Buried inside this full-page interview with Ben Elton (Dublin Evening Herald, 27th September 1986) is an early mention of a new sitcom called Filthy, Rich And Catflap.
Lots of talk about The Young Ones, and Blackadder of course, and the inevitable clarification that Eric and Ernie are good, but Benny Hill is problematic. I wonder how often this sentiment was expressed at the time.
The Birmingham News, on the 2nd January 1987, had a small mention of the show too, alongside an announcement about the return of Bread.
Anyone know what that photo of Rik is from? I don’t recognise it at all.
It’s fair to say that the reviews of the time were far from effusive. Take this one, almost a footnote, in the Dundee Courier, the day after the first episode on the 8th January.
Or how about this one, from the Liverpool Echo, on the 9th, complete with lazy as you like headline writing.
What I ‘like’ about this one from James Green, in The Stage from the 22nd January, is not only the snide ‘I liked them before they were famous, actually’ beginning, but his complete lack of understanding that Alexei Sayle wrote his own material for The Young Ones.
I’ve not seen High And Dry, but if he doesn’t like it, it’s probably worth at least a look. I mean, just look at his confident statement that Last Of The Summer Wine is about to be cancelled, in the year (checks date) 1987 …
