : 2019-02-01 (uncut duration: 28’48”)

Reason for cuts –

1st cut: BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Also, there is no humorous content: if the BBC objects to jokes about foreigners, there is nevertheless no point cutting dialogue which is not a joke.

2nd cut: Presumably because it contains jokes about foreigners, including a Yellow Peril joke. This is more BBC bias, since references to blacks being black are not cut.

Additional Information –

Donald Hewlett and Michael Knowles became a comedy double-act by chance, when they were cast together as Colonel Reynolds and Captain Ashwood in the popular BBC television sitcom It Ain’t Half Hot Mum (1974-1981), going on to work together in various radio and television shows:

https://archive.org/download/classic-british-tv-pack/It Ain’t Half Hot Mum/

# ITEM 09

Title of programme –

Barry Cryer’s Christmas Selection Box – Part 2

3 Hour compilation of 6 Christmas specials from classic radio comedies, presented by Barry Cryer. Made for BBC 7. First aired 25th December 2004.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jqtp

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2020-12-26 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –

Programme banned. Last repeat: 2011-12-24

Uncut Duration (3 Hour Special): 2 hr 53 min 15 sec
Uncut Duration (“Hello Cheeky”): 42’23”

Reason for banning –

Probably because it includes an episode of the 1970s comedy sketch show Hello Cheeky, all episodes of which the BBC deem politically incorrect:

“Hello Cheeky” 1976 Christmas special, t/x Christmas Day 1976. Pantomime spoof, ‘Cheeky Whittington and his Magic Ballpoint’.

Note: ALL 67 episodes of Hello Cheeky are presumed to be banned, as the series is no longer repeated on Radio 4 Extra.

Additional Information –

These are the contents of the 3 hour special:

  1: After Henry – ‘A Week of Sundays’, 22/12/1985,
   1985 Christmas Special (3:58 to 27:44) 23’46”
  2: Christmas Eve with The Shuttleworths (15 min), 24/12/1993
  3: People Like Us – 1995 Christmas Special, 23/12/1995
   (45:58 to 1:08:07) 22’09”
  4: Dead Ringers – ‘Best Of The Year’ compilation for 2001,
   t/x December 2001 (1:09:48 to 1:37:37) 27’49”
  5: Hello Cheeky – 1976 Christmas Special, 25/12/1976,
   ‘Cheeky Whittington and His Magic Ballpoint’,
   with David Jacobs (1:39:23 to 2:21:46) 42’23”
  6: Hancock’s Half Hour – 1958 Christmas Special, 25/12/1958,
   ‘Bill and Father Christmas’ (2:23:49 to 2:52:39) 28’50”

# ITEM 10

Title of programme –

Beachcomber By The Way – s01e01 – 1989/03/18
Sketch Comedy starring Richard Ingrams and Patricia Routledge

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0080jmp

Date of Repeat –
2021-02-10

Description of cuts –
A cut at 4:24 lasting 4 seconds. This line is cut:

• Patricia Routledge: “Fuzzy-Wuzzies!”

(Presumably the same fuzzy-wuzzies that Corporal Jones routinely mentions in Dad’s Army)

Last uncut repeat : 2019-02-26 (uncut duration 29’28”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. “Fuzzy-Wuzzy” is the title of a poem by the English author and poet Rudyard Kipling.

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Beachcomber%20By%20The%20Way

# ITEM 11

Title of programme –

Beachcomber By The Way – s01e03 – 1989/04/01
Sketch Comedy starring Richard Ingrams and Patricia Routledge

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0081s34

Date of Repeat –
2021-02-24

Description of cuts –
A cut at 2:07 lasting 3 seconds. Cut is a reference to Africa! In the following dialogue, Richard Ingrams’s line is deleted –

• Patricia Routledge: “… He is some sort of Attaché.”
• Richard Ingrams : “Yes, the African sort by the sound of it.”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-03-12 (uncut duration 29’15”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

The most pathetic cut so far encountered. One character in a sketch mentions the word ‘African’, and the line is cut!

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Beachcomber%20By%20The%20Way

# ITEM 12

Title of programme –

Beachcomber By The Way – s03e02 – 1994/11/16
Sketch Comedy starring Richard Ingrams and Patricia Routledge

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008p7w7

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2020-06-04 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2016-03-24 (uncut duration 28’50”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

It includes a line about an Indian who owns an elephant (20 seconds), but nothing else which could possibly be deemed politically incorrect.

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Beachcomber%20By%20The%20Way

# ITEM 13

Title of programme –

Benny Hill Time – 1964/04/12
Sketch Comedy starring Benny Hill

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08nyvmt

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2023-05-27 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2019-06-13 (uncut) (uncut duration 29’26”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT include any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the programme contains jokes about foreigners (including pygmies). Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

# ITEM 14

Title of programme –

Best of Bentine (a.k.a. The Michael Bentine Show) – s01e04 – 1984/02/12
Sketch Comedy starring Michael Bentine

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008vnrl

Date of Repeat –
2024-03-12

Description of cuts –
A cut at 0:36 lasting 2 seconds. This line is cut:

• Michael Bentine: “You yellow devil.”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-03-08 (uncut duration 26’52”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms (‘wog’, ‘chink’, etc).

The cut is biased, since a reference to ‘black devils’ would not have been cut, as references to ‘black’ are not cut.

# ITEM 15

Title of programme –

Best of Bentine (a.k.a. The Michael Bentine Show) – s02e02 – 1984/04/22
Sketch Comedy starring Michael Bentine

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00k9dbv

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-04-09 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2019-04-05 (uncut) (uncut duration 27’06”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Perhaps because the episode includes a sketch spoofing the ITV soap opera “Coronation Street”, featuring an all-Jewish cast. Merely using a jewish (i.e. foreign) accent is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

# ITEM 16

Title of programme –

Best of Bentine (a.k.a. The Michael Bentine Show) – s02e04 – 1984/05/06
Sketch Comedy starring Michael Bentine

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kkdkm

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-04-23 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2019-04-19 (uncut) (uncut duration 27’20”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

# ITEM 17

Title of programme –

Best of Bentine (a.k.a. The Michael Bentine Show) – s02e05 – 1984/05/13
Sketch Comedy starring Michael Bentine

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kn7yv

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-04-30 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2019-04-26 (uncut) (uncut duration 27’13”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

# ITEM 18

Title of programme –

Betty Witherspoon Show – Episode 2 – 1974/04/27
Sketch Comedy starring Ted Ray and Kenneth Williams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001jt0d

Date of Repeat –
2023-03-05

Description of cuts –
A cut at 0:23 lasting 42 seconds. This dialogue is cut:

  • Ted Ray : “And now ladies and gentlemen, in response to the public’s overwhelming demands for more good music on the radio, I will play the violin.”
  • Kenneth : “ ’Ere, ’ere, what tune? What tune you gonna play?”
  • Ted Ray : “I have an idea!”
  • Kenneth : “Yeah? Why don’t you play that song about Jean-Pierre Ben Gurion.”
  • Ted Ray : “Song about Jean-Pierre Ben Gurion? What’s that?”
  • Kenneth : “The Froggy Froggy Jew.” (Audience laughter)
  • Ted Ray : “I don’t get it, but I like it. I’ll play something that fits my mood much better.”
  • Sound f/x: (Violin music)
  • Kenneth : “ ’Ere, you can’t play that. That’s called The Party’s Over.”
  • Ted Ray : “That’s right.”
  • Kenneth : “Well the show’s only just begun!”
  • Ted Ray : “I know, I know, Ken. I know. But actually, you see, the fact is…”

Last uncut broadcast : 1974-04-27 (uncut duration 27’43”)

Notes:
1. A joke about “The Foggy Foggy Dew”, an English folk song popularised in the 1950s by American film star Burl Ives.
2. The name ‘Jean-Pierre Ben Gurion’ is a fictional name, with French and Jewish elements, invented solely for this joke (David Ben Gurion was formerly prime minister of Israel).

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the cut dialogue contains a Jewish joke. Merely making a joke about foreigners is enough to get a sketch banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Additional Information –

This was formerly a lost episode, until two off-air recordings were found in or about 2023 (I first learned of this on 14th March 2023).

The episode now exists complete, though as a hybrid, in which all except the first 65 seconds is good quality (from off-air tape A), and the first 65 seconds are poor quality (from off-air tape B).

The 2023 repeat was the first ever broadcast of this episode on BBC 7 or Radio 4 Extra. In this repeat:

(a) The opening titles have been replaced, rather obviously, from a different episode (very obvious, as this section has the best sound quality in the entire 2023 repeat).

(b) The following 30 seconds, containing a Jewish joke, is cut. This is the entire remainder of the section added — in the complete version — from the poor off-air tape.

Thus the first 65 seconds of the complete (hybrid) version are omitted: the entire poor quality section (i.e. everything sourced from tape B).

# ITEM 19

Title of programme –

Betty Witherspoon Show – Episode 7 – 1974/06/01
Sketch Comedy starring Ted Ray and Kenneth Williams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mg07x

Date of Repeat –
2023-02-05 (duration 26’49”)

Description of cuts –
A cut at 18:14 lasting 31 seconds.

In a sketch about comedians stealing each others jokes, the following dialogue is cut:

  • Ted Ray: “It is thought that it was stolen by a Japanese comedian who intends to sell it in Tokyo, and have it copied and re-exported to Britain, as…”
  • Customer: (Oriental accent) “Waiter, waiter, there is a fly in my soup.”
  • Waiter : (Oriental accent) “Very sorry, sir. Would you prefer one with a spider?”
  • Kenneth: (Laughs uproariously) “That’s a bit like a Chinese joke.”
  • Ted Ray: “Why’s it like a Chinese joke?”
  • Kenneth: “Well, as soon as you tell one Chinese joke, you need to tell ANOTHER one!”
  • Ted Ray: “I’ll tell you this…”
  • Kenneth: “What’ll you tell me?”
  • Ted Ray: “I’ll tell you this…”
  • Kenneth: “Go on then, get on with it!”
  • Ted Ray: “As soon as we… er, you… tell a joke like that, everyone wants to tell another joke!”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-05-28 (uncut duration 27’20” including 1974 Announcer at end)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the cut dialogue contains foreign accents. Merely making a joke about foreigners is enough to get a sketch banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Additional Information –

The first repeat of this episode on BBC 7 was on 2003-10-26. All later repeats were uncut, until this 2023 repeat.

# ITEM 20

Title of programme –

Betty Witherspoon Show – Episode 9 – 1974/06/15
Sketch Comedy starring Ted Ray and Kenneth Williams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mrq07

Date of Repeat –
2019-06-11 (cut duration 27’36”)

NB: The 2023-02-20 repeat has an identical cut

Description of cuts –
A cut at 16:47 lasting 4 seconds. The following dialogue is cut:

• Ted Ray: “What did you do on your honeymoon?”
• Kenneth Williams: “Went to Blackpool with Jimmy Savile.” (Audience reaction)

Last known uncut broadcast : 2003-11-09 (uncut duration 27’40”)
(survives as 128 kbps mp3, 25.3 MB)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Jimmy Savile has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since October 2012), who they pretend never existed, despite never being convicted of any offence, who was maligned only after his death, once he could no longer defend himself.

Consider the case of the actor Kevin Spacey, who was vilified AFTER he was tried and acquitted, to understand that in ‘cancel culture’ even being proved innocent affords no protection against being treated as guilty.

# ITEM 21

Title of programme –

Brothers in Law – s02e11 1971/09/21 – A Jewel of a Husband
Situation Comedy starring Richard Briers

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007js5z

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-10-05 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2018-05-18 (uncut) (uncut duration 28’38”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

The trainee Barrister (played by Richard Briers) defends a sexy woman (played by Barbara Windsor) who is charged with bigamy. She ran away because her first husband used to hit her, but wants to forgive him.

Probably banned merely because it might be misrepresented as making light of domestic violence.

# ITEM 22

Title of programme –

Brothers in Law – s02e13 1971/10/05 – Brief Offer
Situation Comedy starring Richard Briers

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/4a5de8ab24f04274a10a1bcf9c67eccf

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-10-19 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last aired in 1971 (uncut) (uncut duration 29’18”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

The trainee Barrister is still dating two women. Offered a big fee in an important law suit by Joy’s uncle, as a bribe to marry her, he tries to decide if he can accept the case but turn down Joy; but seems to end up accepting both, then lying to his other girlfriend.

# ITEM 23

Title of programme –

Burkiss Way – s01e02 1976/09/03 – Pass Examinations The Burkiss Way
Sketch Comedy starring Denise Coffey, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jm1y

Note : The full title of the show is The Burkiss Way To Dynamic Living. Presented by Professor Burkiss in lessons 1 to 47. This is Lesson 2.

Date of Repeat –
2022-07-28

Description of cuts –
A cut at 1:52 lasting 5 seconds:

An illiterate customer mispronounces the show’s name as “The Burgess Wog” during the testimonials spot at the beginning.

Last uncut repeat : Date unknown (Uncut duration 24’35”)

Note: This is one of six episodes issued on CD (released 13 Sept 2010) –
www.amazon.com/Classic-BBC-Radio-Comedy-Complete/dp/B004ADS172

Reason for cuts –

Political correctness.

Additional Information –

Source of above details:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Radio/TheBurkissWay

Billing: “Improve your IQ and go on the Auntie Quiz. Cult sketch show starring Denise Coffey and Chris Emmett. From September 1976.”

A transcript of this episode is online at:

https://www.buttercookie.de/The%20Burkiss%20Way/Transcripts/Series%201/

“The Burkiss Way” is NOT preserved in the Radio Archive collection (saved in Oct 2017):
https://archive.org/download/radioarchive.cx/

But IS preserved in the Internet Archive collection (saved in July 2017):
https://archive.org/details/TheBurkissWay

# ITEM 24

Title of programme –

Burkiss Way – s01e06 1976/10/01 – Win Awards the Burkiss Way
Sketch Comedy starring Denise Coffey, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b72dc995351f4ce98ba26b376bef097d

Note : The full title of the show is The Burkiss Way To Dynamic Living. Presented in lessons 1 to 47. This is Lesson 6.

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2022-08-25 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 1976 (uncut duration 15’10”)

Note: This is one of six episodes issued on CD (released 13 Sept 2010) –
www.amazon.com/Classic-BBC-Radio-Comedy-Complete/dp/B004ADS172

Reason for banning –

Never broadcast on BBC 7 or subsequently, it is not lost nor wiped. This episode was issued on CD with the rest of Series 1. Seemingly it was “too difficult” to create a suitable timeslot for repeating the episode, which is much shorter than all the rest of the series.

Broadcasting Notes –

This edition has a running time of 15’10”. It’s billed in Radio Times magazine, in 1976, in a 15 minute timeslot (23:25 to 23:40).

Some recordings of the episode include an extra sketch, after the closing credits, about former prime minister Harold Macmillan, so giving a total running time of 17’36”. This would exceed the time available, which was only 15 minutes, so cannot be correct.

The extra sketch is not part of The Burkiss Way. It probably comes from the radio series The News Huddlines, which also satirised news and current affairs. Like The Burkiss Way, it starred Chris Emmett. And both shows were recorded before a studio audience, i.e. with audience laughter. It is NOT from the radio series Week Ending (see notes on Lesson 43, below) as that was a non-audience show.

Additional Information –

Billing: “Lesson 6: Win Awards the Burkiss Way and—in 15 minutes—you could hear instruction from Denise Coffey, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett and Fred Harris from a 15–minute script by Andrew Marshall, John Mason, David Renwick, and a 15–minute production by Simon Brett.”

A transcript of this episode is online at:

https://www.buttercookie.de/The%20Burkiss%20Way/Transcripts/Series%201/

# ITEM 25

Title of programme –

Burkiss Way – s02e01 1976/12/15 – Influence Friends and Win People The Burkiss Way
Sketch Comedy starring Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00gs06p

Note : The full title of the show is The Burkiss Way To Dynamic Living. Presented in lessons 1 to 47. This is Lesson 7.

Date of Repeat –
2022-10-06

Description of cuts –
A cut at 23:02 lasting 6 seconds.

In a sketch spoofing the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, when the innocent child “Oliver” (Fred Harris) meets the Jewish criminal Fagin for the first time, this line is cut :

• Fred Harris: “[I am looking for shelter] and completely at the mercy of the first hideous looking Jew who grabs me for his gang of young pickpockets.”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-06-21 (uncut duration 27’27”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the cut dialogue includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

Additional Information –

Billing: “Lesson 7: Helpful hints from the Smarty Pants family, and Knickertwist Copperby. With Jo Kendall and Nigel Rees. From Dec 1976.”

A transcript of this episode is online at:

https://www.buttercookie.de/The%20Burkiss%20Way/Transcripts/Series%202/

Listen online:

https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/…/episode-5-hour-2-july-15-2023-179456427

# ITEM 26

Title of programme –

Burkiss Way – s02e13 1977/03/09 – Replace The Burkiss Way
Sketch Comedy starring Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00jq7tm

Note : The full title of the show is The Burkiss Way To Dynamic Living. Presented in lessons 1 to 47. This is Lesson 19.

Date of Repeat –
2022-12-15

Description of cuts –
A cut at 9:04 lasting 31 seconds

This dialogue is cut in a sketch spoofing the panel game “Just A Minute” (panellist André Melly, played by Jo Kendall, mimics drowning):

  • Nigel Rees : [Nicholas Parsons impression] “So you have 51 seconds left.
51 seconds, André, starting now.”
  • Sound f/x : [André drowning]
  • Sound f/x : [Buzzer]
  • Nigel Rees : [Nicholas Parsons impression] “And a challenge from
Clement Freud.”
  • Fred Harris: [Clement Freud impression] “Yes. Um, death.”
(Audience laughter) “She’s just suffocated.” (Audience laughter)
  • Nigel Rees : [Nicholas Parsons impression] “Yes. Yes, I dare say,
Clement, but I’m afraid death isn’t one of the reasons
on the card. So André, that means you get an extra point
for an incorrect challenge, and you have 49 seconds…”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-09-06 (uncut duration: 27’22”)

Reason for cuts –

The late Sir Clement Freud, Member of Parliament for the Isle of Ely, has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2016), who they pretend never existed, despite never being convicted of any offence.

Now that the police have shown the unsubstantiated allegations against the late Edward Heath MP to be without foundation, in Operation Conifer, serious doubt has been cast on the likewise unsubstantiated allegations made against the late Sir Clement Freud MP, who was also maligned only after his death, once he could no longer defend himself.

Additional Information –

Billing: “Smile, you’re on Candid Cat! Genghis Khan fun starring Nigel Rees, Jo Kendall, Chris Emmett and Fred Harris. From March 1977.”

A transcript of this episode is online at:

https://www.buttercookie.de/The%20Burkiss%20Way/Transcripts/Series%202/

Listen online (short extract) (banned scene):

https://s3.amazonaws.com/RE-Warehouse/b/banned_and_censored_radio_comedy_…_short_extract.mp3

# ITEM 27

Title of programme –

Burkiss Way – s03e01 1977/11/15 – Discover Gravity the Burkiss Way
Sketch Comedy starring Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00jq7qq

Note : The full title of the show is The Burkiss Way To Dynamic Living. Presented in lessons 1 to 47. This is Lesson 20.

Date of Repeat –
2023-02-24

Description of cuts (totalling 10 seconds) –
Cut #1 at 21:50 lasting 4 seconds.

In a showbusiness sketch about a Jewish impressario trying to avoid spending money, this line is cut (Jewish joke) :

• Chris Emmett: (Jewish accent) “… at cost, naturally.” (Audience laughter)

Description of cuts –
Cut #2 at 23:49 lasting 6 seconds.

In a showbusiness sketch about a Jewish impressario trying to avoid spending money, this dialogue is cut (Jewish joke) :

• Chris Emmett: (Jewish accent) “Oh I see, you mean after tax.”
• Fred Harris : “No sir.” (Audience laughter) “They’re only two to start with.”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-09-13 (uncut duration 27’30”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a joke banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Additional Information –

Billing: “Fred Harris, Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees and Chris Emmett refuse to mention the unsavoury Eric Pode of Croydon. From November 1977.”

A transcript of this episode is online at:

https://www.buttercookie.de/The%20Burkiss%20Way/Transcripts/Series%203/

# ITEM 28

Title of programme –

Burkiss Way – s03e05 1977/12/13 – One Hour to The Burkiss Way
Sketch Comedy starring Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jqzc

Note : The full title of the show is The Burkiss Way To Dynamic Living. Presented in lessons 1 to 47. This is Lesson 24.

Date of Repeat –
2023-03-23

Description of cuts –
A cut at 15:30 lasting 17 seconds.

Cuts a football joke (or perhaps an underground nuclear testing joke), in which an underground joke test kills one-and-a-half people.

After the line Humorous items of the sort you’ve just witnessed are even at this very moment being subjected to underground tests, the following dialogue is cut :

• Chris Emmett: “Only yesterday a joke was tried out at Piccadilly
Circus tube station, and the blast destroyed an entire
trainload of Newcastle United supporters — killing
one–and–a–half people!” (Audience laughter)

Last uncut repeat known : BBC 7 on 2004-10-31 (uncut duration 28’49”)

Reason for cuts –

It’s unclear what the joke is about, or why the BBC thought it might be offensive. Another completely pointless cut.

Additional Information –

Source of above details:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Radio/TheBurkissWay

Billing: “The chilling dangers from fast breeder reactors like Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees, Fred Harris and Chris Emmett. From December 1977.”

A transcript of this episode is not available.

Listen online :

BBC 7 repeat on 2004-10-31
https://vintagecomedycorner.com/track/3144545/burkiss-one-hour-to

1977 off-air
https://www.oldtimeradiodownloads.com/download/get_file/597073e68fcefaa6bdf39ca6b399c28c

# ITEM 29

Title of programme –

Burkiss Way – s03e09 1978/01/10 – Ignore These Programme Titles The Burkiss Way
Sketch Comedy starring Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jttb

Note : The full title of the show is The Burkiss Way To Dynamic Living. Presented in lessons 1 to 47. This is Lesson 28.

Date of Repeat –
2023-04-21

Description of cuts –
A cut at ??:?? lasting ? seconds:

One sketch, a musical number, making fun of the drinking habit of ITV newsreader Reginald Bosanquet (1932-1984), suggesting that he didn’t mind the occasional “tipple”, was cut from all repeats.

Last uncut broadcast : 10 Jan 1978 ? ( uncut duration 28’28” ? )

Note: Due to the lack of any recordings of the original broadcast, the uncut duration given above is only my estimate, based on some timings made from an early repeat on VHF/FM which may have substituted library music for the deleted sketch.

