Harry Enfield's Television Programme
| Harry Enfield and Chums | |
|---|---|
Harry Enfield and Chums title card
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| Also known as | Harry Enfield's Television Programme |
| Created by | Harry Enfield |
| Starring |
Harry Enfield Paul Whitehouse Kathy Burke David Barber Gary Bleasdale Martin Clunes Aden Gillett Jon Glover Charlie Higson Rupert Holliday-Evans Joe McGann Stephen Moore Mark Moraghan Nathaniel Parker Duncan Preston Caroline Quentin Louisa Rix Julia St. John |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
Hat Trick Productions (Harry Enfield's Television Programme) Tiger Aspect Productions (Harry Enfield and Chums) |
| Distributor | Endemol UK |
| Release | |
| Original network |
BBC Two (Harry Enfield's Television Programme); BBC One (Harry Enfield and Chums) |
| Original release | 8 November 1990 – 24 December 1992 4 November 1994 – 28 December 1998 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | The Fast Show (1994–2000) |
Harry Enfield and Chums (also called Harry Enfield's Television Programme) was a British sketch show starring Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse. It first broadcast on BBC Two in 1990 in the 9 pm slot on Thursdays nights which became the traditional time for alternative comedy on television.
Enfield was already an established name due to his 'Loadsamoney' character (which featured in a few entertainment programmes in the late 1980s), but the series gave greater presence to his frequent collaborators Paul Whitehouse and Kathy Burke – so much so that, in 1994, the show was retitled Harry Enfield and Chums.
The 1990 series was written solely by Enfield, Whitehouse, Charlie Higson and Geoffrey Perkins. The original series titles began with Enfield in a black suit walking towards the camera and blowing a raspberry to the music of a brass band, and ended with him taking a quick drag from a cigarette hidden behind his back. There was also a Christmas special produced for this series.
After the original series, there were a couple of radio appearances and a one-off special for the characters Smashey and Nicey. During the period between series, Enfield concentrated on straight acting parts, and Whitehouse worked on other projects.
Through repeats, the characters proved popular, and in 1994, BBC One commissioned a new series called Harry Enfield and Chums. This series was produced with a pool of writers, rather than the cast alone. The format of the opening credits was the same, although Enfield was now joined by co-stars Whitehouse and Burke to take a collective bow to the audience. There were two Christmas specials produced for this series.
A married couple (played by Enfield and Julia St. John) who quite clearly have grown to despise each other, stuck in a seemingly eternal argument which consists of them constantly flinging insults at each other (often to others irritation), yet won't separate or get a divorce for the sake of their son.
Based on the TV series about Lovejoy. A shady-looking man who in each sketch faces a problem or disappointment and attempts to bribe someone who has no control of the situation, including paying a station guard to bring back a missed train and a nurse to exchange his newborn daughter for a baby boy. His catchphrases were "Oh, I getcha!" and "You drive a hard bargain, don't you?", always followed by Bob offering more money to his harassed victim.
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