The Krankies are a Scottish comedy duo who enjoyed success as a cabaret act in the 1970s and on television in the 1980s, featuring in their own television shows and releasing their own music single. They have regularly appeared in pantomime. The duo comprises wife Janette Tough and her husband Ian. As the Krankies they portray schoolboy Wee Jimmy Krankie (Janette), and paternal figure Ian Krankie (Ian), though in their comedy act they also portray other characters. Beginning in the 1990s, they regularly appeared as The Krankies in episodes of the BBC comedy series French and Saunders.
Janette was born on 16 May 1947 in Queenzieburn, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, and Ian on 26 March 1947 in Glasgow, Scotland. The two met in 1966, and were married in 1969.
They began their career as a comedy duo performing various characters, working the comedy circuit. In 1978 they got their "big break" when they were given a place at the Royal Variety Performance.
During the 1980s they were given roles in several television shows, including the BBC's stalwart children's entertainment series Crackerjack.
In early 1981 they released a couple of singles.
Janette also appears as Jimmy Krankie in the video for 2007 Comic Relief single "500 Miles" with The Proclaimers, Brian Potter, Andy Pipkin and other celebrity stars.
The pair made recurring appearances in various series of French & Saunders. Janette played, for example, Anadin Skywalker in the Star Wars: The Phantom Menace parody "The Phantom Millennium", and they both appeared in several other movie parodies throughout the series. Her most recent appearance was on the 2005 Christmas Special, in which she appeared in the mock theatre trailers for The Graduate and Chicago. She also appeared in the fifth series of Absolutely Fabulous playing both a midwife and nightmare baby in the episode "Book Clubbin."
- "Fan - Dabi - Dozi", their catchphrase, peaked at number 46 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1981.
- "Wee Jimmy Krankie" which only charted in Scotland.
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