Note: Cut repeats aired on BBC7 have a known duration of 26’08”

Reason for cuts –

Because Reginald Bosanquet complained!

As he has now been dead for more than 40 years, since 27 May 1984, and given that in English law it is impossible to libel the dead, this cut has been pointless for the past 40 years.

Additional Information –

Source of above details:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Radio/TheBurkissWay

Billing: “The team pull open the ‘Door Handle of the Day’. Stars Jo Kendall, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris and Nigel Rees. From January 1978.”

A transcript of this episode is not available.

# ITEM 30

Title of programme –

Burkiss Way – s04e04 1979/04/23 – Is Britain Going The Burkiss Way, Part 2
Sketch Comedy starring Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007js2t

Note : The full title of the show is The Burkiss Way To Dynamic Living. Presented in lessons 1 to 47. This is Lesson 38.

Date of Repeat –
2024-06-22

Description of cuts –

Uniquely, nothing is cut!!

This episode spoofs the urban myth that the 1938 Orson Welles broadcast of ‘The War of the Worlds’ was so realistic that it caused a mass panic.

Despite repeated (and blatant) “lampshading”, the BBC still received complaints in 1979 that the episode had panicked people, so inserted an awkward and pointless announcement (“You’re listening to The Burkiss Way, the not-to-be-believed comedy show” etc) into the middle of all repeats:

An addition at 1:53 lasting 9 seconds.

Last original broadcast : 1979 (probably) (original duration 27’46”)

Reason for cuts –

See description, above.

Additional Information –

Source of above details:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Radio/TheBurkissWay

Billing: “The Martians are coming! Or are they? Is this a spoof? Or a spoof of a spoof? With Nigel Rees and Jo Kendall. From April 1979.”

A transcript of this episode is not available.

Listen online (includes addition of awkward and pointless announcement):

https://vintagecomedycorner.com/track/732175/

# ITEM 31

Title of programme –

Burkiss Way – s04e06 1979/05/07 – Repeat Yourself the Burkiss Way, Part 2
Sketch Comedy starring Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007js7b

Note : The full title of the show is The Burkiss Way To Dynamic Living. Presented in lessons 1 to 47. This is Lesson 39b.

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-07-05 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –

Episode banned. Last repeat: 2020-01-24 (uncut) (uncut duration 27’34”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent (in the Zulu Wars sketch) is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

Additional Information –

Billing: “Blankety Blank gets a new host as Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Jo Kendall and Fred Harris bring more comedy chaos. From May 1979.”

The sketches include:

  Edward and Mr Simpson / Massive Cock-up / The Eamonn Andrews Show /
  Blankety Blank with the Rev Ian Paisley / Watson and Crick at the BBC /
  The Eamonn Andrews Show continued / Billy Bunter eats Adams Minor /
  The Zulu Wars with Kunta Kinte

A transcript of this episode is not available.

Listen online:

https://vintagecomedycorner.com/track/742177/

# ITEM 32

Title of programme –

Burkiss Way – s04eSP 1979/12/26 – Eric Pode of Croydon’s Easter Special
Sketch Comedy starring Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/59531fcd67b6433dbdc000762217ca53

Note : The full title of the show is The Burkiss Way To Dynamic Living. Presented in lessons 1 to 47. This is Lesson 41.

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-09-20 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 1979 (uncut duration 27’06”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Additional Information –

A Christmas Special. Never broadcast on BBC 7 or subsequently.

Billing: “Radio 4 presents… Eric Pode of Croydon’s Easter Special starring Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris. Written by Andrew Marshall and David Renwick. Producer David Hatch.”

The sketches include:

  Face the Smart Alecs / Complaint / Mr Thrimskins visits the doctor with
  terminal Hogmanay / A Scotsman complains / Nixon’s middle name /
  Aquarius / Molesting the Royal Ballet / The Superstars at Crystal
  Palace with Eric Pode / HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy yet again

A transcript of this episode is online at:

https://www.buttercookie.de/The%20Burkiss%20Way/Transcripts/Series%204/

Listen online :

Barry Cryer’s Christmas Selection Box, Part 1 (BBC7)
https://archive.org/details/bbc-7-barry-cryers-xmas-selection-box-ep-1

# ITEM 33

Title of programme –

Burkiss Way – s05e02 1980/10/18 – Sack the Burkiss Way
Sketch Comedy starring Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00d16g6

Note : The full title of the show is The Burkiss Way To Dynamic Living. Presented in lessons 1 to 47. This is Lesson 43.

Date of Repeat –
2024-09-27

Description of cuts (totalling 10 seconds) –

1st cut at 4:02 lasting 4 seconds.

In the sketch known as Selling patio doors to the Trojans, this line is cut :

• Nigel Rees (?) : “You there, put that Golliwog sandwich away!”

2nd cut at 7:56 lasting 6 seconds.

In the sketch Spotty Young Cleverdicks of the Year, spoofing the tv quiz show Top of the Form, when Jo Kendall introduces the teams this line is cut :

• Jo Kendall: “And finally, from Reigate in Surrey, the ‘St Dairy Box Soft Centre for No Darkies’. ”

Last uncut repeat : 2020-02-14 (uncut duration 26’57”)

Reason for cuts –

1st cut: BBC bias, i.e. political correctness.

A golliwog is a children’s toy, a type of rag doll (with exaggerated features and colourful clothing), created in illustrated children’s books by cartoonist and author Florence Kate Upton. The toy was first sold at London’s Gamages department store in 1902.

2nd cut: BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms (‘nigger’, ‘coon’, etc).

Possibly merely because the dialogue includes a joke about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

Additional Information –

Billing: “Confusion at Eddie’s 24 Hour Sniffery, and let’s play Family Fortunes. With Chris Emmett and Fred Harris. From October 1980.”

The sketches in Lesson 43 include:

    The end of Week Ending / A couple of apologies / How to identify
    authentic BBC announcers / Selling patio doors to the Trojans /
    Spotty Young Cleverdicks of the Year / The Trojans again /
    Homer’s Illiad translated by a schoolboy / The Goddess with the most

Week Ending was a long-running radio show on BBC Radio 4, that satirised the week’s news. It starred David Jason (see notes on Lesson 47, below).

A transcript of this episode is not available.

# ITEM 34

Title of programme –

Burkiss Way – s05e06 1980/11/15 – Wave Goodbye To CBEs the Burkiss Way
Sketch Comedy starring Jo Kendall, Nigel Rees, Chris Emmett, Fred Harris

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dghc4

Note : The full title of the show is The Burkiss Way To Dynamic Living. Presented in lessons 1 to 47. This is Lesson 47, the final lesson.

Date of Repeat –
2024-10-25

Description of cuts –

Various cuts lasting 6 minutes:

A number of pre-recorded announcements, voiced by David Jason, mocking the BBC’s obsequious coverage of the Queen Mother’s birthday, were cut entirely from all repeats, shortening the episode by fully six minutes.

The cuts were restored for a special programme on BBC 7 on 2009-04-04 celebrating the show’s 30th anniversary, “Celebrate The Burkiss Way”, in which the show’s writers, Andrew Marshall and David Renwick, joked it was okay to put the cuts back now that David Jason has safely got his knighthood.

The episode continues to be broadcast in its cut form when repeated on its own, despite being regularly aired in its full original form as part of the 3 hour special entitled “Celebrate the Burkiss Way”.

Last uncut repeat : 2021-11-27 (uncut duration 27’13”)

Reason for cuts –

See description, above.

Note: Airs uncut in the 3 hour special “Celebrate the Burkiss Way”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00jvj68

Additional Information –

Source of above details:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Radio/TheBurkissWay

Billing: “The sketch show team’s last ever episode. With Chris Emmett, Fred Harris and special guest David Jason. From November 1980.”

A transcript of this episode is not available.

# ITEM 35

Title of programme –

Comedy Greats – No.6 – The Seventies, Part 2

A compilation. 6th in the ‘Comedy Greats’ series of 3 Hour specials. Six half-hour episodes from radio comedies first aired in the 1970s.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007k1kw

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2020-05-16 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2013-07-13
First aired: 2012/02/18 (uncut) (uncut duration: 3 hr 1 min 22 sec)

Reason for banning –

This 3 hour compilation includes an edition of the comedy panel game, “Just A Minute”, originally transmitted on 22 May 1979.

One of the panellists, the late Sir Clement Freud, Member of Parliament for the Isle of Ely, has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2016), who they pretend never existed, despite never being convicted of any offence.

Additional Information –

The contents of this 3 hour special is six half hour broadcasts aired during the 1970s (Comedy Greats – The Seventies, Part 2):

  1: Lines From My Grandfather’s Forehead (t/x 8 March 1971)
s01e04 1971-03-08 (“Good morning, Mr Braithwaite…”)
  2: The Enchanting World of Hinge and Bracket (t/x 27 Feb 1978)
s02e01 1978-02-27 (The Housewarming)
  3: I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue (t/x 13 March 1977)
1977-03-13
  4: The Atkinson People – No.2 – Sir Benjamin Fletcher (t/x 28 Apr 1979)
1979-04-28 (Radio 3)
  5: Just A Minute (t/x 22 May 1979) (Episode #272. 1st topic: Parbuckles)
s13e13 1979-05-22 (Panel: K Williams, D Nimmo, C Freud, P Jones)
  6: Listen To Les (Comedy sketch series, starring Les Dawson)
(1st line: “The feeble rays of wan sunlight…”)

A transcript of this episode of “Just A Minute” is online at:
http://just-a-minute.info/jam108.html

# ITEM 36

Title of programme –

Crowned Hudds – Episode 3 – 1995/08/15 – Fourth Wedding and Some Funerals
Historical sitcom about the English monarchy, starring Roy Hudd

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00psrfz

Date of Repeat –
2021-02-09

Description of cuts –
A cut at 2:21 lasting 25 seconds

Removes a reference to Australian comic Rolf Harris, although he isn’t even mentioned by name. These lines are cut when Roy Hudd addresses Henry VIII:

  • Roy Hudd : “Perhaps if you gazed upon a likeness of your
   future bride? Master Holbein — the portrait!”
  • Jon Glover: (Impersonates Rolf) “Heh, heh, heh. Little bit of
   red here, little bit of blue.” (Chuckles) (Audience laughter)
   “Just a splash. Can you see what it is yet?” (Audience laughter)
  • Roy Hudd : “Excellent work, Master Holbein. A most consummate and
   lifelike representation. Especially the way you got the staple right
   through her navel — lovely.”

Last uncut repeat : 2012-02-23 (uncut duration 29’44”)

Reason for Rolf Harris cut –

Rolf has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2014), who they pretend never existed.

Rolf Harris, an Australian entertainer who came to Britain in the 1960s, was originally a comedian specialising in singing comic songs: https://archive.org/details/RolfHarrisCollection

# ITEM 37

Title of programme –

Crowned Hudds – Episode 4 – 1995/08/22 : “VR In Charge”
Historical sitcom about the English monarchy, starring Roy Hudd

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pytdz

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2021-02-16 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2016-06-10 (uncut duration 29’49”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

The episode is part of a historical sitcom; this edition spoofs Queen Victoria. No obvious reason for banning it.

The title, “VR in Charge”, is a joke: it means “Victoria Regina in Charge”. “VR” is meant to sound like someone with a German accent (Prince Albert?) saying ‘we are’ (in charge). Doubtful that jokes about Victoria and Albert being German would draw complaints.

Perhaps because the Queen’s prime minister, Disraeli, has a Jewish (i.e. ‘foreign’) accent? Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Crowned-Hudds-Audiobook/B0B3Y6Y544

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Crowned%20Hudds

# ITEM 38

Title of programme –

Crowned Hudds – Episode 5 – 1995/08/29 – A Comedy of Arrows
Historical sitcom about the English monarchy, starring Roy Hudd

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00q9px6

Note: The episode title, pronounced A Comedy of Arrars in a Cockney accent, is a (weak) pun on Shakespeare’s play ‘A Comedy of Errors’.

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2021-02-23 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2016-06-17 (uncut duration 29’44”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

The episode is part of a historical sitcom; this edition spoofs Robin Hood (King John is ambushed). No obvious reason for banning it.

Perhaps because some of Roy Hudd’s “Merry Men” are a bit effeminate? (Might be an attempt to spoof the 1993 movie Robin Hood: Men in Tights ?)

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Crowned-Hudds-Audiobook/B0B3Y6Y544

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Crowned%20Hudds

# ITEM 39

Title of programme –

Crowned Hudds – Episode 6 – 1995/09/05 – Grecian 2001
Situation Comedy about great Monarchs of history, starring Roy Hudd

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qh0lv

Date of Repeat –
2021-02-15 (Note: The repeat on 2016-06-24 contains identical cuts)

Description of cuts –
A cut at 13:02 lasting 1’44” (104 seconds).

When King Ulysses of Greece (Roy Hudd) asks the Greek god Pan to fix it for him to meet the legendary Helen of Troy, the plot becomes a spoof of the BBC tv series Jim’ll Fix It. This dialogue is cut :

  • Roy Hudd : “Can you fix it for us?”
  • Chris Emmett : (Impersonates Jimmy Savile) [Sound f/x] “And indeed, so well, as it happens!” [Sound f/x]
  • Roy Hudd : “I’m not sure if that was a yes or not, are you? Tell us, oh hairy-legged god…”
  • Chris Emmett : (Impersonates Jimmy Savile) “Hairy-legged? These are just shell-suit bottoms what have flushed-up in the wash.” [Sound f/x] “Now then, now then, now then…”
  • Roy Hudd : “We entreat you, oh mighty horny goat…”
  • June Whitfield : “Oh, doom! Libel damages…” (Audience laughter)
  • Jeffrey Holland: “Have a care brave Ulysses, anger the god and we will be enslaved: forced to caper mindlessly to the discordant noise he plays: a hideous fate.”
  • Roy Hudd : “I dunno, I’ve always fancied joining Pan’s People…” (Audience laughter) “Sir! Omnipotent, bucollic entity…”
  • Chris Emmett : (Impersonates Jimmy Savile) “Don’t forget my O.B.E.!” [Sound f/x] “So, you would go to Troy? Now then, now then, now then…”
  • Roy Hudd : “Well, now if possible! And rejoin the fleet, that we may attack Troy, slay all its citizens and burn it to the ground. You see… (whispers).”
  • Chris Emmett : (Impersonates Jimmy Savile) “Oh! Oh my! Oh goodness me! Well then, as it happens, I will fix it for you!” [Sound f/x] “I’ll just shake my immortal staff…”
  • Jeffrey Holland: (Aside) “His robe’s open again!” (Audience laughter)
  • Roy Hudd : (Aside) “Yes.”
  • Chris Emmett : “…and say the magic words: Yes, now then, goodness gracious, as it happens, guys and galls…” [Sound f/x] “And: yer off!”
  • Sound f/x : [Whooshing sound]
  • June Whitfield : “Hooray! I mean: Whoa, doom! We’re flying through the air: how did you persuade immortal Pan to aid us, brave Ulysses?”
  • Roy Hudd : “No problem. I told him it was…” (Dramatic pause) “… for charity.”
  • Jeffrey Holland: “Passable, brave Ulysses. But… charity?”
  • Roy Hudd : “Of course. I just mentioned that the destruction of Troy was the world’s first sponsored war.”

Note : The cut repeat runs only 1’35” short. 9 seconds of material from the above scene is pasted back in, to hide the break in the plot.

Last uncut repeat : 2010-02-03 (uncut duration 29’55”)

Reason for Jimmy Savile cut –

The late Jimmy Savile is deemed a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since October 2012), who they pretend never existed, despite never being convicted of any offence, who was maligned only after his death once he could no longer defend himself.

# ITEM 40

Title of programme –

D.I. Cromwell: Jagged Prayer – 2000/03/31 – Episode 3 – Sister, Brother
Situation Comedy (spoof Detective series), starring Timothy Spall

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00c3k9d

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2020-10-01 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2016-04-21 (uncut duration 27’49”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the episode (entitled “Sister, Brother”) contains jokes about transvestites and gender-benders, as part of the detective’s investigation.

But this is a comedy: the script sends-up the police, the suspects — everybody!

If I knew how to cancel someone, I’d cancel everyone who believes you can assert any nonsense about sex and gender, no matter how preposterous. Such people deserve to be laughed at.

# ITEM 41

Title of programme –

Dad’s Army – s01e02 1974/02/04 – Museum Piece
Situation Comedy starring Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jrv9

Date of Repeat –
2021-03-19

Description of cuts –
A cut at 22:26 lasting 2 seconds. This line is cut:

• Corporal Jones: “Yellow fiends!”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-03-11 (uncut duration 27’28”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms (‘wog’, ‘chink’, etc).

Clive Dunn’s reference to the brutal Chinese, in the 1899 Boxer Rebellion, as ‘yellow fiends’. The cut is biased, since a reference to ‘black fiends’ would not have been cut, as references to ‘black’ are not cut.

# ITEM 42

Title of programme –

Dad’s Army – s02e14 – Don’t Fence Me In
Situation Comedy starring Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jnxm

Date of Repeat –
2024-01-25

Description of cuts –

Cuts totalling 20 seconds.

Last uncut repeat : 2019-10-21 (uncut duration 27’27”)

1st cut at 11:23 lasting 12 seconds.

Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe) asks Corporal Jones to count the Italian prisoners of war the platoon are guarding. This dialogue is cut:

  • Arthur Lowe: “Jones’ll soon find out if there are any missing.”
  • John Le Mesurier: “He’s going to have a bit of a job, sir. They all look alike to me.”
  • Arthur Lowe: “No, it’s Chinese that look alike, Wilson. Like Chinese”
  • John Le Mesurier: “Yes, sir. And these all look alike, like Italians.”

2nd cut at 24:39 lasting 8 seconds.

The Staff Officer in command of the POW Camp (John Ringham) counts the Italian prisoners, unaware that Jones is repeatedly showing him the same few men, as many are missing. This dialogue is cut:

• John Ringham: “You know, Mainwaring, it’s a funny thing but a lot of these Italians seem to look alike.”
• Arthur Lowe: “Yes I know sir, it’s the same with the Chinese.” (Audience laughter)

Reason for cuts (all-Chinamen-look-alike gags) –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 43

Title of programme –

Dad’s Army – s03e18 1976/07/13 – The Recruit
Situation Comedy starring Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jqzq

Date of Repeat –
2022-04-22 (Note: The repeat on 2024-07-11 contains identical cuts)

Description of cuts –
A cut at 07:49 lasting 5 seconds.

In the following exchange, concerning a James Cagney movie, Walker’s dialogue (a Yellow Peril joke) is cut :

  • Private Pike : “Remember ‘Angels With Dirty Faces’? James Cagney
   was going to the [electric] chair, and Pat O’Brien as the Priest
   told him to behave like a coward, so that the Dead End Kids wouldn’t
   think he was a hero. And in the end he went shouting and screaming,
   and carrying-on something awful. See? So he died all yellow.”

• Private Walker: “Yellow? What are you talking about, that was
Charlie Chan.” (Audience laughter)

Last uncut repeat : 2018-01-01 (uncut duration 28’50”)

Note: Also repeated on 2020-04-06 (unclear if that repeat was uncut)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms (‘wog’, ‘chink’, etc).

Contains one joke about a Chinaman’s colour being yellow. The cut is biased, because their being yellow is a biological fact; and because a reference to a black man being black would not have been cut, as references to ‘black’ are not routinely cut.

Additional Information –

Charlie Chan was a fictional Chinaman who was the lead character in a popular and long running series of Hollywood movies during the 1930s.

In all he appeared in 49 movies and movie serials, as a private detective who solved murder mysteries—despite the hinderance of his Number One son. The films were fast-paced, and were filled with an abundance of humour, mainly wisecracks. Watch them on You Tube.

# ITEM 44

Title of programme –

Dad’s Army Christmas Special – 1974/12/24 – Present Arms (60 min)
Situation Comedy starring Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jqrv

PID = b007jqrv
VID = b005cks1

Date of Repeat –
2021-12-24

Description of cuts –
A cut at 33:19 lasting 16 seconds. The following patter is cut from comedian Charlie Cheeseman’s stand-up comedy routine, in a scene at a variety theatre :

• Mr Cheeseman: “So the Air Raid Warden shouted out: ‘’Ere missus,
   you’ve got a chink in your bedroom!’ So she poked her head out
   of the window and said: ‘Do what?’ He said: ‘You’ve got a chink
   in your bedroom!’ ‘Oh’, she said, ‘the liar, he told me he was a
   Japanese Admiral!’ ” (Audience laughter)

Note : On 2020-12-20 the episode was broadcast complete, and was also available on BBC iPlayer for a few days. On 2021-12-24 the episode was broadcast with this joke cut (because it contains the word “chink”).

Last uncut repeat : 2020-12-20 (uncut duration 59’51”)

Note : Recordings on 2020-12-20 of the live broadcast, or live stream, are uncut. As are downloads from iPlayer, where it was briefly available for a few days.

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, i.e. political correctness. Contains one joke about a chink in the wartime blackout: a double-entendre, perhaps a reference to showing a chink of light in the blackout, or perhaps a reference to a Chinaman.

# ITEM 45

Title of programme –

Doddy’s World of Whimsy – s01e08 – 1975/09/21
Sketch Comedy starring Ken Dodd

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03wpcj4

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2018-05-01 and 2020-03-19 during the latest repeats of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2016-12-08 (uncut) (uncut duration 26’29”)

Reason for banning –
BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Additional Information –
Previously included in this list under the incorrect title “Ken Dodd Show – 1975/09/21 – They Can’t Touch You For It”

# ITEM 46

Title of programme –

Drop Me Here, Darling – 1983/01/13 – “Fitness Can Damage Your Health”
Situation Comedy starring Leslie Phillips, Kenneth Connor

Episode title sometimes given as: “The Fitness Regime”

7th edition in the 1983 series

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_radio_two/1983-01-13

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2021-04-11 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: Not repeated (last aired 1983) (uncut duration 26’17”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Probably merely because Carry On star Ken Connor uses his talent as a voice artist to play a Jap businessman. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

Additional Information –
The recording survives only as an mp3 file, of very low bitrate (32 kbps). Please upload a better recording (to Archive.org) if you have one.

# ITEM 47

Title of programme –

Ed Doolan Interviews – 2008/11/00 – Rolf Harris (60 min)
BBC Local Radio chat show presented by Ed Doolan (station BBC WM)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pr76b

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired in February 2019 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2012-06-23 (uncut) (uncut duration 57’36”)

Reason for banning –

Australian singer and comic Rolf Harris has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2014), who they pretend never existed.

