Little Britain has now returned to BBC iPlayer two years after it was stripped from streaming services amid blackface controversy.
Back in June 2020, it was confirmed that BBC iPlayer, and fellow streaming services Netflix and BritBox were among the broadcasters to have removed the classic 00s comedy sketch programme from their show rosters in response to heavy criticism in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.
First airing nearly 20 years ago now, and created by and starring comedians Matt Lucas and David Walliams, Little Britain ran on the BBC from 2003 to 2005, and developed a cult fan base while on air.
But it often came under fire due to the use of blackface makeup in some sketches.
Walliams regularly wore makeup and a large afro wig to play the character of spa guest Desiree DeVere throughout the series, while Lucas used blackface to play Pastor Jesse King, who often said he was “from the ghetto” and spoke in tongues to cure the sick.
Little Britain has now returned to BBC iPlayer after two years / Credit: BBC
After calls to remove the shows from streaming and on demand services began gaining significant traction on social media platforms back in June 2020, the BBC responded by taking it down and admitting “times have changed since Little Britain first aired.”
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Walliams and Lucas also issued a public apology at the time the show was stripped, adding that they “want to make it clear that it was wrong, and we are very sorry.”
Before needing to publicly apologise following its removal from streaming service, Matt Lucas had previously spoken out about the show’s use of blackface in an interview with Big Issue back in 2017 and told the publication that he believed it was “lazy” for white people to “get a laugh just by playing black characters”.
The BBC admitted “times have changed since Little Britain first aired” / Credit: BBC
He said: “If I could go back and do Little Britain again, I wouldn’t make those jokes about transvestites. I wouldn’t play black characters. Basically, I wouldn’t make that show now. It would upset people. We made a more cruel kind of comedy than I’d do now.”
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He also added that there was no “bad intent there”, and they had simply been showing off about “what a diverse bunch of people we could play”.
But now, the show is back on BBC iPlayer – understandably, it’s not quite the same though.
Confirming an edited version of the series is now back on BBC iPlayer, a spokesperson for the broadcaster explained in a statement: “Little Britain has been made available to fans on BBC iPlayer following edits made to the series by Matt and David that better reflect the changes in the cultural landscape over the last 20 years since the show was first made.”
Featured Image – BBC
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Drinks prices revealed as Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub opens inside T2
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… Manchester Airport’s first-ever JD Wetherspoon pub has officially opened its doors inside Terminal 2.
The 300-seater pub – which welcomed its first customers earlier this week – is named The Belle Vue after Manchester’s historic showground.
Throughout the pub, you’ll spot design features that nod to the city’s sporting heritage – including vintage event posters and memorabilia, a ‘locker wall’ hosting trophies and other sporting exhibits, and a cricket-themed design in the carpets and bar panels.
Creating around 150 jobs in the process, The Belle Vue is the final planned new eatery to open in the airport’s redeveloped Terminal 2, marking one of the final steps in the super-terminal’s decade-long, £1.5bn transformation.
Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub has opened inside Terminal 2 / Credit: Supplied
According to the MEN, pints are priced from £6.20 for Carling and Coors lager, £6.45 for Budweiser, £6.60 for Guinness, and £6.70 for Poretti and 1664 Biere.
Prosecco is £9.20 for 175ml glass and £37.10 for the full bottle, while spirts and mixers are £6.80 for singles and £10.20 for doubles.
There’s also the classic Wetherspoons tea and coffee machines, where you can refill as many times as you like for just £3.60.
“It’s a proud moment to see the final new retail unit opening in our new-look Terminal 2,” commented Richard Jackson, who is the Retail Director at Manchester Airport.
“To be rounding off this 10-year programme by adding such an iconic name as Wetherspoon to the terminal is particularly special and we know that it will prove extremely popular with passengers. We think they’ll love the nods to Manchester’s heritage in the décor and design – and of course the name.”
The Belle Vue will be open from the first flight to the final flight each day, and food will be served from opening until 10pm.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Iconic Manc movie 24 Hour Party People is set to return to cinemas for its anniversary
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most iconic movies is set to return to the big screen next month.
Remastered in 4K and returning to UK cinemas to mark 24 years since its original release, Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 biographical comedy drama film, 24 Hour Party People, tells the story of Manchester‘s popular music community from 1976 to 1992 – specifically about Factory Records‘ founder Tony Wilson.
The film begins with the punk rock era of the late 1970s, before moving through the 1980s into the rave and DJ culture, and of course, the ‘Madchester‘ scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The narrative largely follows the career of Tony Wilson, played by Middleton-born actor Steve Coogan, while also covering the careers of the major Factory Records artists – especially Joy Division and New Order, as well as A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, and Happy Mondays.
If you haven’t seen 24 Hour Party People before, it’s a dramatisation based on a combination of real events, rumours, and urban legends, as the film is sure to make clear.
Coogan is joined by a cast by a mixture of big names and, at the time, rising stars like Paddy Considine, Shirley Henderson, Lennie James, John Simm, Ralf Little, Andy Serkis, Sean Harris, John Thomson, and even Peter Kay, alongside cameos from other figures connected to the Manchester music scene.
Before it returns to cinemas, the film will first open music and media festival/conference, Beyond The Music, at MediaCity in Salford on 6 October.
The screening at the festival will also be followed by a Q&A with Coogan, Winterbottom, and producer Andrew Eaton.
24 Hour Party People will then be re-released in UK cinemas from 9 October, and you can check your local cinema for screening times and book tickets online now.
Emily Sergeant -
16th March 2022 
