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Couple of lost 'classics' were mentioned this lunchtime, TV shows that were banned after multiple complaints.

A Small Problem is a British sitcom originally broadcast on BBC2 in 1987. Intended as a satire on prejudice, the show was set in a Britain with a form of apartheid based on people's height. Anyone below 5ft tall was forced to live in tower-block ghettos south of the River Thames. However, many viewers appeared not to understand the satirical aspect of the show, and the BBC was flooded with complaints.

Hardwicke House was a 1987 seven-episode sitcom produced by Central Independent Television for the ITV network. It was so negatively received that only the first two episodes were transmitted. The series was set in the large comprehensive school of the title, the staff of which were as dysfunctional as the pupils. One teacher was a multiple murderer, while the deputy headmaster lusted after male pupils. One teacher, Moose Magnusson, was on an extended exchange placement, as his own school in Iceland refused to have him back.

I remember seeing A Small Problem at the time. It was awful, starred Cool Guy Mike from the Young Ones, and made no sense at all.

The second starred Roy Kinnear and can be seen on Youtube and is clearly even worse.

Looking back 1987 was obviously a crazy year for comedy.

Any more banned TV shows?

In Harry Fowler's obituary last week, I noticed that he'd co-starred in a Spike Milligan sitcom the Melting Pot in 1975 as "a Chinese Cockney spiv" (he wasn't Chinese). The BBC cancelled the show after broadcasting one episode after the complaints flooded in.

This also reminds me of Spike Milligan's Curry and Chips (1969) in which he blacks up as an Asian immigrant called Kevin O'Grady (it was dropped by ITV after 6 episodes) - but this one came out on DVD eventually.

Never seen either but you can see his infamous "Pakistani Daleks" on YouTube...

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Alas, not actually Gryff Rhys Jones...

"Little Jack Horner sitting on the corner
With no shoes and clothes
This aint funny, but he took his money
And sniffed it up his nose"

I thought you were actually joking until I googled the names. Anyway i'm 5ft 7 inches and I had to live in a ghetto tower block south of the Thames for nine years and there was nothing funny about it I can tell you.

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Jarvis Cocker or David Bowie or AVB or Johnny Borrell, she isn't picky

Cavey Cocker, Cup Cake Queen, Saint Thomas.

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Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

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Reason and rationality may be pursuing us, but we are faster.
Wittgenstein Blog: http://lwpi.blogspot.com/

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Reason and rationality may be pursuing us, but we are faster.
Wittgenstein Blog: http://lwpi.blogspot.com/

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Reason and rationality may be pursuing us, but we are faster.
Wittgenstein Blog: http://lwpi.blogspot.com/

_________________
Jarvis Cocker or David Bowie or AVB or Johnny Borrell, she isn't picky

Cavey Cocker, Cup Cake Queen, Saint Thomas.

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If Ian Curtis had lived, and enjoyed the ale…

- -

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Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com