Rolf Harris, an Australian entertainer who came to Britain in the 1960s, was originally a comedian specialising in singing comic songs: https://archive.org/details/RolfHarrisCollection

Additional Information –

Between 1982 and 2011, Australian broadcaster Ed Doolan had a daily radio show on BBC WM, the BBC local radio station for the West Midlands.

He regularly interviewed showbusiness celebrities, particularly those who had a connection to the West Midlands or had also come to Britain from Australia. Some of these interviews were subsequently repeated on BBC 7 and Radio 4 Extra.

# ITEM 48

Title of programme –

Educating Archie – 1950/10/30
Situation Comedy starring Peter Brough, Max Bygraves

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06cjglq

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-06-09 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2019-11-17 (uncut) (uncut duration 30’17”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

# ITEM 49

Title of programme –

Educating Archie – 1951/10/19
Situation Comedy starring Peter Brough, Tony Hancock

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jx5t

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-06-16 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2019-11-24 (uncut) (uncut duration 30’10”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

Additional Information –

Some BBC cretin has now banned this, the only surviving episode of Educating Archie that features Tony Hancock.

# ITEM 50

Title of programme –

Educating Archie – 1952/12/07
Situation Comedy starring Peter Brough, Max Bygraves

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s4cwl

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-06-23 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2019-12-01 (uncut) (uncut duration 28’52”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

# ITEM 51

Title of programme –

Educating Archie – 1957/09/18 – “Archie in Australia”
Situation Comedy starring Peter Brough

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009gc5s

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-07-21 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2019-12-08 (uncut) (uncut duration 27’11”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

Additional Information –

This is not a BBC recording, but was broadcast on the Light Programme on 18 September 1957. This is the final episode of a series recorded in Australia by ABC under the title “The Archie Andrews Show”.

# ITEM 52

Title of programme –

Educating Archie – 1959/03/01
Situation Comedy starring Peter Brough, Dick Emery, Bernard Bresslaw

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jsv1

Date of Repeat –
2024-07-07

Description of cuts (totalling 7 seconds) –

1st cut at 12:02 lasting 5 seconds. When Bernard Bresslaw says he’s hungry, this dialogue is cut :

• Bernard Bresslaw: “I’ve nibbled all the fuzz off me golliwog. Ooh…” (Audience laughter)

2nd cut at 25:33 lasting 2 seconds. When Bernard Bresslaw objects to the taxi driver stepping on his rucksack, this dialogue is cut :

• Bernard Bresslaw: “… he might squash me golliwog.”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-11-03 (uncut duration 30’25”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, i.e. political correctness.

Additional Information –

1. In this 1959 episode, Peter Brough bets that he and Archie can travel round Britain in eight days, in a spoof of the 1956 movie Around The World in Eighty Days (based on the novel by Jules Verne).

2. A golliwog is a children’s toy, a type of rag doll (with exaggerated features and colourful clothing), created in illustrated children’s books by cartoonist and author Florence Kate Upton. The toy was first sold at London’s Gamages department store in 1902.

3. Bernard Bresslaw became famous through playing simpletons. In this early radio appearance (as with his later success on television in The Army Game), he plays an adult who has the personality of a child: a Simple Simon character. This simple piece of role-reversal is the entire basis of his comedy. The two golliwog jokes are included in the script to reinforce the idea, created by his vocal performance, that his character has the mind of a child, because it’s a children’s toy. The show’s star, Archie, is also a child, and the comedy is aided by having a guest on the show who is in effect another child, i.e. who’s on Archie’s side.

# ITEM 53

Title of programme –

Ernest Fontwell versus the Experts – 1979-02-04 – The Catering Experts
Sketch Comedy starring Frank Thornton

No.4 in the series (“Ernest Fontwell versus the Catering Experts” )

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0006t0m

Date of Repeat –
2023-03-05

Description of cuts –
A cut at 3:04 lasting 90 seconds. This scene is cut:

• Frank Thornton: “This means that you have to go to the Chinese takeaway. They, of course, are experts in NOT learning English, even if they HAVE been beaming at their 45 inch colour tv behind the counter for ten years.”
• Sound f/x : (Theme music for BBC Panorama current affairs tv show)
• Chinaman : (Accent) “WHICH is what you are ordering, yes, please?”
• Frank Thornton: “Yes. We’d like the special Fu-yong, Hong Kong chowmein, Shanghai young fellow squidgy octu-balls in batter, and fried rice.”
• Chinaman : (Accent) “Ah so! Shortly will arrive, maybe.”
• Sound f/x : (Buzzer) (Then echo-y sound of voice on intercom)
• Woman : (Echo-y) (No accent) “‘Allo. Now what?”
• Chinaman : (No accent) “Two portions 95, 36, 83, and no chips.” (Audience laughter)
• Woman : (Echo-y) (No accent) “Just as well, chips is off.” (Audience laughter)
• Frank Thornton: “Which only goes to show that there is no point in trying to learn THEIR ludicrous language either. I’ve always believed that they do the…”
• Chinaman : (Accent) “Sorry, no understand!”
• Frank Thornton: “… bit in order to make us Ernest Fontwells feel inferior. Which they do! Indian restaurants are the same, except they have a slightly smaller colour television set to watch, whilst they burn your popadoms. Now, mind you, THEY don’t understand a word you’re saying either. So instead of getting a mild curry, you cop a mouthful of something that blasts your head off. Your scream of agony, just before you lose your voice altogether, is followed by…”
• Indian waiter : (Accent) “Most humble and abject apologies, sir. You should have ordered half-portion ninety–four, not full-portion seven hundred and two.” (Audience laughter)
• Frank Thornton: “Cor…” (Gasping for breath) “…thanks very much.”
• Indian waiter : (Accent) “Suggest you fan your boiling cakehole with your popadoms!” (Audience laughter)
• Frank Thornton: (Riled) “Which is a VERY clever trick if you can do it!”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-07-13 (uncut duration 13’50”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a sketch banned by the BBC’s thought police.

# ITEM 54

Title of programme –

Frankie Howerd Show – 1973/06/17 – “At The Races”
Sketch Comedy starring Frankie Howerd.

2nd programme of the 1973 Series

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jmtr

Date of Repeat –
2015-10-11 (Note: The repeat on 2020-04-02 contains identical cuts)

Description of cuts –
A cut at 12:48 lasting 5 seconds

Tobruk, 1943; Trade Unions in the Army (sketch). Frankie is the Union’s shop steward, who complains about having to fight the Gurkhas:

  • Frankie: “The lads sir, they won’t be fighting with the Gurkhas,
   they’re non-union.”
  • Officer: “Non-union?”
  • Frankie: “Blacklegs!” (Audience laughter) «—– This line is cut

Last uncut repeat : 2003-05-03 on BBC 7 (uncut duration 27’36”)

This episode was released uncut by BBC Enterprises Ltd on cassette, on the ‘BBC Radio Collection’ label, titled The Frankie Howerd Show, in 1992 (ZBBC 1398) (2 cassette box set).

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms (‘wog’, ‘coon’, etc).

During strikes in the 1960s and 1970s, the Trade Unions called a strike-breaker (i.e. anyone who crossed a picket line) a “blackleg”.

Hence The Frankie Howerd Show used that term in this sketch about Trade Unions. The term has no race connotation, it is simply a slang term which the unions have always used about non-union employees.

# ITEM 55

Title of programme –

Frankie Howerd Show – 1975/11/02 – “Cyril the Squirrel”
Sketch Comedy starring Frankie Howerd

6th programme of the 1975 Series

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jn0j

Date of Repeat –
2024-02-18

Description of cuts –
A cut at 11:16 lasting 2 seconds. This dialogue is cut:

• Frankie Howerd: “…coloured lights for coloured birds…”

Frankie is giving a party, so he buys a set of party lightbulbs. The original joke was: “So I got bright lights for bright birds, naked lights for naked birds, coloured lights for coloured birds… and I sent back all the fairy lights!”

Last uncut repeat : 2015-10-25 (uncut duration 28’04”)

Note: The repeat on 2024/02/18 is exceptionally short (27’18”) because the playout music following the closing credits is also omitted; but the only woke cut is at 11’16”.

Additional Information –
The guest stars in this episode are Ray Fell and Norma Ronald.

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 56

Title of programme –

Frankie Howerd Variety Show – s01e03 1978/11/07 – Guest Anita Harris
Radio variety show starring Frankie Howerd

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jr6r

Date of Repeat –
2017-04-30

Note : The repeat on 2013-08-03 was also cut

Description of cuts –
A cut at 32:12 lasting 18 seconds. This dialogue is cut :

  • George Roper: “I was in Bradford the other week. It’s very
   colourful y’ know. D’ y’ know, I felt like a spot on a domino.”
   (Audience laughter) “Some places in Bradford, you have to wait
   ’til it snows to count the population.” (Audience laughter)
   “Sorry about that, brother.”

Last uncut repeat : 2012-11-03 (uncut duration 56’56”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 57

Title of programme –

Frankie Howerd Variety Show – s01e06 1978/12/19 – Guest Norman Vaughan
Radio variety show starring Frankie Howerd

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2017-05-28 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2004-02-21 (uncut) (uncut duration 57’38”)
Some software may inaccurately report the mp3 file’s duration as 57’29”.

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the programme contains jokes about foreigners, as comedian Pat Mooney tells some Irish jokes (but, if so, it would have been possible to cut him or his material).

# ITEM 58

Title of programme –

Howerd’s Ways – 2012/04/28 – The Radio Times of Frankie Howerd
Sketch Comedy starring Frankie Howerd. 3 hour special

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01gvwzh

Date of Repeat –
2012-04-28

Description of cuts –
This compilation includes The Frankie Howerd Show of 1973-06-17, with the same cut as in the repeat of it in a previous item (see above):

“Blackleg” joke cut, in Trade Union sketch. The cut occurs at 16:37 in this 3 Hour special (5 seconds removed, including audience laughter).

Last uncut repeat: “Howerd’s Ways – The Radio Times of Frankie Howerd” was NEVER broadcast uncut. When originally transmitted, on 2012-04-28, the cut in the 1973 recording was already present. Duration (with 1 cut): 3:00:21

Note : When this 3 hour special was next repeated, in 2020, it had additional cuts. See next item, below.

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

During strikes in the 1960s and 1970s, the Trade Unions called a strike-breaker (i.e. anyone who crossed a picket line) a “blackleg”.

# ITEM 59

Title of programme –

Howerd’s Ways – 2012/04/28 – The Radio Times of Frankie Howerd
Sketch Comedy starring Frankie Howerd. 3 hour special

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01gvwzh

Date of Repeat –
2020-02-15

Description of cuts –
2 cuts. The original broadcast of this 3 hour tribute, in 2012, had only one cut (to the broadcast of 1973-06-17) — see previous item.

Cut #1: This compilation includes “The Frankie Howerd Show” of 1973-06-17, with the same cut as in the repeat of that episode on 2015-10-11 (“Blackleg” joke cut, in Trade Union sketch).

The cut occurs at 16:37 in this 3 Hour compilation (5 seconds removed, including audience laughter).

Cut #2: An additional 19 seconds is cut in the 2020 rpt, from a 1965 episode of Now Listen (half-hour sketch show: Gags from Frankie Howerd, plus sketches with Carol Allen, Robertson Hare and Ken Connor), from Light Programme, April 1965.

The cut occurs at 1:47:07 in this 3 Hour compilation (19 seconds removed). Removes references to BBC radio disk jockey, the late Jimmy Savile.

The following dialogue is cut, in a sketch in which BBC tv are considering Frankie for a vacant job as a Disk Jockey (present in the broadcast of 2012-04-28 from 1:47:08 to 1:47:27) :

  • Frankie Howerd: “After all, you know, I make a change from
   David Jacobs, and I’m prettier than Jimmy Savile. Have you
   seen him, Jimmy Savile? Have you seen him lately? Gilt casuals,
   gold lamé braces, and a foam-backed vest. Not that I’m decrying
   the man. Oh no, far from it. I mean, to each his own… if you
   like that sort of gear.”

Last uncut repeat : Cut #2 is not present in the rpt of 2012-04-28

“Howerd’s Ways – The Radio Times of Frankie Howerd” was NEVER broadcast uncut. When this higher bitrate 320 kbps repeat was first transmitted, on 2020-02-15, both cuts were present. Duration (with 2 cuts): 2:59:18

Reason for cut #2 –

Jimmy Savile is now deemed a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since October 2012), who they pretend never existed, despite never being convicted of any offence, who was maligned only after his death, once he could no longer defend himself.

# ITEM 60

Title of programme –

Hancock’s Half Hour – s01e01 1954/11/02 – The First Night Party
Situation Comedy starring Tony Hancock

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dyp5l

Date of Repeat –
2021-04-14

Description of cuts –
A cut at 9:31 lasting 8 seconds

This is a ludicrous cut. Three lines of dialogue are removed when Hancock calls to see Sid, in which he tells the doorman the names of the three callers: himself, Bill Kerr and Moira Lister.

  • Doorman: “Can I help you?” «—————————– This line cut
  • Moira: “Yes. We wish to see Mr James.”
  • Doorman: “Certainly. What names shall I give?” «——— This line cut
  • Hancock: “Bill Kerr, Tony Hancock, and Moira Lister.” «—— This line cut
  • Doorman: “You’ll have to wait, Mr James is on the blower.”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-08-21 (uncut duration 28’24”)

Note : The repeat on 12 May 2024 was also uncut (included in Hancock’s Cuttings, a 3 Hour Special, repeated to mark Hancock’s centenary) PID: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001z694

Reason for cuts –

Unknown. But the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

The child who makes the woke cuts at the BBC might have misunderstood the doorman’s reference to Sid being on the ‘blower’ (i.e. telephone), and perhaps wrongly thought that the line was a lewd sexual reference? If so, it makes no sense to not cut the line mentioning ‘blower’.

# ITEM 61

Title of programme –

Hancock’s Half Hour – s01e03 1954/11/16 – The Idol
Situation Comedy starring Tony Hancock

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jxyr

Date of Repeat –
2024-05-29

Description of cuts –

Cut #1: A cut at 11:12 lasting 2 seconds.

When Tony dresses up as a Chinaman, this line is cut (slant-eyed joke) :

• Hancock: “Bit of plaster to pull me eyes back…”

Cut #2: A cut at 11:18 lasting 8 seconds.

When Tony dresses up as a Chinaman, this line is cut :

• Hancock: (accent) “Excuse, please. Make way for honourable Chinese laundry man.” (sings) “Ting-a-ling-a-dung-ung-ung…”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-08-28 (uncut duration 27’35”)

Reason for cut #1 –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Reason for cut #2 –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a joke banned by the BBC’s thought police.

# ITEM 62

Title of programme –

Hancock’s Half Hour – s01e15 1955/02/08 – The Marriage Bureau
Situation Comedy starring Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Moira Lister

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001d5k5

Date of Repeat –
2024-07-24

Description of cuts (totalling 28 seconds) –

1st cut at 3:34 lasting 6 seconds.

Hancock is applying for an office job, and has to complete the employer’s written intelligence test. When the interviewer reviews Hancock’s answers, the following dialogue is cut :

• Interviewer: “Question 4: Who was the father of the Black Prince? Old King Coal!”

2nd cut at 4:20 lasting 5 seconds.

When the interviewer says the employer’s policy is to only employ married men, the following dialogue is cut :

• Tony Hancock: “Why?”
• Interviewer: “Well it leaves our Directors a clear field with the typists, you see.” (Audience laughter)

3rd cut at 7:40 lasting 17 seconds.

When Hancock asks Bill for advice on how to persuade Moira to marry him, the following dialogue is cut :

• Bill Kerr: “Well, you could twist her arm!”
• Tony Hancock: “That’s alright for those Pickle Factory girls you knock about with.” (Audience laughter, including pause to milk the laughter) “Moira’s a different cup of tea. She’s… she’s sort of… sofa-skated! (Audience laughter)

Last uncut repeat : 2022-10-18 (uncut duration 27’49”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the cut dialogue includes jokes about foreigners or women. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

Additional Information –

1. The word Hancock is struggling for in cut #3 is ‘sophisticated’.

2. The cuts were made to the 2024 live broadcast. They have not (yet! ) been made to the recording of the 2022 repeat currently on the BBC Sounds website.

3. The 2022 repeat has two variations (which differ only after the closing credits): the Radio 4 livestream file is a 27’49” recording; the file from BBC Sounds (a.k.a. BBC iPlayer) is a 27’59” recording (a slightly more complete ending).

# ITEM 63

Title of programme –

Hancock’s Half Hour – s05e03 1958/02/04 – The Male Suffragettes
Situation Comedy starring Tony Hancock

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007yntz

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2023-09-27 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2018-06-24 (uncut) (uncut duration 29’09”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the programme includes jokes about women.

# ITEM 64

Title of programme –

Home to Roost – s02e07 – 1975/08/12 (“Mother’s Not Well”)
Situation Comedy starring Deryck Guyler and Mollie Sugden

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000hpnm

Date of Repeat –
2024-09-01

Description of cuts (totalling 16 seconds) –

1st cut at 14:02 lasting 6 seconds. When Norman Rossington brings Deryck Guyler a meal from the local Chinese takeaway, the following is cut :

• Norman Rossington: Hums a Chinese melody (2 seconds), then says (accent) “Meals-y on wheels-y, honourable sir.”

2nd cut at 14:26 lasting 2 seconds. The following is cut :

• Norman Rossington: (Accent) “With my honourable compliments.”

3rd cut at 14:35 lasting 8 seconds. The following is cut :

• Norman Rossington: “Eat enough of that and you’ll find a little black pigtail hanging down your back.” (Audience laughter, drowning out some additional dialogue)
• Deryck Guyler: “It’s a nice taste, I like it.”

Last uncut repeat : 2020-04-26 (uncut duration 27’46”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a joke banned by the BBC’s thought police.

# ITEM 65

Title of programme –

How Tickled Am I – s03e02 2001/11/27 – Gracie Fields

Documentary about 1930s British music-hall star Gracie Fields,
presented by Mark Radcliffe

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jt19

Date of Repeat –
2022-06-22

Description of cuts –
A cut at 17:46 lasting 56 seconds

An interview with the local MP, Sir Cyril Smith, is removed from a discussion of Gracie’s fans in her home town of Rochdale :

• Mark Radcliffe: “… None more so than the town’s former MP.
And if Gracie Fields is the first name that comes to mind
when you think of Rochdale, then the second is Cyril Smith.”

• Cyril Smith: “Gracie, of course, was a brilliant performer.
I mean, her sole props were her scarf. Just a silk scarf.
And she could manipulate this scarf to give different appearances.
She was brilliant as a comic singer, if you like — you know, ‘The
Biggest Aspidistra in the World’, ‘The Rochdale Hunt’, and so on.
She never forgot where she came from. She could have an audience
in stitches of laughter; she could have an audience in tears. And
the range was so wide; range, I mean, in terms of her appeal, and
in terms of getting over a message. She just had the audience
literally in the palm of her hand.”

Last uncut repeat : 2018-11-21 (uncut duration 27’44”)

Reason for cuts –

The late Sir Cyril Smith, Member of Parliament for Rochdale, has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since November 2012), who they pretend never existed, despite never being convicted of any offence.

Now that the police have shown the unsubstantiated allegations against the late Edward Heath MP to be without foundation, in Operation Conifer, serious doubt has been cast on the likewise unsubstantiated allegations made against the late Sir Cyril Smith MP, who was also maligned only after his death, once he could no longer defend himself.

# ITEM 66

Title of programme –

Huddwinks – s01e01 1986/07/24 – Over the Top
Situation Comedy starring Roy Hudd and Chris Emmett

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0092n42

Date of Repeat –
2024-03-14

Description of cuts (totalling 27 seconds) –

Cut #1: A cut at 6:58 lasting 2 seconds.

Chris Emmett is planning an expedition to climb Mount Everest, but his girlfriend complains: “I’ve heard about these Sherpa women, all slant eyes and sleeping bags.” The following part of her dialogue is cut:

• Denise Coffey: “…all slant eyes and sleeping bags.”

Cut #2: A cut at 13:34 lasting 25 seconds.

Half-way through the show, Joan Collins’ lawyer invites Roy Hudd to continue it without making any jokes about Joan (she was starring in the hit American tv show, “Dynasty”). The following is cut:

• Roy Hudd: “Well, you’ve been a wonderful audience, ladies and gentlemen.” (Audience laughter) “So it’s good night from all of us…”

• Fred Harris: (Jewish accent) “Oy! Oy! Oy, what’s this schmatter you’re spieling? Are you some kind of an [inaudible] gefilte fish bagels?” (Audience laughter) (Part of the line is inaudible under the audience laughter)

• Roy Hudd: “That’s all we need—a Jehovah’s Witness!” (Audience laughter)

• Fred Harris: (Jewish accent) “Oh, witness schmitness! I’m the sponsor of this programme, and my commercial you haven’t even done yet, already!”

• Roy Hudd: “Oh yes, oh yes…”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-11-04 (uncut duration 26’38”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a joke banned by the BBC’s thought police.

# ITEM 67

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1967/05/14
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

4th edition in the 1967 series

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vdc3h

Date of Repeat –
2020-09-14

Description of cuts –
Cuts totalling 73 seconds

Last uncut repeat : 2017-12-01 (uncut duration 29’13”)

1st cut at 16:07 (lasting 60 seconds). These lines were cut in Eskimo sketch (skit featuring a dog sledge pulled by Huskies):

  • Bill Oddie : “All we need to find now is a good dog team.”
  • David Hatch : (Chinese accent) “Ah. Perhaps I can help.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Good heavens. A little furry Chinaman.”
  • David Hatch : “No, no. I am Eskimo.”
  • Tim Brooke Taylor: “You sound like a Chinaman.”
  • David Hatch : (Jewish accent) “Who knows what an Eskimo sounds like, already.”
  • Bill Oddie : “No, no.”
  • David Hatch : “Yes, yes. You want to buy team of dogs?”
  • Bill Oddie : “Yes.”
  • David Hatch : “Mush.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Okay mate.”
  • David Hatch : “Mush.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Here boys, mush.”
  • Sound f/x : (Dogs barking)
  • Jo Kendall : “Ahh! It’s a little husky.”
  • Tim Brooke Taylor: “Well, it’s got a sore throat.”
  • David Hatch : “Well, there we are, very obedient dogs. You call mush, they answer.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Splendid. How much?”
  • Sound f/x : (Dogs barking)
  • Bill Oddie : “No, not mush…”
  • Sound f/x : (Dogs barking)
  • Bill Oddie : “…money.”
  • David Hatch : “Oh. Hundred pound.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Too much.”
  • Sound f/x : (Dogs barking)
  • David Hatch : “Fifty pound.”
  • Bill Oddie : “That’s much…”
  • Sound f/x : (Dogs barking)
  • Bill Oddie : “… more like it. And does it take much…”
  • Sound f/x : (Dogs barking)
  • Bill Oddie : “… to feed them?”
  • David Hatch : “No. Half a pound of mush…”
  • Sound f/x : (Dogs barking)
  • David Hatch : “…rooms.” (Audience laughter) “Or a large plate of sausage and mash.”
  • Sound f/x : (Dogs barking)

2nd cut at 20:58 (lasting 13 seconds). These lines were cut in fishing sketch (poof joke?):

  • David Hatch : “I’ve got an old flatfish.”
  • Jo Kendall : “I’ll have it.”
  • Tim Brooke Taylor : “No. Look, it’s bad.”
  • Jo Kendall : “You mean…”
  • Tim Brooke Taylor : “Yes. This is no plaice for a girl like you!”
   (Audience groans at fish pun)
  • David Hatch : “But we must do something to keep warm!”
  • Tim Brooke Taylor : (As Lady Constance) “Er…” (Audience laughter)

Reason for cuts –

1st cut: BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a sketch banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Ludicrous to cut what is just a lengthy dog sketch.

