TV channel Gold is to explore the impact of one of the most influential British sitcoms of all time with two brand new UKTV Original retrospectives, How The Young Ones Changed Comedy and The Young Ones’ 20 Greatest Moments. Produced by North One, they will examine the anarchic show’s enduring legacy, its success in opening the floodgates for an entire generation of household name comedians and how it inspired many of today’s comic stars.
How The Young Ones Changed Comedy will combine archive footage with revelations from many of the stars who were involved both in front of and behind the camera, such as Nigel Planer, Alexei Sayle, John Lloyd, Paul Jackson, Lise Mayer, while comedians that followed in its wake such as David Baddiel, Charlie Higson, Clive Anderson and Richard Herring will discuss how it influenced them and galvanised the British comedy scene. Meanwhile, The Young Ones’ 20 Greatest Moments will count down the finest scenes from the show, as selected by comedians and industry experts.
How The Young Ones Changed Comedy and The Young Ones’ 20 Greatest Moments are commissioned by Joe McVey, commissioning executive, and ordered by Richard Watsham, director of commissioning and Steve North, genre general manager, comedy and entertainment. Executive producer for North One is John Quinn and the series is directed by Sean Doherty.
Joe McVey said, “I can think of no other sit-com that has had a larger influence on modern comedy than The Young Ones. And while watching it in glorious HD may not have the same illicit thrill as watching it on some dodgy VHS passed around the playground most fans of the show’s eyesight isn’t what it was so it’s probably for the best. For true fans of the show may I suggest watching it with a youngster and enjoy the repetition of the phrase ‘so that’s where that comes from.’”
Steve North said, “We know Gold viewers loved our retrospective on Only Fools and Horses and are eagerly awaiting our forthcoming documentary about dinnerladies. With The Young Ones proving to be a real shot in the arm for British comedy, it will be fascinating to revisit.”
John Quinn said, “Terrifyingly, I am old enough to remember watching the first episode go out as a kid. I had no idea what it was, but the moment Rik Mayall launched into a poetic eulogy to Cliff and Vyvyan made his crashing entrance through the kitchen wall screaming ‘I’ve been down the morgue – I got a leg!’, I knew I would never look at comedy the same way again. It’s a thing of sheer joy to be making this overdue tribute to a genuine game-changer.”
How The Young Ones Changed Comedy and The Young Ones’ 20 Greatest Moments are just the latest UKTV Original retrospectives for Gold, following the huge success of The Story of Only Fools and Horses and the upcoming dinnerladies diaries. Gold continues to commission programming from and about the cream of British comedy, with last year’s UKTV Original Murder on The Blackpool Express becoming the channel’s highest ever rating show.
How The Young Ones Changed Comedy and The Young Ones’ 20 Greatest Moments will both air on Gold in the spring.
