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You Never Had It So Rude

Episode 3 of 3

How British traditions of satire and bawdy humour continued in the worlds of radio, TV, theatre and comics from the 1960s to the present day.

The final part of a series exploring British traditions of satire and bawdy humour brings the story of a naughty nation up to date and explores how a mass democracy of rude emerged, beginning with the 1960s revolutions and continuing with the today's controversies.

There is a look at how a tradition of rude cartooning came back to life, as cartoonists draw the iconic political figures of the last 50 years: Gerald Scarfe captures Harold Macmillan, Steve Bell does Margaret Thatcher and Martin Rowson depicts Tony Blair.

The rude comic art of Viz is revealed in the characters of Sid the Sexist and the Fat Slags, and the rude theatre of Joe Orton, the rude radio of Round the Horne and the hippy rudeness of underground magazine Oz are also investigated.

And the history of rude television is traced from Till Death Us Do Part to Little Britain via Spitting Image. Finally, there is a look at how rude comedy begins to be seen as offensive in sexist and racist ways.

1 hour

Last on

Tue 10 Mar 2020 01:30

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Music Played

  • Arctic Monkeys

    This House Is A Circus

  • The Dave Brubeck Quartet

    Unsquare Dance

  • Reverend and the Makers

    Heavyweight Champion Of The World

  • Mud

    Tiger Feet

  • Nicky Chinn & Mike Chapman

    Medley: Glamour and Gold

  • The Young Ones

    Challenged

  • The Smiths

    This Charming Man

  • Robbie Williams

    Let Me Entertain You

Credits

Role Contributor
Narrator Julian Rhind-Tutt
Producer Alastair Laurence
Executive Producer Michael Poole

Broadcasts