2nd cut: Unknown. Possibly Tim (playing a regular female character, Lady Constance) was mistakenly thought to be playing a poof.

The cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Additional Notes –

a. Almost a quarter of the programmes in this list are from the sketch show I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again. So many of its episodes are banned or cut that a newspaper wag called it I’m Sorry I Won’t Read That Again!

b. Nearly all the 67 episodes of I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again, when repeated on BBC 7 or Radio 4 Extra, are transmitted from edited vinyl discs sold to overseas stations in the 1970s by the BBC Transcription Service. So even those which don’t suffer Woke cuts are incomplete.

c. You might find some complete uncut original recordings online at
https://archive.org/details/ISIRTA-broadcast-master-recordings

These uncut recordings will never again be broadcast by the BBC, nor sold on CD by them, because this show is now deemed to be politically incorrect. This is the only place you can now hear the original broadcasts.

# ITEM 68

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1967/06/04
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

7th edition in the 1967 series

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vt6jy

Date of Repeat –
2020-10-05

Description of cuts –
A cut at 22:37 lasting 13 seconds

In a historical sketch where the setting is a dark night, these 2 lines were removed:

• David Hatch: “The black night closed in on them.”
• Bill Oddie: (As black Knight) “How d’ya do der, honey?” (Applause)

Last uncut repeat : 2017-12-22 (uncut duration 29’31”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a joke banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Additional Information –

1st sketch: (song) “Should I let my ferret go?”

Other Sketches: A “Grim” fairy tale of Goldilocks and the Green Witch; a Russian love song; the transport cafe that discovered Haute Cuisine.

# ITEM 69

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1967/06/18
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

9th edition in the 1967 series

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00w6bws

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2020-10-19 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last uncut repeat: 2018-01-05 (uncut duration 29’48”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Sketches include: a cricket lament; a Wild West drama ‘The Lone Stranger’ (“Lone Ranger” spoof).

The cricket sketch includes jokes about foreigners and poofs, and a song about Test Match cricket sung with (horror!) a foreign accent.

The Lone Ranger spoof includes jokes about Red Indians and poofs.

The term poof is a polite euphemism, employed in popular culture in order to avoid the use of a derogatory term.

# ITEM 70

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1967/07/02
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

11th edition in the 1967 series

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00whw3w

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2020-10-26 or 2020-11-02, during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last uncut repeat: 2018-01-19 (uncut duration 29’51”)

Note: The BBC website indicates a further rpt on 2020-10-26, but according to my notes it was Episode 12 which was repeated on that date.

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Speculated to be because: the Panel Game sketch, “Round The World Linkup”, includes jokes about poofs; there is a song poking fun at fat people; and in a sketch spoofing Shakespeare’s play “Othello”, Bill does a spoof West Indian accent.

Additional Information –

Sketches: 1st sketch: An osteopath’s 1st day.

Other sketches include: A stockingless thief; and “Shakespeare: from Bard to Verse”.

# ITEM 71

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1967/07/23
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

14th edition in the 1967 series

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wwn0j

Date of Repeat –
2020-11-09

Description of cuts –
Cuts totalling 58 seconds

Last uncut repeat : 2018-02-09 (uncut duration 29’14”)

1st cut at 16:26 lasting 8 seconds. These lines were cut:

  • Effects : (Dance music for the traditional dance known as
   The Black Bottom, in “Red Shadow” Foreign Legion spoof)
  • Bill Oddie : “What’s that?”
  • John Cleese: “The black bottom.” (Audience laughter at bottom joke)
  • Bill Oddie : (Indistinct, drowned out by audience)

2nd cut at 23:33 lasting 50 seconds. These lines were cut:

  • John Cleese : “Very well, if you can fit four of them into
   one sentence I shall spare you all.
  • Tim Brooke Taylor: “We have to fit four jokes into one sentence?”
  • Bill Oddie : “Four jokes? Into one sentence? It’s impossible.”
  • Tim Brooke Taylor: “David, perhaps you could…”
  • David Hatch : “Oh. Oh dear. Yes. Um… I and my German friend,
   Hans, ran into the black night.”
  • Bill Oddie : “How d’ya do der, honey?”
  • All : “One.”
  • David Hatch : “And although Hans knees were knocking…”
  • Bill Oddie : “Hans what?”
  • David Hatch : “Hans knees.”
  • All : “And boomp-sey-daisy. Two.”
  • David Hatch : “I felt self assured.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Self what?”
  • David Hatch : “Assured. Assured.”
  • All : “All fall down. Three.”
  • David Hatch : “Er…”
  • Bill Oddie : “Go on!”
  • David Hatch : “Oh!”
  • John Cleese : “That’s only three. I want one more.”
  • Tim Brooke Taylor: “I’ll give you this little gold box of priceless jewels.”
  • John Cleese : “No, I want another funny.”
  • David Hatch : “I’ll… I’ll try.”

Reason for cuts –

1st cut : BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Probably the child who makes the Woke cuts at the BBC had never heard of the dance known as the Black Bottom, and mistakenly thought it was a reference to a well-known type of foreigner.

2nd cut : Probably because it includes a line banned in a previous episode, above (see the 7th episode of this 1967 series).

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a sketch banned by the BBC’s thought police.

# ITEM 72

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1968-12-26 – Christmas Special
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Bill Oddie.

14th edition in the 1968 series (“Dick Whittington and His Wonderful Hat”)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qm8r

Date of Repeat –
2020-12-30 (cut duration: 49’56”) in “Sue Perkins’s Christmas Comedy Stocking” Part 2, a Christmas Special first broadcast on BBC 7 in December 2005.

Last uncut digital repeat : None known (uncut duration: 58’46”)

The broadcast master tape (a 256 Kbps high quality mp3 file, 58’46”), circulating online, is the only complete recording.

“Sue Perkins’s Christmas Comedy Stocking” Part 2 was NEVER broadcast uncut so far as I know. When originally transmitted by BBC 7, on 2005-12-24, the cuts in the 1968 recording were probably already present (as BBC 7 normally aired only the BBC Transcription Service’s edited vinyl discs).

What is certain is that the cuts ARE present in BBC 7’s 2008/12/21 repeat, which had a duration of only 49’56”.

Description of cuts (14 cuts, totalling 8’50”) –

1st cut at 10:23 lasting 1’12”.

When Dick Whittington (played by Jo Kendall) is walking to London with his cat, to apply for a job as Lord Mayor, these lines are cut:

  • Jo Kendall : “Ho, Puss. We’ve been walking for ages and it’s still
350 miles to London. What a long way, and I feel so
tired. Let’s shelter in here and sit down on this bench
and rest a while.” [Sighs] “You know Puss, I have the
oddest feeling that any minute now a strange voice
will speak to us out of thin air, and help us on our
way to London. Listen!”
  • Graeme Garden: “The train now standing at platform 3…”
[Audience laughter] “…is the 10:36 to London Euston. Will
passengers for Birmingham please sit in the front
portion of the train, as the back portion won’t be
stopping there.” [Audience laughter and applause]
  • Jo Kendall : “Come on, Puss. Come on. This is our train. At last
we’re off to London.”
  • Sound f/x : [Steam train noises]
  • David Hatch : [Chants] “Hissing & snorting, and growling & grumbling,
Out of the station the train comes a-rumbling.
Puffing out smoke and white steam in the dark,
As the train driver turns to his mate, to remark…”
  • John Cleese : [Welsh accent] “Here, I thought this train was electric,
boyo.” [Audience laughter]
  • Bill Oddie : [Welsh accent] “No, no, no, no, no. No, no, bach. This is
a fairy story you know, they didn’t have electric trains
in those days. No — this is a diesel!” [Laughter]
“Ah, whaddya expect from a Welshman?”

Reason for cut: Presumably a cut for timing, to reduce the running time of the episode to less than 50 minutes, so as to fit it on 2 sides of a vinyl disc.

2nd cut at 13:42 lasting 40 seconds.

Bill’s spoof football match commentary is cut (Bill is doing a commentary on the hooliganism on the terraces at half-time, among the spectators, describing the violence to the teams, not a commentary on the game):

• Bill Oddie : “There’s a tremendous scrap going on here today. It’s
half-time, and the score so far: City — twelve injuries,
two deaths, twenty-one arrests; United — sixteen injuries,
three deaths, two arrests, and one [indistinct]. And
the players have been sitting in the centre circle;
they’re enjoying every minute of it. Whoops-a-daisy,
there goes another one.” (Resumes singing) “From
West Ham, Birmingham; [indistinct], down to Spain,
and back again; they’re all joining in! If you go,
to Mexico, at 1970, you’ve probably bought a ticket
for… World War Three! Wait and see! Wait and see!”

Reason for cut: Presumably English football hooliganism was thought to be too topical, something an overseas audience would not understand, especially the rather subtle ‘dig’ at Manchester United and Manchester City. In the 1960s, in Britain, United’s fans were synonymous with football violence.

The reference to English football hooligans going to Mexico (i.e. attending the 1970 World Cup there) was presumably thought too topical also, as the joke would lose its point after 1970.

3rd cut at 20:51 lasting 7 seconds. These lines were cut:

• Jo Kendall : (Audience laughter) “I’ve no money, no friends.
I’ll never get anywhere at this rate.”
• Bill Oddie : “Mia-ow.”

Reason for cut: Presumably a cut for timing, to reduce the running time.

4th cut at 23:04 lasting 5 seconds. This line is cut:

• Jo Kendall : “Why, it’s the football referee we met on the train.
What are you doing here?”

Reason for cut: Removed because it refers back to the dialogue deleted in the 1st cut (above).

5th cut at 23:55 lasting 6 seconds. This line is cut:

• Graeme Garden: “I’ll squeeze every last penny out of them, I’ll make
sure they all have a miserable Christmas.”

Reason for cut: Presumably cut to remove the reference to English money, which an overseas audience might not understand.

6th cut at 27:33 lasting 13 seconds. These lines are cut:

  • Sound f/x : [Screams]
  • Tim Brooke-Taylor : “Who is it? The Beatles?”
  • David Hatch : “Those were screams of horror!”
  • Tim Brooke-Taylor : “Well have you seen John Lennon lately?”
(Audience laughter and applause)
  • Tim Brooke-Taylor : “Hello. It’s us, it’s us. Hello.”

Reason for cut: Presumably thought to be too topical a joke about the British pop music scene for an overseas audience to understand.

7th cut at 28:54 lasting 15 seconds.

The Ugly Sisters in the Pantomime (played by Bill and Graeme) are doing jokes about how ugly they are, and competing to be considered the ugliest!

These lines are cut:

• Graeme Garden : “I am so hideous, when I go to the pictures they
give the audience an X Certificate!”
• Bill Oddie : “My face has been lifted… My face has been lifted
so many times, yes, they’re making it an Olympic event.”

Reason for cut: Presumably thought to be too British a joke for an overseas audience to understand (i.e. the meaning of an X-rating for a cinema film).

8th cut at 29:29 lasting 31 seconds.

The Ugly Sisters are doing yet more jokes about how ugly they are, with both again competing to be considered the ugliest! These lines are cut:

  • Graeme Garden: “Eyes. Eyes. My eyes are sunk so deep they come out
the back of me head and I use them as hat pins.”
  • Bill Oddie : “I’ve got bags under my eyes. My bags under my eyes
are so big, I have to wear them in a bra!”
  • Graeme Garden: “All right, teeth! My teeth protrude so far I can
eat a sandwich at ten paces.” [Audience laughter]
  • Bill Oddie : “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Graeme Garden: “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Bill Oddie : “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Graeme Garden: “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Bill Oddie : “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Graeme Garden: “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Bill Oddie : “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Graeme Garden: “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Bill Oddie : “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Graeme Garden: “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Bill Oddie : “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Graeme Garden: “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Bill Oddie : “I’m the ugliest!”
  • Graeme Garden: “I’m the ugliest!”

Reason for cut: Presumably a cut for timing, to reduce the running time.

9th cut at 34:22 lasting 15 seconds. In a song, these lines are cut:

• Bill Oddie : [Sings] “But until then, we’ve got a true idyllic
society, and… I’m sorry, I’ll read that again.”
[Indistinct] “…and a Labour government.”

Reason for cut: The Transcription Service always cut topical jokes, including political jokes, as an overseas audience would likely not understand the point of the joke (which implies these are Transcription Service cuts).

10th cut at 37:06 lasting 6 seconds. These lines are cut:

• Jo Kendall : “Nutty! You promised!”
• John Cleese : “No! I promised, but my father…”

Reason for cut: Refers back to dialogue previously removed.

11th cut at 42:09 lasting 35 seconds. A song sung by Tim Brooke-Taylor is cut:

• Tim Brooke-Taylor : [Sings, in character as Lady Constance]
“When you’ve got a problem that’s getting you down,
And things seem impossible, don’t wear a frown.
There’s something to do, and you don’t know the way,
Then be like me, say: Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Stuff it!
All together. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Stuff it!
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Stuff it! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Stuff
it! Oh, come along now. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Stuff it!
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Stuff it! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh…!”
• John Cleese : “Stuff it!”

Reason for cut: Presumably a cut for timing, to reduce the running time.

12th cut at 43:26 lasting 10 seconds.

In the Pantomime, Dick Whittington (played by Jo Kendall) and the Cat (played by Bill Oddie) are given some melons. These lines are cut:

• Jo Kendall : “Pity, I was hoping you’d turn them into coaches,
with handsome men on them.”
• Tim Brooke-Taylor : “I don’t mind handsome men on them.
But I’m not having you two riding on them to the Ball.”

Reason for cut: Presumably a cut for timing, to reduce the running time.

13th cut at 46:10 lasting 3’37”.

The following song (the Julie Andrews song) is cut:

  • John Cleese : “And now, ladies and gentlemen, if the orchestra is
ready, here is our surprise guest for this evening.”
  • All : “Who can it be? Who is it? Who is it? Who?”
  • Sound f/x : [Fanfare]
  • David Hatch : “Julie Andrews…”
  • All : [Sing] “Ah, ha, ha.”
  • Bill Oddie : [Sings, with backing from Orchestra and All] “When I
breath your name, Julie Andrews, ha-a-a, it sets my
heart a-flame. I can hear a heavenly choir, you have
set my soul on fire. Julie Andrews, Julie Andrews,
I love you. Julie Andrews, you’re perfect as can be.
Julie Andrews, ha-a-a, you’re pure as T-C-P. You’re
so collected, so hygienic, so disinfected, also anaemic.
Julie Andrews, Julie Andrews, I love you.”

[Speaks] “Oh Julie, Julie. Forgive me for feeling this
way about you, when you’re so… so… clean. But I’ve
been like this ever since I saw you in ‘Mary Poppins’.
You floated down with that crinoline spread out around
you. And I had an uncontrollable desire… to look up!
Oh Julie, you’re more voluptuous than Twiggy. More…
more primitive than Katie Boyle. You’re sexier than
Raymond Baxter. Every night I have the same dream.
It’s night time, and we’re alone together, and I watch
as you take off your habit. And I say: Shall we? And
you say: Shall we what? And I say: You know. And you
say: I don’t. And you don’t!” [Sobs] [Audience laughter]
“Say, altogether now.”

[Sings, with backing from Orchestra and All] “Julie
Andrews, ahh-ahh-ahh, untouched by human hands,
ahh-ahh-ahh. When you speak I understand. Every word
filled with romance, let me hear your dance, dance,
dance. Julie Andrews, Julie Andrews, we love you.”

[Shouts] “EVERYBODY!”

[Sings] “Julie Andrews, ahh-ahh-ahh, there’s witchcraft
in your eyes. Julie Andrews… (take me, take me to…),
you’re the devil in disguise. We can care for no one
else, we must give up Raquel Welch. Julie Andrews,
Julie Andrews, I love you…!” [Applause]

  • Graeme Garden: “Thank you, thank you. Yes, that was very nice…
if you like rubbish.”

Reason for cut: Presumably a cut for timing, to reduce the running time.

It is possible (though perhaps unlikely) that the BBC thought overseas listeners would not know who Julie Andrews was! At the time, she was a big international star, thanks to the movie musical ‘The Sound of Music’.

14th cut at 52:15 lasting 8 seconds. This line is cut:

• John Cleese : “… you Tommy Docherty, you.”
(Audience laughter and applause)

Reason for cut: The Transcription Service always cut topical references to purely British celebrities, as an overseas audience would not know them (which implies these are Transcription Service cuts).

Tommy Docherty was a Football manager, famous (in Britain) for his success as manager of Manchester United.

15th cut: Following the closing cast and production credits, the closing music (i.e. the Angus Prune Tune) is re-mixed on the 2020 repeat (i.e. on the Transcription Service edit), shortening it.

This accounts for the remainder of the difference in duration (50 seconds), compared to the broadcast master tape.

Reason for cut: Presumably a cut for timing, to reduce the running time.

Reason for cuts –

The cuts seem to all derive from the ordinary practices of the old Transcription Service, i.e. seem to have all been made in the 1970s: the cut material would only be understood within the UK, or is cut at random for no obvious reason other than to reduce the running time.

Additional Information –

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISIRTA_plays,_D-I#Dick_Whittington_and_His_Wonderful_Hat

# ITEM 73

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1969/03/30
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

12th edition in the 1969 series: “Electric Time Trousers, part 12”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01211y0

Date of Repeat –
2021-07-08

Description of cuts –
A cut at 8:12 lasting 49 seconds.

A song sung by Bill Oddie (“The Henry V song”) is cut by 49 seconds, in a rock-and-roll musical adaptation of Act 3 Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s play “Henry V”. The lyrics are spoof lines from the play, set to music.

The original song ran 3’57” (from 8:12 to 12:09). These lines (sung in a cod-Hippy style) are cut from the beginning of the song:

  • Bill Oddie : “Surrey, Bedford, Exeter, Warwick, Rutland and noble
Gloucester. Art thou digging me?”
  • All : “We dig you Henry, baby.”
  • Bill Oddie : “That’s cool. Now, Salisbury. Art you listening,
Salisbury?”
  • Graeme Garden: “Yes-sar, boss.”
  • Bill Oddie : “I want you to shake thy tambourine and shake it good,
forsooth. Oh yeah, verily, that sends shivers up my spine.
Worcester?”
  • Tim Brooke Taylor : “I hear you, daddy.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Dost thou have thy bass?”
  • Tim Brooke Taylor : “I dust, my liege.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Ah, Worcester, you’re a sauce. Lay me down some bass.
Come on, lay it me down…”
  • Sound f/x : (Guitar: Bass riff)
  • Bill Oddie : “Ah, goodly, goodly. Now fellas, we gonna have to fight
   today, babies. We’re gonna have to sock it to ’em. And I want you
all to tell me, are you ready for that?”
  • All : “Yeah.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Well, tell me again! Tell me louder!”
  • All : (Shouting) “Yeah!”
  • Bill Oddie : “Alright! Now I’m gonna lay a speech on ya, and you
better believe me. Here come the speech…”

Last uncut repeat : 2018-08-03 (uncut duration 25’23”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Shakespeare is evidently now deemed politically incorrect.

The song is a harmless spoof of the 1960s Hippy counter-culture, as indicated by the familiar hippy terminology: “baby”, “cool”, “sock it to ’em”, “dig it”, “lay it on me”, “lay it on you”, etc.

# ITEM 74

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1970/02/22
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

2nd edition in the 1970 series: “Canterbury Tales” (a Chaucer spoof)
(1st sketch is “Advert for Radio Prune”)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jqyp

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2018-08-24 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2011-07-11 (uncut duration 29’46”)

An uncut recording was released on CD in 2007 by BBC Audiobooks Ltd. Uploaded [by Slimoo?] as mp3 torrent, 256kbps (54.7 MB).

The BBC CDs of “ISIRTA” have horrid amounts of noise reduction. No edits, but poor audio quality. 320 kbps radio repeats have better audio quality.

Reason for banning –

Possibly merely because of a 5 second mention of comic and singer Rolf Harris in the introduction to the Canterbury Tales sketch (at 12:47). Rolf has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2014), who they pretend never existed.

At one point in that sketch, John Cleese does a spoof Indian accent. The sketch features a lengthy skit about a soap powder that can give anyone – even Indian bus conductors – a posh upper class accent.

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely John Cleese spoofing (horror!) a foreign accent is enough to get the broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Additional Information –

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISIRTA_plays,_A-C#Canterbury_Tales

# ITEM 75

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1970/03/01
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

3rd edition in the 1970 series: “The G.P.O.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012lm9q

Date of Repeat –
2018-08-24

Description of cuts –
A cut at 7:53 lasting 2 seconds. This dialogue was deleted:

• “Rolf Harris and…”

Last uncut repeat : 2016-03-23 (uncut duration 29’22”)

An uncut recording was released on CD in 2007 by BBC Audiobooks Ltd. Uploaded [by Slimoo?] as mp3 torrent, 256kbps (54.0 MB).

The BBC CDs of “ISIRTA” have horrid amounts of noise reduction. No edits, but poor audio quality. 320 kbps radio repeats have better audio quality.

Reason for Rolf Harris cut –

Rolf has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2014), who they pretend never existed.

Rolf Harris, an Australian entertainer who came to Britain in the 1960s, was originally a comedian specialising in singing comic songs: https://archive.org/details/RolfHarrisCollection

# ITEM 76

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1970/03/15
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

5th edition in the 1970 series: “Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012xpyk

Date of Repeat broadcast (2018 rpt) :
2018-09-07

Description of cuts –

1st cut at 4:45, lasting 8 seconds (4:45 to 4:53)

The following dialogue was deleted (a sex-change joke):

• “Mr Rolf Harris has been made a Dame of the British Empire.
A hospital spokesman said his condition was satisfactory.”

