Just five years ago, Little Britain, Matt Lucas and David Walliams’s sketch comedy that aired from 2003 to 2008, seemed doomed to be forgotten forever.
With its frequent use of racism, class-based stereotypes and controversial portrayals of people with disabilities, Little Britain always divided people. But, at its peak, the show attracted nearly 10 million viewers and became a defining part of early Noughties British television. Taking inspiration from The League of Gentlemen, Little Britain was in many ways a traditional bawdy British sketch comedy, made in antithesis to the “political correctness” of the time. Known for its iconic catchphrases, Bernard Manning-style shock factor and humour that walked the very thin line between parody and punching down, it won multiple Baftas and even sold out a live arena tour.