Last uncut repeat (uncut duration 29’08”): 2011-08-01 (definitely), 2013-12-18 (possibly)

Reason for Rolf Harris cut –

Rolf has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2014), who they pretend never existed.

Rolf Harris, an Australian entertainer who came to Britain in the 1960s, was originally a comedian specialising in singing comic songs: https://archive.org/details/RolfHarrisCollection

Date of Repeat broadcast (2021 rpt) :
2021-10-14

Description of cuts –

Note : An extra 1 minute 35 seconds cut since 2018 repeat.

2nd cut at 12:49, lasting 24 seconds. These lines were deleted :

  • Bill Oddie: “And can we have tonight’s author please.”
  • Jo Kendall: “Certainly, Anona. And tonight’s author is Colonel
Coonstrangler OBE, MCC, 150 All Out — who has just returned from
spending six years living with African gibbons. And his play is called
‘[Gibbon noises]’, ” (Audience laughter) “or ‘Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School’. ”
  • Bill Oddie: “Oh dear.”

3rd cut at 14:16, lasting 59 seconds. These lines were deleted (involving the Indian schoolboy, Hurree Jamset Ram Singh):

  • David Hatch : “Cherry and Wharton were jolly fed up with being kept
   waiting, and in the corner was another fellow who was browned-off.”
  • Graeme Garden: [With accent] “Oh my goodness, a browned-off…
(drowned by audience laughter).”
  • David Hatch : “This was their tinted chum, Harry Ramsit Jam Butty.”
  • Graeme Garden: [With accent] “Oh gawd blimey, where is the esteemed
   and gimlet-eyed Squelch?”
  • Bill Oddie : “Hang on, hang on. Now then, Mr Clever Dick so-called
   Harry Ramsit Jam Roll, I have reason to believe
   you are impersonating a tinted person.”
  • Graeme Garden: [With accent] “You what? what?”
  • Bill Oddie : “I must ask you, are you written by Johnny Speight?”
  • Graeme Garden: [With accent] “No, I’m not.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Oh! Oh! Oh well, in that case I’m arresting you.
   You are an incitement to racial prejudice, and in very bad taste.”
  • Graeme Garden: [With accent] “No, no, but I’m a real tinted person.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Oh! Oh ho! A real one. With a speaking part in a comedy series?”
  • Graeme Garden: [With accent] “Yes! Yes!”
  • Bill Oddie : “Oh. Oh well in that case, please accept this O.B.E.”
  • Graeme Garden: [With accent] “Thank you very much.”
  • David Hatch : “Harry Ramsit Jam and Bread accepted the valuable award,
   and began to file it down to a ten-shilling piece.”

4th cut at 16:27, lasting 5 seconds. These lines were deleted (involving the Indian schoolboy, Hurree Jamset Ram Singh):

  • David Hatch : “Harry Ramsit Jamboree O.B.E.?”
  • Graeme Garden: [With accent] “Here, prolific terrific sir.”
  • David Hatch : “Billy [Bunter]…?”

5th cut at 19:59, lasting 6 seconds. These lines were deleted (poof joke):

  • Graeme Garden : “Two and a half.”
  • Jo Kendall : “And some puff-pastry.”
  • Tim Brooke Taylor: (effeminate voice) “Mmmm, yes.”

Reason for cuts #3 and #4 –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms (e.g. ‘wog’, ‘coon’, ‘nigger’, etc). Merely having (horror!) a foreign accent is enough to get a sketch banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Reason for cut #5 (poof joke) –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms (‘queer’, ‘pervert’, etc).

The dictionary definition of poof is ‘a well-dressed homosexual’. It’s a polite euphemism, employed in popular culture in order to avoid using a derogatory term.

Last uncut repeat (uncut duration 29’08”):

2011-08-01 (definitely), 2013-12-18 (possibly). But even the 2018 repeat is more complete than the 2021 repeat.

# ITEM 77

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1970/03/22
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

6th edition in the 1970 series: “Murder on the 3.17 to Cleethorpes”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01321dr

Date of Repeat –
2018-09-14

Description of cuts –

1. 1st Cut at 3:16 (3:16 to 6:10). Length of cut 2:54
Sketch deleted: Rolf Harris dirty songbook

A musical sketch about comic and singer Rolf Harris, spoofing some of his best known comic songs, is cut from this repeat.

2. 2nd Cut at 6:29 lasting 2 seconds. Deletes the words “50 naked negros”.

Last uncut repeat : (probably) 2014-01-08 (uncut duration 29’20”)

An uncut recording was released on CD in 2007 by BBC Audiobooks Ltd, duration 29’20”. Uploaded [by Slimoo?] as mp3 torrent, 256 kbps (53.9 MB).

The BBC CDs of “ISIRTA” have horrid amounts of noise reduction. No edits, but poor audio quality. 320 kbps radio repeats have better audio quality.

Reason for Rolf Harris cut –

Rolf has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2014), who they pretend never existed.

Rolf Harris, an Australian entertainer who came to Britain in the 1960s, was originally a comedian specialising in singing comic songs: https://archive.org/details/RolfHarrisCollection

# ITEM 78

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1970/04/26
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

11th edition in the 1970 series: “20,000 Leaks Under the Sea”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00h38dy

Date of Repeat –
2018-10-19

Description of cuts –
A cut at 4:46 lasting 33 seconds. These lines were cut –

  • Tim Brooke Taylor: “ ‘Top of the Pops’: Scandal after the latest edition of
BBC TV’s ‘Top of the Pops’, when a missing tv camera was found wandering
about, lost, up a girl’s miniskirt.” (Audience laughter) “[Indistinct]
was charged with indecent assault. A BBC spokesman added —”
  • John Cleese : (Spokesman) “We have noticed that it is possible to see
right up to the girls’ knickers, owing to the shortness of their miniskirts.
So we’ve asked the girls to drop them.” (Audience laughter)
  • Bill Oddie : “Also on a recent ‘Top of the Pops’, Tony Blackburn presented
a prize for the dolliest dresser — to himself!”

Last uncut repeat : 2011-09-12 (uncut duration 29’48”)

Reason for cuts –

1. Reason for miniskirt cut: A law was passed (the “Upskirting law”), in 2018, to criminalise men who stick a camera up a woman’s skirt [news report in The Times, 14 June 2020]. This cut is BBC hypocrisy, as it was already an offence at common law in 1970 (public indecency) at the time the episode was made.

But this joke does not even violate that law, which has no application to miniskirts. A miniskirt (which is akin to a belt) is too short to stick a camera up it; any girl who wore a miniskirt in 1970 did so because she wanted to show her knickers! It was a rebellion thing.

2. Reason for Tony Blackburn cut: Presumably because Tony’s surname contains the word ‘black’. All references to black – even merely being named Black – are now being banned!

Evidently Tony is to be the latest victim of political correctness!

# ITEM 79

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1970/05/03
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

12th edition in the 1970 series: “Oedipus Rex” / “Greek Tragedy”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00h8kxm

Date of Repeat –
2018-10-26

Description of cuts –
A cut at 2:46 lasting 11 seconds. This line is cut :

• Jo Kendall: “Then there’s the special holiday edition of The Rolf Harris Show.
And there’s a surprise treat in this show: Rolf Harris will be away on holiday.”
(Audience laughter)

Last uncut repeat : 2014-02-12 (uncut duration 29’19”)

An uncut recording was released on CD in 2007 by BBC Audiobooks Ltd, duration 29’19”. Uploaded [by Slimoo?] as mp3 torrent, 256kbps (54 MB).

The BBC CDs of “ISIRTA” have horrid amounts of noise reduction. No edits, but poor audio quality. 320 kbps radio repeats have better audio quality.

Reason for Rolf Harris cut –

Rolf has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2014), who they pretend never existed.

Rolf Harris, an Australian entertainer who came to Britain in the 1960s, was originally a comedian specialising in singing comic songs: https://archive.org/details/RolfHarrisCollection

Additional Information –

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISIRTA_plays,_D-I#Greek_Tragedy

# ITEM 80

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1970/05/10
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

13th edition in the 1970 series: “The Raymond Nostril Story”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hg824

Date of Repeat –
2018-11-02

Description of cuts –
A cut at 23:14 lasting 6 seconds.

In a joke about exploding LP’s, this line is cut :

• David Hatch: “…and barricaded the doors with Rolf Harris records
(Audience laughter), which will go off if anyone touches them.”

Last uncut repeat : 2014-02-19 (but I found only the 2009-02-09 repeat, so this entry is based on it) (uncut duration 29’57”)

Note: A 128 kbps recording hosted by RadioArchive.cx is uncut (runs 29’50”); probably Slimoo’s download of the 2014-02-19 repeat. See https://archive.org/download/radioarchive.cx/

Reason for Rolf Harris cut –

Rolf has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2014), who they pretend never existed.

Rolf Harris, an Australian entertainer who came to Britain in the 1960s, was originally a comedian specialising in singing comic songs: https://archive.org/details/RolfHarrisCollection

# ITEM 81

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1973/12/02 (“Song Of The South”)
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

5th edition of the 1973 series

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2018-12-07 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –

Episode banned. Last repeat: A date unknown before 2010, on BBC Radio 7 (uncut duration 27’04”).

The broadcast master tape (a 256 Kbps high quality mp3 file, 27’04”), circulating online, is the only complete recording.

CD published by BBC Audiobooks Ltd –

Released on 5 February 2007, duration 26’50”; 256 Kbps mp3 (49.2 MB) (ISBN-10: 1405677031) (ISBN-13: 978-1405677035)

Internet reference:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sorry-Ill-Read-That-Again/dp/1405677031

CD available on .torrent (Uploaded by: Slimoo?)

Note : The BBC CDs of “ISIRTA” have horrid amounts of noise reduction, the 320 kbps radio repeats have better audio quality.

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, i.e. political correctness. Possibly merely because the closing sketch, How to speak Sambo (which occupies half the episode), in which the cast do various (authentic) Southern accents, spoofs Disney’s 1946 film musical Song of the South.

Additional Information –

The sketches include:

Miss United Prune Finals / Scriptwriter Fired / Radio Prune Festival of Light: Clean It Up Yourself Quiz / Censored Music / Motoring News / Stars on Monday / Modern Toy Symphony by Haydn / The Song of the South

The BBC usually pretend this is a lost (wiped) episode.

# ITEM 82

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1973/12/09 (“Oklahoma”)
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

6th edition of the 1973 series

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2018-12-14 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2009-03-16 on BBC 7 (uncut duration 27’43”).

The broadcast master tape (a 256 Kbps high quality mp3 file, 27’43”), circulating online, is the only complete recording in high quality.

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Perhaps because the closing sketch (which occupies half the episode) spoofs the 1955 Hollywood movie musical, Oklahoma! ?

That sketch is just a general skit on the Wild West, no different to the film comedy Carry On Cowboy: merely a general send-up of Cowboy pictures. To ban the sketch is hypocrisy, as the BBC regularly show old Westerns on BBC 2.

Additional Information –

Last BBC 7 repeat:
http://www.radio-lists.org.uk/7r/2009/R7_2009_0314-0320_3columns_6pt_6pages.pdf

Available on RadioArchive.cx (Uploader: Slimoo), 128 kbps mp3 (22.2 MB), as a TS vinyl edit, duration 24’18” (Slimoo’s download of a BBC7 repeat?)
See https://archive.org/download/radioarchive.cx/

Available on Internet in more complete versions:
1. 80 kbps mp2/mp3 (good quality from DAB), duration 27’43” (15.8 MB)
2. 96 kbps m4a (with 1973 Announcer) (start missing) 27’05” (18.3 MB)

The sketches include:

By-Election Results / New Programmes: Phone-In / Female Newsreaders / Bronte Sisters / London Symphony Orchestra / Phone Call / Nixon Tape / The Ten Commandments / Nappy Love / Oklahoma!

The BBC usually pretend this is a lost (wiped) episode.

# ITEM 83

Title of programme –

I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again – 1989/12/25 – 25th Anniversary Special
Sketch Comedy starring John Cleese, Tim Brooke Taylor, Bill Oddie

CD published by BBC Audiobooks Ltd, released on 5 February 2007
(ISBN-10:1405677031) (ISBN-13: 978-1405677035):-

Amazon: Sorry-Ill-Read-That-Again/dp/1405677031

Date of Repeat –
2007-02-05 (Date of CD release)

Description of cuts –

This BBC CD has the following cuts, compared to the Broadcast Master tape:

1st cut at 40:23 lasting 50 seconds.

After mentioning that David Hatch has become the boss of BBC radio, the following dialogue is cut –

  • John Cleese : “Not quite, sir.”
  • David Hatch : “So what am I going to do? I can bring back Derek Jamieson,
thus putting an end to civilisation as we know it…”
  • John Cleese : “Sir…”
  • David Hatch : “…or I can close down BBC radio.”
  • John Cleese : “Sir…”
  • David Hatch : “So that’s the choice, the end of BBC radio or the end
of the world.”
  • John Cleese : “Sir…”
  • David Hatch : “Now obviously, as Managing Director, I can only make
one decision. So it’s goodbye world!”
  • All : “What???”
  • John Cleese : “Sir… Sir…”
  • David Hatch : “Who would have thought it could end like this, eh?
I thought it might be Ronald Reagan who fell asleep
with his finger on the button, but no…”
  • John Cleese : “Sir…”
  • David Hatch : “Civilisation has survived Hitler. It survived
Ghengis Khan. It’s even survived The Emma Thompson Show!”
  • John Cleese : “Hello… Over here…”
  • David Hatch : “But it won’t survive me, Hatch…”
  • John Cleese : “Sir…”
  • David Hatch : “…the bringer-of-doom. Hatch, the all-powerful one.
Behold, the end is nigh!”
  • John Cleese : “Your highness?”
  • David Hatch : “The holocaust. The apocalypse. Arm-aggedon…”
  • Graeme Garden : “You’re a loony!” (Audience laughter)
  • David Hatch : “Doomed! The world is doomed!”
  • John Cleese : “Sir!!!”

2nd cut at 47:52 lasting 26 seconds.

Following a joke about Australian newspaper tycoon Rupert Murdock making an offer to buy the BBC, Bill Oddie confuses him with the radio comedian Richard Murdoch –

  • Bill Oddie : “Remember him?”
  • Graeme Garden : “No.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Yes you do. Rupert Murdock and Kenneth Horne, eh?”
[Audience laughter] “Good old ‘Stinker’. What was he… What was
his catchphrase?”
  • John Cleese : [Australian accent] “G’day cobbers.”
  • Bill Oddie : “Give us the old sig[nature] tune.”
  • John Cleese : [Australian accent] (Sings) “At Much Binding in the Marsh…”
  • Bill Oddie : (Sings) “Tiddle-om-pom-pom.”
  • John Cleese : [Australian accent] “Pom? Pom? Don’t talk to me about Poms!”
  • Bill Oddie : “My goodness, his voice has changed a bit. Still, we’ll be
alright now. Fancy being bought by old ‘Stinker’ Murdoch, eh?”

Note: In addition, the CD recording runs 4 seconds short (compared to the broadcast master tape), due to the CD recording running fast (i.e. played onto CD at the wrong speed). The speed difference causes the CD to gain 4 seconds over the 55 minute running time (a timing error in the CD mastering).

Last uncut repeat : None (uncut duration 55’54”)

Note : The broadcast master tape (a 256 Kbps high quality mp3 file), circulating online, is the only complete recording.

Reason for cuts –

Unknown. The cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 84

Title of programme –

In A Nutshell – s02e04 1982/01/24 – Eureka
Satire (Comedy Monologue) starring Leonard Rossiter

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired in 2022, during the first digital repeat of the series.

Note: Repeats from the 1982 series occurred in 2022, but at irregular intervals due to the non standard episode duration (5 minutes only)

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: Not repeated (last aired in 1982)
(uncut duration: unknown)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

BBC bias, because the subject of the satire is the British Empire:

Leonard Rossiter: “It’s been years and years since we launched an adventurous takeover bid for another country. We used to have a first-rate collection of them.” (Source: Radio Times)

# ITEM 85

Title of programme –

Jim the Great – s01e02 1977/04/02 – The Stately Homes of England
Situation Comedy starring Jimmy Edwards

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8e03fb5c25e14a6792963cf73f4b2d42

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2017-03-23 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: No known repeat on digital radio, believed to have last aired in 1977 (uncut duration 26’51”)

Reason for banning –

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

Additional Information –

The episode is in circulation as a 64 Kbps mp3 file (12,590 KB) (26’51”)

All 15 episodes (the pilot episode plus Series 1 and 2) (411 minutes) were released on digital download on 12/01/2023 by BBC Digital Audio under the title “Jim the Great” (ISBN: 9781529904833) as low bitrate mp3 files:

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/455052/

Note : BBC Digital Audio is an imprint of BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

# ITEM 86

Title of programme –

Ken Dodd Show – 1974/01/13 – Doddy’s Comic Cuts
Sketch Comedy starring Ken Dodd

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03vcrpy

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2018-03-13 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2016-11-17 (uncut duration 27’17”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 87

Title of programme –

Ken Dodd Show – 1974/01/20 – Doddy’s Comic Cuts
Sketch Comedy starring Ken Dodd, Talfryn Thomas

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03w0637

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2018-03-20 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last uncut repeat: 2016-11-24 (uncut duration 27’18”)
(as https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03w0637)

Additional Information –

Repeated twice in a cut form, prior to being banned:

1. On 2015-04-28 (as https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05s8dk5)
Short version (duration 27’05”), typically online at 128 kbps

2. On 2016-12-01 (as https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05s8dnd)
Short version (duration 27’05”), typically online at 384 Kbps

Note 1: A poof joke (duration 20 seconds) appears to be missing in the 2016-11-24 repeat, at 1:20, which is included at that point in the 2015-04-28 and 2016-12-01 repeats. But it’s NOT missing, it’s included in the 2016-11-24 repeat at a later point.

The Idi Amin cannibalism joke is included in all three repeats, but in both the 2015-04-28 repeat and in the 2016-12-01 repeat it switches position with the poof joke, i.e. the poof joke is included before the Idi Amin joke.

Note 2: At 21:20 in the 2016-11-24 repeat, Talfryn Thomas suggests doing a Colditz sketch, then suggests a Frankenstein sketch.

But in the 2016-12-01 repeat he suggests only a Frankenstein sketch: the Colditz sketch is not mentioned, and a discussion about it is also cut, leaving 35 seconds of material missing. There is no obvious reason for this cut.

When this episode first aired, in 1974, BBC tv was showing a popular World War 2 series made by them, called “Colditz”, set in a Prisoner Of War camp located in that German town.

Note 3: The loss of sync occurs, in part, because the files are playing at (slightly) different speeds (the 2015-04-28 and 2016-12-01 files run faster). After 4 minutes there’s a 2 second discrepancy in synchronisation. After 21 minutes the discrepancy is 10 seconds.

The recording dated 2016-11-24 is the more complete of the three, but the 2015-04-28 and 2016-12-01 recordings (being speeded-up) might be the ones running at the correct speed.

As the episode is now banned, I have not analysed the various repeats for precise details of the various complex cuts and changes made on different occasions. The 27’18” version is the most complete repeat.

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 88

Title of programme –

Like They’ve Never Been Gone – s04e01 – 2002/06/19
Situation Comedy starring Roy Hudd

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00cfzqy

Date of Repeat –
2021-02-23

Description of cuts –
A cut at 12:51 lasting 3 seconds. A joke about Prince Philip:

• Roy Hudd: “Blimey! Agents, eh? Who else gets so much of
our money for sitting on their backsides being rude to people!”
• Pat Coombs: “Prince Philip?” «— This line is cut

Last uncut repeat : 2019-02-13 (uncut duration 28’06”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC hypocrisy: suddenly becoming sycophantic, after years of being rude about him.

This repeat aired while Prince Philip was alive (he died 9th April 2021). The cut might have been understandable if the repeat aired after he died, but it didn’t.

# ITEM 89

Title of programme –

Lines From My Grandfather Christmas’s Forehead – 1971/12/24
Sketch Comedy starring Ronnie Barker

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jqqy

Date of Repeat –
2020-12-19 in Part 1 of “Barry Cryer’s Christmas Selection Box”, a 3 hour special for Christmas.

Description of cuts –
A cut at 2:27:19 lasting 80 seconds

Last uncut repeat: 2007-12-19 on BBC 7 (uncut duration 24’38”)

Subsequent repeats omit the final sketch, A Child’s Christmas in Wales (which spoofs a poem by Dylan Thomas).

The programme “Barry Cryer’s Christmas Selection Box” Part 1 was NEVER broadcast uncut. When originally transmitted, on 2009-12-19, the cut in the 1971 recording was already present.

Reason for cuts –

Due to a copyright dispute between the BBC and Dylan Thomas’s estate. The estate objected to the sketch quoting a short passage from a very long poem written by the late Dylan Thomas.

Dylan Thomas wrote all the words in the sketch (and is credited as author on this recording). Ronnie Barker edited them to achieve humour; the complete poem, when recited, runs 20 minutes.

Because it was done for the purposes of caricature, parody or pastiche, the copying does not infringe the author’s copyright in the poem (Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 30A).

Alternatively, because most of the text was NOT copied the copying does not infringe the author’s copyright: where only a reasonable extract from the complete work is reproduced, that does not infringe copyright (Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 59).

Section 59 replaced an older law, which granted exemption if not more than 5 percent of the work was copied. So it’s likely that by copying not more than 5 percent, the copy would not infringe s.59; and, further, under s.59 this is so even if slightly more than 5 percent is copied.

Additional Information –

In the 2003-12-20 & 2007-12-19 repeats, the Dylan Thomas sketch runs from 22:06 to 23:26 (1 min 20 seconds), and the complete programme runs 24:38.

In Barry Cryer’s Christmas Selection Box, the 1971 show is cut at 2:27:19 removing 80 seconds (reducing the 1971 show to 23:17).

Additional information –

An uncut recording of the episode was sold to overseas radio stations in the 1970s by the BBC Transcription Service (disc number 130917).

The disc has a longer running time than the original broadcast, due to the addition of two extra items (see track list, below).

The current recording of the disc, by user BlastsFromThePast, made on non-professional equipment, has a duration of 25:59. But only because it runs about 7% fast. The disc’s true duration is approximately 26:25 (disregarding a BBC timing printed on the disc that is clearly wrong). This complicates comparisons with timings in the original broadcast.

   Track List (Disc #130917)
   1. Spoof Queen’s Christmas Message, written & delivered by a milkman.
   2. Courtroom sketch: Juror takes festive Oath.
   3. Office party.
   4. 47-year-old muses, in verse, on whether Santa Claus will still visit.
   5. Family wonder what to give each other for Christmas.
   6. Musical insert (not present in the broadcast version), 7:46 to 8:24
   7. Song by Father Christmas.
   8. Couple putting up their Christmas tree.
   9. Children singing Christmas carol. Segues into Dickensian-style           monologue by homeless woman.
   10. Musical insert (not present in the broadcast version), 14:40 to 16:51
The original broadcast has a shorter musical item: 14:36 to 15:15
   11. Elephant delivered as Christmas present.
   12. Verbose version of lyrics to song White Christmas, seguing into sketch           “Christmases aren’t what they used to be”.
   13. Dylan Thomas spoof: A Child’s Christmas in Wales

# ITEM 90

Title of programme –

Lines From My Grandfather Christmas’s Forehead – 1971/12/24
Sketch Comedy starring Ronnie Barker

3 Hour version: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jzvz

Dates of broadcast – 2010-12-18, 2013-12-21, 2016-12-17, 2021-12-25 in Part 1 of Sue Perkins’s Christmas Comedy Stocking, a 3 hour special.

Description of cuts –
Same cut as in the repeats of this programme in the Christmas Special “Barry Cryer’s Christmas Selection Box”, detailed in the previous item.

A cut lasting 80 seconds. The sketch A Child’s Christmas In Wales, spoofing a poem by Dylan Thomas, is entirely removed; reducing “Lines From My Grandfather Christmas’s Forehead” to 23:17.

Last uncut repeat: “Sue Perkins’s Christmas Comedy Stocking” Part 1 was NEVER broadcast uncut. When originally transmitted, on 2010-12-18, the cut in the 1971 recording was already present.

Reason for cuts –

Due to a copyright dispute between the BBC and Dylan Thomas’s estate.

Additional Information –

“Lines From My Grandfather Christmas’s Forehead” is also included in a 1 Hour version of “Sue Perkins Christmas Comedy Stocking” (where the original 3 hour show is repeated as three 1 hour shows), as Part 2.

Dates of broadcast of Part 2: 2019/12/25, 2022/12/17, 2022/12/22
URL of Part 2: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000ckpy

# ITEM 91

Title of programme –

Lines From My Grandfather’s Forehead – s02e01 – 1972/07/09
Sketch Comedy starring Ronnie Barker.

1st programme of the Second series (1972 Series)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008kmkg

Date of Repeat –
2020-01-01

Description of cuts –
A cut at 3:05 lasting 1 second. Deletes the word ‘nigger’ from the reading of a list of entries under ‘N’ in the Oxford English dictionary.

Released uncut on the BBC’s 2 CD box set entitled “Lines From My Grandfather’s Forehead” (CD 2 Side B).

Last uncut radio repeat: 2017-12-31 (uncut duration 29’32”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC’s left-wing bias. The Oxford English Dictionary is apparently now deemed politically incorrect.

# ITEM 92

Title of programme –

Lines From My Grandfather’s Forehead – s02e04 – 1972/07/30
Sketch Comedy starring Ronnie Barker.

4th programme of the Second series (1972 Series) (“Tune Your Violin”)

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2020-01-22 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –

Episode banned. Last repeat: 2004-01-05 on BBC 7 (uncut duration 29’22”)

Note: The 2004-01-05 repeat is the 4th edition of those aired on BBC 7 that is indicated in Radio Times as being from the 1972 series.

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

It is speculated that the episode was banned due to a long sketch spoofing the politics and events of the 1930s, and which refers to a fictional invasion of the Balkans (in the year “Nineteen Thoaty Thrim”).

This must be so, because that sketch occupies fully half of the programme, so is by far the most likely candidate — except it’s utterly inoffensive!

The sketch, which begins at 14:11, is known as “Scrapbook for Nineteen Thoaty Thrim” (also known as “the Nineteen Thirty Thrim sketch”).

Additional Information –

A complete recording is in circulation, sourced from an mp3 file posted on Archive.org : 128 kbps, 44.1 kHz, 26.9 MB (duration 29 min 23 sec).

An incomplete .wav recording of the episode is in circulation, sourced from a BBC Transcription Service edit (disc number 10) (ref: LFMGF No.10).

# ITEM 93

Title of programme –

Listen to Les – s10e02 – 1985/01/27
Sketch Comedy starring Les Dawson

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ms5j6

Date of Repeat –
2018-06-22

Description of cut #1 (with length, starting point) –

Cut #1: A cut at 0:51 lasting 13 seconds. In a joke about hang-gliding, this line is cut :

• Les Dawson: “[Mangus O’Flahrty]… the first man to discover that if a bad tempered Japanese monk goes hang-gliding, there’s bound to be a nasty nip in the air.” (Audience laughter)

Last uncut repeat : 2016-03-14 (uncut duration 27’39”)

Reason for cut #1 –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms (‘wog’, ‘chink’, etc).

Description of cut #2 (with length, starting point) –

Cut #2: A cut at 2:14 lasting 2 minutes 10 seconds. In a sketch about elocution lessons, this dialogue is cut :

• Les Dawson: “Oddly enough it wasn’t O’Flahrty’s size that was his main problem. It was his accent, which was very pronounced. And things came to a head one day when he went into a tobacconist’s shop and said, (accent) ‘Give me 20 Players untipped cigarettes please.’ And the girl behind the counter said, ‘You’re Irish, aren’t you?’ And that did it. Mangus knew what he had to do. And to get rid of his accent, and become what he’d always wanted to be, a BBC newsreader, for five years he studied speech therapy, in Zurich, Geneva — and Rhyll.” (Audience laughter)

“For five years he said, over and over again: (posh accent) ‘Hi ni, brine kiy’. ” (Audience laughter)

“Five hard, bitter years, and yet he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. As he was leaving with his diploma, his tutor said: (German accent) ‘I am so proud of you, Mangus. You are my star pupil.’ And he said: (posh accent) ‘Thank you me dear sir, and for the first time in my chequered career I feel the confidence to wax eloquence.’ He got back to Manchester on the charter flight. And he was so confident, he thought he could audition for Stuart Hall’s job. On the way, he went into a shop, and he said in a clear and very concise diction: (posh accent) ‘Please purvey to me 20 of your untipped cigarettes, which must contain the finest of the Virginia tobaccos.’ And the feller behind the counter said, ‘You’re Irish, aren’t you?’” (Audience laughter)

“And Mangus said: (posh accent) ‘How on Earth did you know that?’ And the feller said, ‘Because this is a Chemists!’” (Audience laughter)

“And that did it. That one final retort did it. Mangus went mad, began to think he was a Cornish pasty, and one night last year he flaked to death…”

Last uncut repeat : 2016-03-14 (uncut duration 27’39”)

Reason for cut #2 –

Stuart Hall is now deemed a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2013), who they pretend never existed.

Additional Information –

In popular culture, Japs are often referred to as ‘Nips’: a harmless abbreviation of ‘Nippon’, the Japanese name for Japan.

# ITEM 94

Title of programme –

Many A Slip – 1964/05/05 (Round 8 of the 1964 Series)
Panel Game hosted by Roy Plomley

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0528nk7

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-03-11 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2018-09-08 (uncut) (uncut duration 28’23”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners.

Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

Additional Information –

The panellists in this edition: Richard Murdoch, Lance Percival, Isobel Barnett and Eleanor Summerfield

# ITEM 95

Title of programme –

Many A Slip – 1967/06/25 (Round 11 of 1967 Series)
Panel Game hosted by Roy Plomley

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09rdq6g

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-03-18 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2019-11-06 (uncut) (uncut duration 29’39”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners.

Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

Additional Information –

The panellists in this edition: Richard Murdoch, David Nixon, Isobel Barnett and Eleanor Summerfield

# ITEM 96

Title of programme –

Many A Slip – 1973-01-08 (Round 2 of 1973 Series)
Panel Game hosted by Roy Plomley

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09s4mfl

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-03-25 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2018-02-21 (uncut) (uncut duration 27’48”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners.

Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

Additional Information –

The panellists in this edition: Richard Murdoch, David Nixon, Isobel Barnett and Eleanor Summerfield

# ITEM 97

Title of programme –

Men From The Ministry – s08e01 – 1972/07/11 (“The Conference Trick”)
Situation Comedy starring Deryck Guyler and Richard Murdoch

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jnys

Date of Repeat –
2023-01-06

Description of cuts –
A cut at 13:58 lasting 50 seconds.

In a discussion of whether to send delegates to the international conference in Paris, about space exploration, this scene is cut:

  • Announcer : “Finally, let’s see what’s happening in China…
by peeking behind the scenes.” (Audience laughter)
  • Sound f/x : [Telephone rings]
  • Chinaman A: [Accent] “Hallo. Mr Wong speaking.”
  • Chinaman B: [Accent] “Ah, am glad to know I have wong number!”
(Audience laughter) “With regard to Paris conference,
you have sent who?”
  • Chinaman A: [Accent] “Yes, I have done so.” (Audience laughter)
  • Chinaman B: [Accent] “Pardon?”
  • Chinaman A: [Accent] “I have sent Who to Paris: honourable Mr Who.”
  • Chinaman B: [Accent] “You sent Who? But he is our biggest cretin.
Knows nothing about space. He thinks Moon made of cheese,
and Mars made of chocolate!” (Audience laughter)
  • Chinaman A: [Accent] “We do not want planet Venus. Better save our
honourable Chinese money. More fried rice for honourable
Chinese people.”

Last uncut repeat : 2017-10-17 (uncut duration 29’57”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut scene does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Perhaps because the scene features foreigners? Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a joke banned by the BBC’s thought police.

# ITEM 98

Title of programme –

Much Binding in the Marsh – s03e15 – 1948/12/28 (“Royal Show”)
Situation Comedy starring Kenneth Horne, Richard Murdoch

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001z68v

Date of Repeat –
2024-05-12

Description of cuts –
A cut at 26:02 lasting 22 seconds.

In the closing song, this verse of the song is cut :

  • Ensemble : (sings) “At Much Binding in the Marsh…”
  • Richard Murdoch: (sings) “Well sir, I think that this time of
the year it’s rotten.”
  • Ensemble : (sings) “At Much Binding in the Marsh…”
  • Kenneth Horne : (sings) “Don’t tell me Father Christmas has forgotten?”
  • Richard Murdoch: (sings) “No sir, he’s been here once, and I don’t want
him back again.”
  • Kenneth Horne : (sings) “But Murdoch, what’s the trouble? Why the
anguish and the pain?”
  • Richard Murdoch: (sings) “He went and brought a golliwog. I did so want
a train!”

Last uncut repeat : No known radio repeat after 1948.

Additional Information –

1. Released on the BBC Radio Collection label, in a double-cassette box set, on 4 February 1991 (ISBN-10 0563409037) (ISBN-13 978-0563409038):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Much-Binding-Marsh-Radio-Collection/dp/0563409037

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, i.e. political correctness.

# ITEM 99

Title of programme –

Much Binding in the Marsh – s04e07 – 1950/05/03
Situation Comedy starring Kenneth Horne, Richard Murdoch, Sam Costa

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b015f9b7

Date of Repeat –
2020-10-04

Description of cuts –
A cut at 19:51 lasting 7 seconds

A joke is cut. Horne is explaining to Murdoch that he has to interview the candidates applying to be the new secretary. Murdoch’s line is cut:

  • Horne: “Murdoch, these are applicants.”
  • Murdoch: “Africans, sir? Ooh, good heavens. That means cannibals.
     We’ll have to give them a cut from Costa, and two veg.”

Last uncut repeat: 2019-02-10 (uncut duration 28’57”)

Reason for cuts –

Cannibal joke cut due to BBC bias, i.e. political correctness, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms for foreigners (e.g. ‘wog’, ‘coon’, ‘nigger’).

These shows don’t use the kind of language that could genuinely cause offence. Wokes pretend to be offended, but actually no broadcast uses any of those terms.

# ITEM 100

Title of programme –

Navy Lark – s09e04 – 1967/07/23 (“Doing a Disastrical”)
Situation Comedy starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Stephen Murray

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007k2xj

Note: Episode sometimes known, alternatively, as “Jigsaws and Jemmies”

Date of Repeat –
2023-05-14

Description of cuts –
A cut at 20:31 lasting 2 seconds.

When Captain Povey is warned that the Naval Dockyard has been infiltrated by a Chinese spy, and panics, his secretary’s words “It’s not the Yellow Peril” are cut from the following dialogue:

• WRN Martin: “Oh, stop waving your white hanky about Captain Povey.
It’s not the Yellow Peril, just one of your own officers
tapping at the window.”

Last uncut repeat : BBC CD (no recent radio repeat) Uncut duration: 28’42”
(a recording of the complete original broadcast)

Note : The repeat on 2020-04-20 (and all previous repeats on BBC 7 or 4 Extra) were broadcasts of the edited BBC Transcription Service vinyl disc.

An uncut recording was released on CD in 2012 by BBC Physical Audio, as a 2-disc audio CD [“The Navy Lark: Volume 26: Doing a Disastrical”] (ISBN-10 1445890933) (ISBN-13 978-1445890937), duration 28’42”:

www.amazon.co.uk/Navy-Lark-26-Doing-Disastrical/dp/1445890933

Uncut recordings of this episode are circulating online:

128 Kbps .mp3 file from MP3 CD (duration 28’42”):
https://gozofinder.com/cse/ulozto/en?query=BBC+CD+Doing+a+Disastrical

320 Kbps .flac file (possibly from 2012 CD) (duration 29’01”):
https://archive.org/download/the-navy-lark-bbc-cleaned

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 101

Title of programme –

Navy Lark – s09e08 – 1967/08/20 (“The Police Drop In”)
Situation Comedy starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Stephen Murray

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001mtrj

Note: Episode sometimes known, alternatively, as “Tangling with the Law”

Date of Repeat –
2023-06-11

Description of cuts (20 seconds in all) –

Three cuts in all, totalling 20 seconds. See Additional Notes, below, as to why the difference in duration from the CD is only 19 seconds.

1st cut at 19:31 lasting 12 seconds

These lines are cut when a policeman, who has been accidentally covered with soot (i.e. who looks like a darkie), crashes into Taffy Goldstein:

• Goldstein: “There’s a golliwog sitting on my lap!” (Audience laughter)
“Proper daft we look out here, neither of us knows which one
is supposed to be the ventriloquist.” (Audience laughter)

Notes:

1. Audience laughs, firstly, at Goldstein mistaking the soot blackened policeman for a darkie. Only this joke is deemed to be politically incorrect.

2. Audience laughs, secondly, at Goldstein’s uncertainty as to whether he or the policeman is the dummy (a double-entendre : might mean a ventriloquist’s dummy, or might mean an idiot).

2nd cut at 19:45 lasting 2 seconds

The words in italics are cut when Commander Murray replies to Goldstein’s ventriloquist reference (which has been cut):

• Commander Murray: “That’s not a football or a dummy…”

3rd cut at 26:04 lasting 6 seconds

When the policeman (still covered in soot, so still looking like a darkie) is introduced to Commander Weatherby (Jon Pertwee), this line is cut:

• Commander Weatherby: “Were you in ‘The Black And White Minstrel Show’?”
(Audience laughter) “I distinctly remember… No, no.”

Last uncut repeat : BBC CD (no recent radio repeat) Uncut duration: 28’29”

An uncut recording was released on an MP3 CD in 2014 by BBC Digital Audio [“The Navy Lark Collection: Series 9”] (ISBN: 9781910281055), part of the release of all 20 episodes of Series 9 as a set of low bitrate mp3 files:

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/429930/

An uncut recording was released on CD in 2017 by BBC Physical Audio, as a 2-disc audio CD [“The Navy Lark: Volume 32: The Police Drop In”] (ISBN-10 1785296523) (ISBN-13 978-1785296529), duration 28’29”:

www.amazon.co.uk/Navy-Lark-classic-radio-sitcom/dp/1785296523

Uncut recordings of this episode are circulating online:

128 Kbps .mp3 file from MP3 CD (duration 28’29”):
https://gozofinder.com/cse/ulozto/en?query=BBC+CD+The+Police+Drop+In

320 Kbps .flac file (duration 28’29”) (perhaps from CD):
https://archive.org/download/the-navy-lark-bbc-cleaned

Reason for cuts –

1st cut: BBC bias, i.e. political correctness.

2nd cut: Removes a reference to dialogue previously cut.

3rd cut: BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

For reasons of political correctness they always cut references to “The Black and White Minstrel Show”, a popular 1960s BBC variety show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPDn0EMPZK0

BBC hypocrisy, as the television show which they’re pretending doesn’t exist is a BBC show!

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell the uncut episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Navy%20Lark

Additional Information –

1. The BBC CD contains three cuts in the mp3 file, where brief moments of silence between scenes have been removed (9:11, 11:50 and 15:01), totalling 1 second.

This reduces the CD’s running time, so the time difference from the repeat on 2023/06/11 appears to be one second less than it really is.

# ITEM 102

Title of programme –

Navy Lark – s09e15 – 1967/10/08 (“Picking up the Poppadom”)
Situation Comedy starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Stephen Murray

No BBC Programme ID (not repeated since 1967)
Genome: https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5c3a68c62bc24cd592bb8b45cfbcadee

Note: Episode sometimes known, alternatively, as “Flying in the Face”

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2023-07-30 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 1967 (uncut duration 28’36”)

Note: Available on CD (256 Kbps mp3)

Reason for banning –

Possibly merely because the episode includes Ronnie Barker and Michael Bates playing two (fictional) foreigners with (horror!) foreign accents, even though they’re from a fictional country (Portarneyland). Bung-ho!

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the episode includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Navy%20Lark

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457969/the-navy-lark-series-8-and-9-by-wyman-lawrie/9781529914122

# ITEM 103

Title of programme –

Navy Lark – s10e07 – 1968/11/24 (“The South Kuwan Summit”)
Situation Comedy starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Stephen Murray

No BBC Programme ID (not repeated since 1968)
Genome: https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a17b7bd518fa4d97a3364ef1f058b23a

Note: Episode sometimes known, incorrectly, as “The South Kawowan Summit”

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-01-28 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 1968 (uncut duration 29’22”)

Note: Available on CD (256 Kbps mp3)

Reason for banning –

Possibly merely because the episode includes Michael Bates playing a (fictional) foreigner with (horror!) a foreign accent, even though he’s from a fictional country (South Kuwan).

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Navy%20Lark

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/431558/the-navy-lark-collected-series-10-by-lawrie-wyman/9781785290916

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457971/the-navy-lark-series-10-and-11-by-wyman-lawrie/9781529914139

# ITEM 104

Title of programme –

Navy Lark – s10e10 – 1968/12/15 (“Sir Willoughby Goes to Kawowa”)
Situation Comedy starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Stephen Murray

No BBC Programme ID (not repeated since 1968)
Genome: https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/aabff659f9494a4999e3e7059851b453

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-02-18 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 1968 (uncut duration 29’18”)

Note: Available on CD (256 Kbps mp3)

Reason for banning –

Possibly merely because the episode includes some of the cast playing (fictional) foreigners with (horror!) foreign accents, even though they’re from a fictional country (Kawowa).

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Navy%20Lark

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/431558/the-navy-lark-collected-series-10-by-lawrie-wyman/9781785290916

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457971/the-navy-lark-series-10-and-11-by-wyman-lawrie/9781529914139

# ITEM 105

Title of programme –

Navy Lark – s10e18 – 1969/02/09 (“The Brick Smugglers”)
Situation Comedy starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Stephen Murray

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001y9q7

Genome: https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a02d961f7ac14a2aae7091bbdbfc46cb

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-04-14 during the latest repeat of the series.

Note: In the Radio 4 Extra programme schedule for 14 April 2024 the BBC pretended they were repeating this episode (#18). But, instead, they actually transmitted episode #17, ‘Bunging Up’ (also known as ‘The Mickey Mouse Toothbrush’).

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 1969 (uncut) (uncut duration 29’33”)

Note: Available on CD (256 Kbps mp3)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the episode (which involves smuggling contraband from France) includes jokes about the French. If so, there are probably NO episodes of the show that won’t be banned!

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell “The Brick Smugglers” on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Navy%20Lark

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell “The Brick Smugglers” on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/431558/the-navy-lark-collected-series-10-by-lawrie-wyman/9781785290916

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457971/the-navy-lark-series-10-and-11-by-wyman-lawrie/9781529914139

Additional Information –

To hide the fact that they were broadcasting the same episode two weeks running (Bunging Up), the BBC broadcast the 27 minute TS Edit of it last week (7th April) and the 29 minute complete version today (14th April).

# ITEM 106

Title of programme –

Navy Lark – s11e02 – 1970/01/04 (“Admiral Hunting” or “What is the SSE?”)
Situation Comedy starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Stephen Murray

No BBC Programme ID (not repeated since 1970)
Genome: https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/68491882e35d4604bb85a78d2335e9eb

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-09-22 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 1970 (uncut) (uncut duration 29’28”)

Note: Available on CD (256 Kbps mp3)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police (the episode is set partly in China).

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Navy%20Lark

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457971/the-navy-lark-series-10-and-11-by-wyman-lawrie/9781529914139

# ITEM 107

Title of programme –

Navy Lark – s11e05 – 1970/01/25 (“Sir Willoughby’s Party”)
Situation Comedy starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Stephen Murray

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0023pdt

Date of Repeat –
2024-10-07

Description of cuts –

1st cut at 17:23 lasting 4 seconds. Discussing the clothes worn by Mr Phillips’s girlfriend, the following line is cut :

• Jon Pertwee: “She’s all dressed up like Jimmy Savile Row.” (Audience laughter)

2nd cut at 19:31 lasting 2 seconds. Discussing the clothes worn by Mr Phillips’s girlfriend, the following line is cut :

• Leslie Phillips: “… dressed like Jimmy Savile Row.”

Last uncut repeat : 1970 (uncut duration 28’40”)

Note: Available on CD (256 Kbps mp3)

Reason for the Jimmy Savile cuts –

The late Jimmy Savile is deemed a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since October 2012), who they pretend never existed, despite never being convicted of any offence — who was maligned only after his death, once he could no longer defend himself.

Consider the case of the actor Kevin Spacey, who was vilified AFTER he was tried and acquitted, to understand that in ‘cancel culture’ even being proved innocent affords no protection against being treated as guilty.

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Navy%20Lark

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457971/the-navy-lark-series-10-and-11-by-wyman-lawrie/9781529914139

Additional Information –

The joke is a double-entendre : it refers to the BBC disk jockey, Jimmy Savile, but also to the London street known as Savile Row, the home of high-class gentlemen’s bespoke tailoring.

# ITEM 108

Title of programme –

Navy Lark – s12e07 – 1971/06/27 (“Sir Willoughby at Shanghai”)
Situation Comedy starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Stephen Murray

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018jrgs

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2020-12-04 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2017-01-11 (uncut duration 29’14”)

The episode has been released by BBC Worldwide on a BBC Radio Collection cassette [“Navy Lark” Vol.4 Shanghai Surprise] (in 1992, 1996 and 2000), and on CD.

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because part of the episode is set in China, with (horror!) foreign accents. Now merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Navy%20Lark

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457972/the-navy-lark-series-12-and-13-by-wyman-lawrie/9781529914146

# ITEM 109

Title of programme –

Newly Discovered Casebook of Sherlock Holmes – 1999/01/23 – Episode 2
(“The Mystery of the Obese Escapologist”)

Situation Comedy starring Roy Hudd

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00b2gpj

Date of Repeat broadcasts –
2019-06-12, 2017-01-11

Description of cuts –
A cut at 11:30 lasting 12 seconds

A reference to Australian comedian and singer Rolf Harris is cut. These lines were removed:

  • Roy Hudd: “Watson, bring the artificial limb with you.”
  • Chris Emmett: “Why me? I shall feel most conspicuous
carrying such an item.”
  • Roy Hudd: “Then shove it down the front of your coat,
and if anyone asks say you’re Rolf Harris. Right?”
(Audience laughter) “Whoever HE might be!”

Note: The joke is a reference to Rolf’s comic song I’m Jake the Peg with my extra leg, about a man with a wooden leg.

Last uncut repeat : 2011-12-09 (uncut duration 29’50”)

Reason for Rolf Harris cut –

Rolf has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2014), who they pretend never existed.

Rolf Harris, an Australian entertainer who came to Britain in the 1960s, was originally a comedian specialising in singing comic songs: https://archive.org/details/RolfHarrisCollection

# ITEM 110

Title of programme –

Newly Discovered Casebook of Sherlock Holmes – 1999/01/30 – Episode 3
(“The Case of the Deranged Botanist”)

Situation Comedy starring Roy Hudd

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00b5pg3

Date of Repeat –
2019-06-19

Description of cuts –

A cut at 22:20 lasting 20 seconds

The cut makes no sense, and is not even a joke. June Whitfield, as proprietor of an opium den, is asking Roy Hudd to pay for admission. These five lines are cut:

  • Roy Hudd: “Never stop thinking about it!”
  • June Whitfield: “No, plonka.”
  • Roy Hudd: “Plonka???”
  • June Whitfield: “You have moola, bunce, cash?”
  • Roy Hudd: “Look, Mrs Woman, could we come in please,
it’s bloody freezing out here.”

Last uncut repeat : 2017-01-18 (uncut duration 29’55”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a sketch banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Also, there is no humorous content: if the BBC objects to jokes about foreigners, there is nevertheless no point cutting dialogue which is not a joke.

# ITEM 111

Title of programme –

Not in Front of the Children – s01e08 1969/11/18 – While the Brood’s Away
Situation Comedy starring Wendy Craig and Francis Matthews

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05p9vz3

Date of Repeat –
2020-08-16

Description of cuts –
A cut at 9:35 lasting 14 seconds.

When Henry (Francis Matthews) mentions that the flat they lived in when they were first married had very thin walls, these lines were cut :

• Wendy Craig: “Do you remember, you could tell when it was 11 o’clock because that Polish chap came home from the pub and beat up his wife. (Audience laughter) Ooh, and talking of thin walls, do you remember that week we had with the Havencrofts in their caravan?”

• Francis Matthews: “Oh yes.”

Last uncut repeat : 2017-12-14 (uncut duration 29’36”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 112

Title of programme –

Not in Front of the Children – s02e08 1970/11/22 – No Man at the Helm
Situation Comedy starring Wendy Craig, Francis Matthews

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08htpmg

Date of Repeat –
2021-09-19

Description of cuts –
A cut at 8:12 lasting 2 seconds

Discussing the children’s toys, this line is cut :

• Wendy Craig: “… and legless golliwogs.”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-03-27 (uncut duration 29’23”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, i.e. political correctness.

Additional Information –

A golliwog is a children’s toy, a type of rag doll (with exaggerated features and colourful clothing), created in illustrated children’s books by cartoonist and author Florence Kate Upton. The toy was first sold at London’s Gamages department store in 1902.

# ITEM 113

Title of programme –

One Foot in the Grave – 3 – In Luton Airport No One Can Hear You Scream
Situation Comedy starring Richard Wilson & Annette Crosbie. 1995/02/04.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jn39

Date of Repeat –
2022-04-26

Description of cuts –
A cut at 11:07 lasting 5 seconds. When Nick Swainey (Owen Brenman) knocks at the door and explains which charity he represents, this line is cut:

• Nick Swainey: “Outward Bound for the Elderly…” (Audience laughter)

Note: The previous repeat, on 2020-02-26, has an identical cut.

Last uncut repeat : 2017-10-24 (uncut duration 29’25”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Incomprehensible. A completely meaningless cut to an inoffensive line.

# ITEM 114

Title of programme –

Play It Cool – Episode 4 – 1964/08/16
Sketch Comedy starring Ian Carmichael, Joan Sims, Hugh Paddick

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05r7w7p

Date of Repeat –
2022-01-23

Description of cuts –
A cut at 9:40 lasting 2’16”. These lines were cut, in a movie spoof (spoofs a “Carry On” Film in the style of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado) (includes lots of doing-things-backwards jokes):

  • Ian Carmichael: “Now, the Japanese would undoubtedly make very high drama of it all…”
  • Music F/X : [Madam Butterfly style music link]
  • Hugh Paddick : “Carry On Hari Kari.”
  • Joan Sims : [Oriental accent] “Ah so, illustrious warrior. Now at last we are alone.”
  • Ian Carmichael: [accent] “Yes, my little lotus blossom. Come closer, passion flower.”
  • Joan Sims : [Squeals] [accent] “Please to take sword off!” (Audience laughter)
  • Ian Carmichael: [accent] “Ah so, humble apologies, [indistinct].”
  • Joan Sims : [accent] “Granted, honourable lover. It is long time since we were together.”
  • Ian Carmichael: [accent] “Ah so, many months have passed on Japanese calendar:
   August, July, June, May, April, March, February…” (Audience laughter)
  • Joan Sims : [accent] “We are wasting precious moments! Come, honourable lover,
   time for dishonourable hanky-panky!”
  • Sound f/x : [Sound of kiss] (Audience laughter)
  • Hugh Paddick : [accent] “Ah so, this is what is going on, behind my front!” (Audience laughter)
  • Joan Sims : [accent] “It is my honourable husband!”
  • Hugh Paddick : [accent] “Yes, little lotus bud. And I find you with lover.
   I expect him to do honourable thing!”
  • Joan Sims : [accent] “He would have, if you hadn’t come bursting in!” (Audience laughter)
  • Hugh Paddick : [accent] “No, jasmine petal, I mean Harry Carry.”
  • Ian Carmichael: [accent] “Have you been seeing him, too?” (Audience laughter)
  • Joan Sims : [accent] “No!” [To Hugh:] “Oh please, honourable husband,
   he says that he loves me, truly.”
  • Hugh Paddick : [accent] “Take no notice, he is giving you the madam, butterfly.”
   (Audience laughter)
  • Ian Carmichael: [accent] “What are you going to do?”
  • Hugh Paddick : [accent] “You shall die, dishonourable lover!”
  • Joan Sims : [accent] “No, please to put that gun away!”
  • Hugh Paddick : [accent] “Are you ready? One! Two! Three!”
  • Sound f/x : [Sound of gun misfiring]
  • Hugh Paddick : [accent] “Nothing has happened!”
  • Joan Sims : [accent] “Oh, honourable gun does not work.”
  • Hugh Paddick : [accent] “No wonder, look what it say here: Made in Birmingham!”
   (Audience laughter)
  • Music F/X : [Madam Butterfly style music (and fade out)]

Last uncut repeat : 2019-04-02 (uncut duration 24’03”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a sketch banned by the BBC’s thought police.

# ITEM 115

Title of programme –

Random Jottings of Hinge and Bracket – 1982/04/11 – The Stackton Faggot
Situation Comedy starring Patrick Fyffe and George Logan

Episode 2 of Series 1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jrb0

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2023-12-14 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2012-02-06 (uncut) (uncut duration 26’40”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms for homosexuals (e.g. ‘queer’, ‘pervert’).

Possibly merely because the characters mention a ‘faggot’, which the BBC pretends is not a type of firewood but a species of homosexual.

There are no jokes about homosexuals in the episode, which is simply about the village bonfire to raise money for good causes. Because of the nature of its central characters (two elderly ladies, being portrayed in pantomime by two young men in drag) this show NEVER includes such jokes.

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?q=Random+Jottings+of+Hinge+and+Bracket&tab=books

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/448138/the-enchanting-world-of-hinge-and-bracket-by-wilson-mike-craig-lawrie-kinsley–ron-mcdonnell-gerald-frow-and-john-fawcett/9781529187601

Additional Information –

This is the only surviving episode of Series 1 held by BBC Archives.

# ITEM 116

Title of programme –

Random Jottings of Hinge and Bracket – 1983/04/10 – Telling Tails
Situation Comedy starring Patrick Fyffe and George Logan

Episode 2 of Series 2

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jrkn

Date of Repeat –
2023-12-28

Description of cuts –
A cut at 18:32 lasting 4 seconds.

This week, the dear ladies are suffering from an infestation of mice. Asked what sort of mice, Dame Hilda says all mice look alike to her. Mr Butler’s reply is cut :

• Frank Williams: “What we in the ‘Mouse Club’ refer to as the Chinese syndrome.”

Last uncut repeat : 2012-02-20 (uncut duration 26’11”)

Reason for cut (“All Chinamen look alike” joke) –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 117

Title of programme –

Round The Horne – s01e12 – 1965/05/23 (“The Man with the Golden Thunderball”)
Sketch Comedy starring Kenneth Horne and Kenneth Williams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00j05x3

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2021-04-01 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last uncut repeat: 2011-01-24 (uncut duration 28’34”)

Note: Before the episode was banned, it was repeated twice with cuts
[see “Previous Cut Repeats” below].

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the episode does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the Thunderball sketch, spoofing the James Bond movie of that name, is set in the Orient and spoofs (horror!) foreigners.

Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

Not banned due to the reference to the late Jimmy Savile: the episode was repeated twice, with the reference cut, on 2013-03-04 and 2018-03-21.

Jimmy Savile is deemed a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since October 2012), who they pretend never existed, despite never being convicted of any offence, who was maligned only after his death, once he could no longer defend himself.

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Round%20The%20Horne

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/430356/round-the-horne-the-complete-series-one-by-barry-took-and-marty-feldman/9781910281567

Previous Cut Repeats –

a. 2018-03-21 rpt

The last repeat was on 2018-03-21 (duration 28:05). That repeat contains one sketch, “Kenneth Horne Masterspy” (original duration 9’59”), a movie spoof, which has been cut (an mp3 [hissy] circulates, containing a complete recording of the affected sketch from a 1965 off-air tape).

In the sketch, reference to a BBC disk jockey, the late Jimmy Savile, is cut at 11:39 (starts at 5:28 in the mp3). The following lines are cut (duration 30 seconds), immediately after the line “An oval face swam into view, framed by long blonde hair”:

  • Kenneth Horne: “It was either the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen, or Jimmy Savile.”
   (Audience laughter) “The vision spoke.”
  • Betty Marsden: “Do you know who I am, Mr Horne?”
  • Kenneth Horne: “The most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”
  • Betty Marsden: “No, Jimmy Savile.” (Audience laughter) “No, please, no relation
   to the disk jockey. Just a remarkable co-incidence.”

b. 2013-03-04 rpt

The repeat on 2013-03-04 (duration 28:05) has the same cut to the Jimmy Savile reference as the repeat on 2018-03-21: a single cut, at 8:13 in the recording, removing 30 seconds of material.

Additional Notes –

a. The title, The Man with the Golden Thunderball, spoofs the title of two James Bond films: Thunderball and The Man With The Golden Gun.

b. The repeat on 2020-07-18 does NOT have any cuts. It was part of the 3 hour compilation “Comedy Greats – Overseas” [b01kjsg3].

That compilation includes the TS Edit from a vinyl disc that is a special re-recording of the episode for overseas stations, by the BBC’s Transcription Service, with some scripted changes. It is NOT a re-edit taken from the original recording.

In this 3 hour special, Round The Horne begins at 2:03:51. No references to purely local UK celebrities (i.e. David Frost and Jimmy Savile) are included in the revised script, so there is nothing to cut.

c. There are NO other cuts to programme #12, compared with the mp3 –

1. The sketch with Bill Pertwee as Dr Gaylord Haemoglobin has NO cuts.
Trends in Health. Original duration (from the mp3): 1’44”

2. The Rambling Sid Rumpo sketch with Kenneth Williams, about the herring fishermen of Hampstead Garden Suburb, has NO cuts.
Trends in Music. Original duration (from the mp3): 1’45”

3. The Julian and Sandy sketch (Bona Homes gardening) has NO cuts.
Trends in the Home. Original duration (from the mp3): 3’43”

# ITEM 118

Title of programme –

Round The Horne – s01e15 – 1965/06/13 (“Secret Rocket Base in Haiti”)
Sketch Comedy starring Kenneth Horne and Kenneth Williams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00j272g

Date of Repeat –
2021-04-15

Description of cuts –
A cut at 9:52 lasting 6 seconds

In a sketch set in Haiti, master spy Kenneth Horne is startled when a native skin diver surfaces — in Ken’s bath! These 2 lines were cut:

• Kenneth Horne: “He spoke.”
• Bill Pertwee : (Foreign accent) “Pass along the bath, man.” (Audience laughter)

Last uncut repeat : 2018-04-11 (uncut duration 26’52”)

All digital radio repeats are broadcast from the BBC Transcription Service’s vinyl disc edit (the original duration of which, without the playout music, is 26:52); but the episode’s uncut duration, on the BBC’s 1965 magnetic tape master, is 31’38” (including full playout music) (30’04” without playout).

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a joke banned by the BBC’s thought police.

# ITEM 119

Title of programme –

Round The Horne – s01e16 – 1965/06/20 (“Traffic Wardens in Outer Space”)
Sketch Comedy starring Kenneth Horne and Kenneth Williams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00j7qhl

Date of Repeat –
2021-04-22

Description of cuts –
1st cut at 0:00 lasting 23 seconds.
2nd cut at 12:18 lasting 16 seconds.

Last uncut repeat : 2018-04-18 (uncut duration 30’04”)

Cut #1: The first 23 seconds of the programme are cut –

  • Douglas Smith: “Here are details of some of this week’s programmes on BBC radio.”
  • Bill Pertwee: “In community singing on Sunday, the Reverend Angus Smith
   will not be leading his congregation in singing The Skye Boat Song.”
   (Audience laughter)
  • Kenneth Williams: “And on Thursday, you’ll be able to hear Mr Peter Cadbury reading
   excerpts from his autobiography, entitled ‘Reminiscences of a Chocolate-covered Tycoon’. ”
   (Audience laughter)
  • Douglas Smith: “Meanwhile…”

Reason for cut #1 –

a. I’ve no idea who the Reverend Smith is. Nor why the harmless Scottish ballad, The Skye Boat Song, is now deemed politically incorrect.

b. In 1965 Peter Cadbury was the boss of the company Cadbury’s Chocolates. A 19th Century music-hall star, G H Elliott, sang a popular song about a Chocolate coloured coon.

Cut #2: The following lines are cut, at 12:18, after Kenneth Williams puts on a striped blazer and a straw hat –

  • Kenneth Horne: “Then, quickly blacking-up his face, he leaped onto the table, and…”
  • Kenneth Williams: (Sings in style of Al Jolson) “Swanee, how I love you…” [rest of line
   drowned by audience laughter]
  • Kenneth Horne: “All right, we’ll let you know. We’ll let you know!”
  • Kenneth Williams: (Continues singing, but unintelligibly) “Oo, that’s too high!”
  • Kenneth Horne: “Yes.”

Reason for cut #2 –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly because the joke implies that Kenneth Williams is supposedly appearing in blackface. But in fact that never happened, because stage make-up is not used on radio shows.

# ITEM 120

Title of programme –

Round the Horne – s03e04 – 1967/03/05 (“Lipharvest Of The River”)
Sketch Comedy starring Kenneth Horne and Kenneth Williams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jlx6

Date of Repeat –
2022-08-08

Description of cuts –
A cut at 15:42 lasting 11 seconds. These lines were cut, when Kenneth Horne is introducing a musical number sung by the Fraser Hayes Four:

  • Kenneth Horne: “… to sing:”
  • Bill Pertwee: [Makes unintelligible noises]
  • Kenneth Horne: “Which, freely translated, means ‘Serenata’!
Ladies and gentlemen, the Fraser Hayes Four.”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-12-10 (uncut duration 28’50”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 121

Title of programme –

Round The Horne – s03e21 – 1967/12/24 (“Cinderella”)
Sketch Comedy starring Kenneth Horne and Kenneth Williams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00j05vm

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2020-04-14 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2010-12-27 (uncut) (uncut duration 29’03”)

Note: An uncut recording can be found in the 3 hour Christmas Special, Barry Cryer’s Christmas Selection Box, Part 1 (repeated 2020/12/19)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Note : Actually, it’s unclear whether or not this episode is banned, because of the veil of secrecy with which the BBC shroud all decisions relating to the banning or censoring of episodes.

Although this Christmas Special was omitted from the recent repeat of Series 3, subsequent events might imply that this was only because those repeats didn’t coincide with Christmas?

Additional Notes –

This broadcast (also known as Special #3) is the 1967 Christmas Special. In a spoof of the pantomime Cinderella, Baron Hardup’s daughters fight to attend Prince Charming’s ball.

Sketches: The Critics / Repeats / Emperor Smith is still with the show /
Events this Christmas / Christmas Message / Cinderella panto /
Kenneth Horne’s Party / Madam Osiris’s Prediction / Charles
without Fiona / Rambling Syd Rumpo / Good King Borroslav /
Julian and Sandy entertain

# ITEM 122

Title of programme –

Round the Horne – s04e07 – 1968/04/07 (“The Celluloid Jungle”)
Sketch Comedy starring Kenneth Horne and Kenneth Williams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007zkzy

Date of Repeat –
2023-04-17

Description of cuts –
A cut at 14:54 lasting 18 seconds. This dialogue is cut:

  • Kenneth Horne : “[Now] here’s another letter from a listener.”
  • Kenneth Williams: “The so-called impersonations of Simon Dee
on your so-called show annoy me no end.
They’re not funny, neither are they pithy
or to the point. They’re just tasteless and
puerile. And they’re not even like me!”
  • Kenneth Horne : “Signed…”
  • Kenneth Williams: “Simonnnnn Dee…”
  • Hugh Paddick : “—pressed.”

Last uncut repeat : 2020-06-25 (uncut duration 31’18” including playout music)

Additional information –

The 2023 repeat runs at the wrong speed, causing a drift in synchronisation of about two seconds across the 31 minutes of the broadcast, making the total time difference from the last uncut repeat approximately 20 seconds.

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Simon Dee was a British television interviewer and radio disc jockey, who hosted a twice-weekly BBC TV chat show in the 1960s, called Dee Time. The BBC sacked him in 1969, following a dispute over his salery demands, and his career never recovered.

I know of no scandal attached to him. Yet it seems that Simon Dee has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since April 2023), despite never being convicted (nor even accused) of any offence.

ITEM #123

Title of programme –

Round The Horne – s04e16 – 1968/06/09 (“He, Son of She”)
Sketch Comedy starring Kenneth Horne and Kenneth Williams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tlwzb

Note: The last-ever episode

Date of Repeat –
2020-08-27

Description of cuts –
A cut at 4:56 lasting 18 seconds. A joke about Indian bus conductors is removed, in a sketch about big-game hunting in Africa:

  • Kenneth Horne: “And so the Expedition began. We soon met up with
   a dark skinned native. ‘How far is it to the Zambezi?’ ”
  • Kenneth Williams: (Accent) “I don’t know man, this bus only
   goes as far as Golders Green!” (Audience laughter)

Last uncut repeat : 2020-04-04 (“Horne of Plenty”) (uncut duration 29’45”)

Note : This episode is included in the 3 Hour Special, “Horne of Plenty” (t/x 1 May 2004), a documentary about ‘Beyond Our Ken’ and ‘Round the Horne’. Repeats of this Special (e.g. 2020/04/04, 2021/08/28) are uncut: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007k2b6

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a joke banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Additional information –

The censored repeat on 2020-08-27 runs at the wrong speed. It runs fast by approximately 1 second in every 4 minutes, having a total duration 8 seconds short compared to the last uncut repeat.

The woke cut of 18 seconds, plus the 8 seconds difference due to the running speed, makes a total difference in duration (compared to the last uncut repeat) of 26 seconds.

# ITEM 124

Title of programme –

The Skivers – s02e04 1995/02/23 – Guest Jon Pertwee
Sketch Comedy written and performed by Nick Golson and Tim De Jongh

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00805wv

Date of Repeat –
2018-08-18

Description of cuts –
A cut at 16:48 lasting 8 seconds. This line is cut :

• “It’s Kevin Kostner in a multi-million pound remake of Rolf Harris’s
Public Information film about swimming.” (Audience laughter)

Last uncut repeat : 2013-08-01 (uncut duration 29’29”)

Reason for Rolf Harris cut –

Rolf has been declared a “non-person” by the BBC’s thought police (since June 2014), who they pretend never existed.

Rolf Harris, an Australian entertainer who came to Britain in the 1960s, was originally a comedian specialising in singing comic songs: https://archive.org/details/RolfHarrisCollection

# ITEM 125

Title of programme –

Small Intricate Life of Gerald C Potter – s02e03 1977/11/23 – The Club
Situation Comedy starring Ian Carmichael, Charlotte Mitchell

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jxjk

Date of Repeat –
2022-09-08

Description of cuts –
A cut at 13:11 lasting 1 second

When Mrs Potter (co-star Charlotte Mitchell) is watching a tv news report, the word ‘black’ is cut in this line :

• Charlotte Mitchell: “Switch off that black General, his teeth hurt my eyes.”

Last uncut repeat : 2018-09-25 (uncut duration 28’34”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Merely using the word ‘black’ is enough to get a joke banned by the BBC’s thought police. All references to black are now to be banned!

# ITEM 126

Title of programme –

Small Intricate Life of Gerald C Potter – s03e05 1979/10/22 – The Fridge
Situation Comedy starring Ian Carmichael, Charlotte Mitchell

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jzjx

Date of Repeat –
2023-07-21

Description of cuts –
A cut at 7:03 lasting 5 seconds.

These lines were cut when Ian Carmichael answers the phone and mimics a Chinese accent (a call from his wife, played by Charlotte Mitchell):

• Ian Carmichael: (Accent) “Gerald C Potter’s chinese butler speaking.”
• Charlotte Mitchell: “Darling, that’s good! You always said you couldn’t do Chinese!”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-01-15 (uncut duration 27’25”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a joke banned by the BBC’s thought police.

# ITEM 127

Title of programme –

Something To Shout About – s03e15 1962/01/08 – “The West End Play”
Situation Comedy starring Michael Medwin and Nicholas Phipps

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000jx3v

Date of Repeat –
2023-10-07

Description of cuts –

1st Cut: A cut at 7:12 lasting 2 seconds.

The following material is cut, removing an incomplete line of dialogue just prior to a damaged section of the tape:

• Michael Medwin: “Fair enough. We’ll all go and see ‘Post-…’ . ”

2nd Cut: A cut at 11:16 lasting 20 seconds. This dialogue is cut :

• Nicholas Phipps: “No. As a matter of fact she was so mad about the lavendar perfume that she tried to eat it. Then she kissed her golliwog and she’s had a black moustache ever since.” (Audience laughter)

• Eleanor Summerfield: “It must look a bit odd, in view of the fact that she has red hair. Does she mind?”

• Nicholas Phipps: “No, she’s delighted. She’s very upset about the bald patch on her golliwog. She’s amazingly observant for a child of six.”

3rd Cut: A cut at 14:06 lasting 1 second. 1 second of silence is cut.

Last uncut repeat : 2020-06-12 (uncut duration 29’55”)

Reason for 1st cut –

Not a cut for political correctness.

There is damage to the broadcast tape, which seems to have broken and been repaired. A short missing section of tape causes a ‘jump’ in the dialogue that loses the end of Michael Medwin’s line.

The previous repeat left the incomplete dialogue alone, but now it’s gone.

Reason for 2nd cut –

BBC bias, i.e. political correctness.

Additional Information –

# ITEM 128

Title of programme –

Steptoe and Son – s01e05 1966/07/31 – The Economist
Situation Comedy starring Wilfrid Brambell, Harry H Corbett

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rvzks

Date of Repeat –
2023-04-21

Description of cuts –

Cuts lasting 18 seconds.

1st cut at 5:54 lasting 9 seconds.

In a discussion about donating old clothes to Oxfam for sending to Africa, this line is cut :

• Wilfrid Brambell: “I ain’t never seen a Blackie wearing riding britches, they make the legs sweat.” (Audience laughter) “I wish I was a Blackie sometimes, all that sun…”

2nd cut at 21:00 lasting 9 seconds.

Discussing how to run the rag-and-bone business at a profit, Harold (Harry H Corbett) suggests buying up unused NHS false teeth for resale overseas. When he says that some foreigners would jump at the chance of buying good quality cheap teeth, this dialogue is cut :

• Harry H Corbett: “Anyway, they might be cannibals, eat each other. I wouldn’t fancy a cannibal’s chances without any teeth!” (Audience laughter) “It’s a big disgrace, that is…”

Last uncut repeat : 2018-12-28 (uncut duration 29’06”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 129

Title of programme –

Steptoe and Son – s02e08 1967/07/30 – Crossed Swords
Situation Comedy starring Wilfrid Brambell, Harry H Corbett

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jlg5

Date of Repeat –
2021-03-29

Description of cuts –
A cut at 16:07 lasting 1 second.

Arguing with an Antiques dealer, Albert (Wilfrid Brambell) gets angry when he’s accused of selling stolen goods. This line is cut :

• Wilfrid Brambell: “Little poof!”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-04-19 (uncut duration 26’46”)

Reason for cuts (poof joke) –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms for homosexuals (‘queer’, ‘pervert’, etc).

The dictionary definition of poof is ‘a well-dressed homosexual’. It’s a polite euphemism, employed in popular culture in order to avoid using a derogatory term.

The cut is hypocrisy. The line didn’t offend Wilfrid Brambell, who was himself homosexual.

# ITEM 130

Title of programme –

Steptoe and Son – s03e04 1971/04/11 – TB or Not TB
Situation Comedy starring Wilfrid Brambell, Harry H Corbett

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jlnf

Date of Repeat –
2021-04-19

Description of cuts –
A cut at 23:13 lasting 1 second

Albert (Wilfrid Brambell) is unsympathetic when Harold thinks he’s caught tuberculosis (TB). The cut deletes the word “poofy” in this line:

• Wilfrid Brambell: “You’re carrying on like some poofy Victorian poet.”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-05-17 (uncut duration 29’16”)

Reason for cut (poof joke) –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms for homosexuals (‘queer’, ‘pervert’, etc).

The dictionary definition of poof is ‘a well-dressed homosexual’. It’s a polite euphemism, employed in popular culture in order to avoid using a derogatory term.

The cut is hypocrisy. The line didn’t offend Wilfrid Brambell, who was himself homosexual.

# ITEM 131

Title of programme –

Steptoe and Son – s03e05 1971/04/18 – Without Prejudice
Situation Comedy starring Wilfrid Brambell, Harry H Corbett

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jlqh

Date of Repeat –
2021-04-26

Description of cuts –
A cut at 4:59 lasting 1 second

Harold (Harry H Corbett) is discussing selling some antique furniture to raise money. The cut deletes the word “poofy” in this line:

• Harry H Corbett: “We’re not far from the BBC here, we could unload it
onto some of them poofy producers up there.”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-04-05 (uncut duration 29’10”)

Reason for cut (poof joke) –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms for homosexuals (‘queer’, ‘pervert’, etc).

The dictionary definition of poof is ‘a well-dressed homosexual’. It’s a polite euphemism, employed in popular culture in order to avoid using a derogatory term.

# ITEM 132

Title of programme –

Steptoe and Son – s04e08 1972/03/19 – Any Old Iron
Situation Comedy starring Harry H Corbett, Wilfrid Brambell

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007k1zr

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2024-03-11 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2019-08-09 (uncut) (uncut duration 28’14”)

Reason for banning (poof joke) –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms for homosexuals (‘queer’, ‘pervert’, etc).

Possibly merely because of the episode’s title, “Any Old Iron”. In Cockney rhyming slang, “iron” is an abbreviation for iron hoof, which rhymes with (i.e. is a euphemism for) “poof”.

The dictionary meaning of ‘poof’ is “a smartly dressed homosexual”. In this episode, Harold (Harry H Corbett) is propositioned by one. The joke is that only the audience (and Albert) realise this: Harold does not!

The term poof is a polite euphemism, employed in popular culture in order to avoid the use of a derogatory term.

# ITEM 133

Title of programme –

Steptoe and Son – s05e04 1974/06/16 – A Winter’s Tale
Situation Comedy starring Harry H Corbett, Wilfrid Brambell

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jn7v

Date of Repeat –
2021-08-02

Description of cuts –
A cut at 13:22 lasting 7 seconds

Arguing about holidaying abroad, Harold (Harry H Corbett) complains he can’t date sun-tanned women in England in February. These lines are cut –

• Wilfrid Brambell: “There’s plenty round here. We’re the only white
family down the street!” (Audience laughter)
• Harry H Corbett : “I’m going, so you might as well get used to it…”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-09-06 (uncut duration 26’55”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 134

Title of programme –

Steptoe and Son – s06e07 1976/03/21 – The Seven Steptoerai
Situation Comedy starring Harry H Corbett, Wilfrid Brambell

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jp46

Note: Episode title spoofs the 1954 movie The Seven Samurai

Date of Repeat –
2024-06-03

Description of cuts (20 seconds) –

Old Albert (Wilfrid Brambell) becomes a fan of Kung-fu, an Oriental martial art popular in the 1970s, after seeing the movie Enter The Dragon starring Bruce Lee. The dialogue below is cut.

1st cut at 4:46 lasting 2 seconds –

Albert explains that Bruce Lee is better in the movie than the actor who stars in the Kung-fu series on television:

• Wilfrid Brambell: “…’cos he’s a real Chink.”

2nd cut at 20:19 lasting 18 seconds –

Threatened by gangsters, Harold (Harry H Corbett) suggests using Kung-fu to protect themselves. He tries to remember a Japanese film he once saw, made in the 1950s, which featured martial arts.

  • Harry H Corbett: (accent) “The Seven Samurai.”
  • Wilfrid Brambell: “Who were they?”
  • Harry H Corbett: (accent) “Japanese warriors… who used to wander the countryside, hiring out their services.”
  • Wilfrid Brambell: “Ah! A bit like Securicor.”
  • Harry H Corbett: (accent, fading) “Similar, yes… A strict code of honour they had. Anyway, look…”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-11-08 (uncut duration 27’55”)

Reason for cuts –

1st cut: BBC bias, i.e. political correctness.

2nd cut: BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get the dialogue banned by the BBC’s thought police.

# ITEM 135

Title of programme –

Steptoe and Son – s06e08 1976/03/28 – Seance in a Wet Rag and Bone Yard
Situation Comedy starring Harry H Corbett, Wilfrid Brambell

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jp6x

Date of Repeat –
2024-06-10

Description of cuts –
A cut at 3:28 lasting 11 seconds.

When the Goldhawk Road is flooded by torrential rain, this dialogue is cut :

• Wilfrid Brambell: “It’s all them Indians over here. They’ve brought the monsoons with them.” (Audience laughter) “They’re all moaning round the corner, round Calcutta Crescent. I think they’re worried in case their rice crops get washed away.” (Audience laughter)

• Harry H Corbett: “Oh gawd.”

Last uncut repeat : 2019-11-15 (uncut duration 27’54”)

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

# ITEM 136

Title of programme –

Stop Messing About – s01e09 1969/06/01 (“The Monster” / “Romeo & Juliet”)
Sketch Comedy starring Kenneth Williams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00cb1nf

Date of Repeat –
2023-08-21

Description of cuts –
A cut at 22:37 lasting 11 seconds.

In a spoof of Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet”, this dialogue is cut when Juliet (Joan Sims) introduces herself to Romeo (Kenneth Williams):

• Kenneth Williams: “…Likewise.”

• Joan Sims: “But tell me, fair Romeo, what do you mean to do?
Come into this house, with your cutlass at your side.”

• Kenneth Williams: “Rapier.” (He pronounces it: “Rape ’ere”)

• Joan Sims: “Oh well, if you say so.” (Audience laughter)

Last uncut repeat : 2017-02-09 (uncut duration 29’27”)

Additional Information –

An additional 2 seconds is lost, compared with the last uncut repeat, which appears to be non-dialogue material. On top of the 11 seconds cut from the dialogue, this makes a total of 13 seconds cut in all.

Reason for cuts –

BBC bias, as the cut dialogue does NOT contain any derogatory terms.

Possibly merely because the cut dialogue includes a play on the word ‘rape’ (a double-entendre).

# ITEM 137

Title of programme –

That Reminds Me – s02e04 2000/10/17 – Clement Freud
The raconteur Sir Clement Freud MP talks about his life and career

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jnhk

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2017-10-03 during the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2015-11-03 (uncut duration 27’30”)

Reason for banning –

# ITEM 138

Title of programme –

TV Lark – Episode 8 – 1963/03/15 (“The Portarneyland Election”)
Situation Comedy starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Ronnie Barker

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01cwsl9

Note: This series is a spin-off from The Navy Lark

Date of Repeat –
Should have aired on 2021-02-21 in the latest repeat of the series.

Description of cuts –
Episode banned. Last repeat: 2015-12-02 (uncut duration 29’13”)

Reason for banning –

BBC bias, as the programme does NOT contain any derogatory terms. Merely using a foreign accent is enough to get a broadcast banned by the BBC’s thought police.

Possibly merely because the broadcast includes jokes about foreigners. Is it a coincidence that jokes about foreigners are being banned now that a foreigner is in charge of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra?

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/search-results?tab=books&q=Navy%20Lark

BBC hypocrisy, as they still sell this episode on CD:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457966/the-navy-lark-series-3-4-and-5-by-wyman-lawrie/9781529914108

For earlier revisions of this list, see –

https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://oldradiocomedy.wordpress.com/2022/07/27/radio-4-extra-censored-and-banned-programmes-update/

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

STEP 1 : LETTER TO THE BBC

Write to the following address:

  British Broadcasting Corporation
  Broadcasting House
  Portland Place
  Regent Street
  LONDON W1A 1AA

  BBC’s website

REQUEST TYPE A –

Send this letter to the BBC if Radio 4 Extra has made cuts in the episode you are writing about (replace the sample details given in this example with the details of the actual episode which was cut).

This is a request for information, made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

On 2020-10-04, BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast this radio programme:

Much Binding in the Marsh – s04e07 – 1950-05-03
Sketch Comedy starring Kenneth Horne, Richard Murdoch, Sam Costa.

This broadcast was a repeat, transmitted from a recording in the BBC’s archives, of a programme which originally aired on BBC radio on 3 May 1950. The BBC’s digital identifier for this radio programme is:

PID: b015f9b7

This repeat was not a re-broadcast of the programme as originally aired, but contained censor cuts. I request the following information relating to this censored repeat.

Freedom of Information request: Radio programme CENSORED

1. By how much was the programme shortened when it was repeated on this occasion, compared to its original duration when broadcast on the original air date?

Note : Please ignore the duration of any playout music following after the closing credits. I’m not seeking information about playout music.

2. What dialogue or other content has been removed from this programme since it was broadcast on its original air date, hence was excluded from this repeat?

3. For what reason is that content allegedly unsuitable for broadcasting?

4a. Has this programme previously been repeated, containing the allegedly unsuitable material, and if so on how many occasions, and when was the most recent such repeat?

4b. Information published on the BBC website (iPlayer) suggests an uncut repeat might have aired as recently as 2019-02-10. As the channel’s Controller was satisfied so recently that cutting this content is unnecessary, what is the justification for doing so?

5. Which named BBC official is responsible for taking the decision to cut that content from the most recent repeat?

REQUEST TYPE B –

Send this letter to the BBC if Radio 4 Extra has banned the episode you are writing about (replace the sample details given in this example with the details of the actual episode which was banned).

This is a request for information, made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, concerning this radio programme:

The TV Lark – Episode 8 – The Portarneyland Election
Situation Comedy starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Ronnie Barker

BBC Radio 4 Extra recently repeated the radio series of which this programme is part, but omitted this programme. The date on which the programme would have aired, had the series been repeated in full, is:

21 February 2021

This programme is a recording, held in the BBC’s archives, of a programme which originally aired on BBC radio on 15 March 1963. The BBC’s digital identifier for this radio programme is:

PID: b01cwsl7

This programme was not re-broadcast on the above occasion, with or without cuts, but instead was banned outright. I request the following information relating to the banning of this programme.

Freedom of Information request: Radio programme BANNED

1. For what reason was the broadcasting of this radio programme banned, when the series of which it is part was repeated in 2021?

2. What dialogue or other content in this programme led to the decision to ban the programme?

3. For what reason is that content allegedly unsuitable for broadcasting?

4a. Has this programme previously been repeated, containing the allegedly unsuitable material, and if so on how many occasions, and when was the most recent such repeat?

4b. Information published on the BBC website (iPlayer) suggests a repeat might have aired as recently as 12 April 2013. As the channel’s Controller was satisfied so recently that banning this episode is unnecessary, what is the justification for doing so?

5. Which named BBC official is responsible for taking the decision to ban the broadcasting of this programme during the latest repeat of this series?

STEP 2 : LETTER TO THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

Write to the following address, enclosing a copy of your letter to the BBC, and a copy of their reply (if they sent one) in which they fail to provide the information:

  The Information Commissioner
  Wycliffe House
  Water Lane
  WILMSLOW
  Cheshire SK9 5AF

  Information Commissioner’s website

You might say: ‘I enclose a copy of a letter I sent to the British Broadcasting Corporation requesting information from them under the Freedom Of Information Act 2000. In breach of their duty under the Act, they failed to provide that information. I enclose a copy of their reply, if they sent one. I ask you to compel them to provide the information requested.’

Write to the Information Commissioner even if the BBC do not reply, once one month has elapsed since you sent them your letter.

STEP 3 : LETTER TO THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

Appealing against a refusal by the Information Commissioner to order the BBC to provide the information requested. Write to the above address.

In your letter refusing my Freedom of Information request, you rely on the court decision in the case of Sugar (Deceased) v British Broadcasting Corporation and another, decided on appeal, reported in 2012.

The information I am seeking under the Freedom of Information Act does not fall within that decision, which was concerned only with a report relating to the BBC’s editorial policy on a news story (the Arab-Israeli conflict in Palestine), hence concerned journalism.

However, I am asking for information which the BBC does not hold for any purpose connected with journalism.

I have requested information about the BBC’s censorship of its radio archive, which is nothing to do with its News or Current Affairs activities. There is no relationship between the information I have requested and the BBC’s journalism: I am not seeking information about a current or former News or Current Affairs story, nor am I asking for information which was prepared for any journalistic or news reporting purpose.

The information I seek is administrative, relating to the BBC itself, not to its reporting of news or events. And the radio programme specified in my request is an entertainment programme, a radio comedy show, not a news or current affairs programme. It is not even a satirical programme about the news or current affairs.

As it was broadcast some years ago, there is no possible sense in which it could relate to news or current affairs, hence journalism, since its original broadcast pre-dates all events currently in the news. The BBC has in effect admitted this, in archiving the tape.

Neither does it have a bearing on literature. It is not a written item, not even something printed in a BBC printed publication such as the ‘Radio Times’. It is a tape of a 30 minute radio broadcast, aired originally some years ago. There is no connection with literature, taking that to mean writing: it’s a spoken word broadcast, not a book or magazine, not a document of any kind. Moreover, the BBC does not publish literature, it is a broadcaster.

In the widest possible interpretation of the term ‘literature’, that term might possibly refer to anything which is written down, although I would say that literature in this sense means fiction, not merely–for example–a memo from one BBC official to another.

Even if literature was considered to mean literally anything that is written, regardless of its literary status–which seems to me to be an interpretation not supported by the Act–I am not asking about something which is written, but about a taped broadcast originating in sound radio. It’s a spoken, not a written, item.

Neither does it have any bearing on art. A radio comedy may be entertaining, but it cannot properly be described as a work of art.

If there is any art involved, which I would not accept, it would relate to the creation of the radio programme in question; but I am not seeking information about the creative process of inventing a radio comedy: the programme specified in my request was broadcast some years ago, and the creative process occurred then. It is not occurring now, because the original broadcast has already happened, some years ago. If there was art involved, which I don’t accept, it only related to the creation of the programme, not to (say) its transmission or storage–these are technical or administrative functions, not artistic ones.

The people involved in the broadcast in question no longer work for the BBC. I don’t believe anyone who did have involvement in the creative process is actually alive today. Nor do I believe anything about the creative process can now be ascertained, except possibly from the tape itself. And, accordingly, I have not asked for information about the creative process.

The court decision talks about matters of “literary or artistic expression“, which confirms that the terms ‘literature’ or ‘art’ in the Act can relate only to the creative process of making the programme. Therefore subsequent activity, of a purely technical or administrative nature, such as broadcasting or re-broadcasting it, which is not a part of the creative process, cannot amount to a matter of ‘literary or artistic expression’.

The tape in the BBC’s archives is a record of the outcome of that creative process. But if there was any art involved, it concerned only the creation of that tape, or rather the creation of whatever programme content is stored on it.

Hence, in the circumstances, there is no art involved: if any was involved, it was involved many years ago. The tape is not a part of a current radio production, it does not relate to the operations of a current production department of the BBC. The censorship is occurring now, but no artistic decisions are occurring now, so the censorship cannot be said to relate to ‘art’ (taken even in the widest possible sense).

I am seeking information about the censorship of that tape, many years after the original broadcast. This is not a matter which relates to art. Censorship might possibly amount to a suppression of art, but I am not aware of any authority for the proposition that censorship is an art in itself.

It certainly is not a form of ‘artistic expression’. There could, for instance, be no art involved in banning an entire tape from being re-broadcast. There is no selection of material, for example, where there is merely a blanket ban slapped on everything in a recording: merely a blanket disregard for the merits of the case.

Whether or not there is a blanket ban, where the censorship proceeds from a political motivation, to suppress some aspect of a recording because some BBC official dislikes it, that may amount to political bias, in breach of the BBC’s Charter, and may therefore be unlawful. For example, if the BBC intended by its censorship to promote the so-called ‘cancel culture’.

If censorship proceeded from an artistic intent, because of some artistic objective, I can see how it might be suggested that an issue of artistic expression might arise; but where the motivation is political, self evidently the censorship is not proceeding from an artistic motivation, but purely from a political one. No question of ‘art’ therefore arises.

An act of censorship which proceeded from an unlawful motive, as an expression of political bias, could not be proceeding from an artistic motive. Again, therefore, there could not be any ‘artistic expression’ involved.

The tape has been repeatedly re-broadcast in recent years, without any cuts for censorship: the date of the latest such repeat broadcast is specified in my request for information. This in itself amounts to an admission by the BBC that there are no artistic grounds for such cuts, for if there were they would not have re-broadcast it, uncut, half a dozen times in recent years. That is an admission that there is no issue of artistic expression involved. Hence the censorship proceeds from a purely political motive.

Alternatively, because the tape was not being used by the BBC for any purpose except (if at all) for the administrative function of filling up air time, an aspect of resource allocation, it is not being used for an artistic purpose, only for an administrative one.

I have taken the liberty of referring to the recording as “the tape”, which was probably correct originally. Possibly the programme is now stored in some other format. However, I was uncertain what else to call it.

For these reasons, I maintain that the information specified in my request falls within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act.

I am therefore asking you to find that at the date of its receipt of my request, the BBC held the information requested solely for purposes other than those of journalism, literature or art. And accordingly, to direct the BBC to provide the information specified in my request, which merely seeks to establish what censorship has occurred and who is responsible for it.

If you decide not to give such a direction, would you please be kind enough to give the reasons for your decision, so that in the course of obtaining legal advice I may obtain also advice on your reasons, before deciding how to proceed further.

Radio 4 Extra : Censored and Banned programmes (Woke cuts) – Update

DATE REVISED: 2024-10-23 ITEMS: 766

DATE REVISED: 2024-10-23

ITEMS: 766