Latest news with #RickyGervais
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BBC slaps ANOTHER beloved sitcom with woke trigger warnings as five episodes flagged for 'discriminatory language'
The BBC has slapped another beloved sitcom with trigger warnings as five episodes have been flagged for 'discriminatory language'. The Office, the hit mockumentary sitcom created by comedians Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, famously stars Ricky as paper company boss David Brent. Both series of the noughties programme were already labelled with a G symbol on BBC iPlayer, which flags parental guidance for younger viewers. But nearly half of the BBC series' 14 episodes, following life at Wernham Hogg's Slough office, now also carry the additional content notice. In series one, which aired in 2001, the first and last episodes - Downsize and Judgement - bear the alert. Meanwhile, a whopping half of the second series, released in 2002, has been hit with trigger warnings - episodes one, three and five, named Merger, Party and Charity. The Office, now considered one of the best British sitcoms of all time, took home a whole host of awards when it first hit our screens. It won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy in 2004, making it the first ever British comedy to take home a gong at the ceremony. Ricky also received the Golden Globe for Best Actor - Television Series Musical or Comedy in the same year. Its success lead to an American spin-off version in 2005, starring Steve Carell in the equivalent of Ricky's role. The US programme ran to an impressive nine series and just over 200 episodes, ending in 2013. The British version of The Office is just the latest of a run of sitcoms and classic TV shows to be hit with trigger warnings. Only Fools and Horses was hit with various disclaimers around 'racial language', words that 'may offend' and 'dated attitudes and behaviours' earlier this year. Only two of seven series of the eighties hit show - which is available to watch on ITV and often reruns on digital channel U&Gold - did not have any episodes at all slapped with the warnings. Meanwhile, a series of episodes of the third series of Doctor Who, which had previously been declared 'missing from the archives', was also hit with a warning back in April. The lost instalments, called The Savages, which star the first ever Time Lord William Hartnell, first aired back in 1966, with an animated remake released on DVD in March. But it was put out with a string of warnings attached from the British Board of Film Classification, saying it contained 'verbal references to discrimination and the discriminatory social structure of an alien society'. Also, ITV put a notice on some episodes of beloved seventies show George And Mildred in March - saying they contain 'classic British humour from a bygone era'. The show, which ran for five series from 1976 until 1979, follows George and Mildred Roper, played by Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy, a constantly-sparring married couple. And the broadcaster was ridiculed for over-protecting its viewers, with Free Speech Union founder Toby Young saying: 'George And Mildred? Really? What's next? 'The Magic Roundabout on the grounds that viewers with hyperactivity disorder may find the character of Zebedee triggering?'
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Award-winning comedy becomes latest hit show to be slapped with woke trigger warnings in crackdown by the BBC
Fans also slammed Channel 4 for a similar warning on a beloved sitcom WOKE JOKE Award-winning comedy becomes latest hit show to be slapped with woke trigger warnings in crackdown by the BBC Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HIT mockumentary sitcom The Office has been slapped with 'discriminatory language' trigger warnings by BBC bosses. Five episodes of Ricky Gervais's award-winning show on iPlayer have been flagged. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 1 The Office has been slapped with 'discriminatory language' trigger warnings by BBC bosses Credit: Handout All 14 episodes are available on the streaming service. Its two series, with Gervais as paper company branch boss David Brent, carry a 'G' rating to indicate adult humour. But some episodes also carry the additional warning. In the first series, debut episode Downsize — first aired in July 2001 — and the sixth episode Judgement are hit with the alert. And from series two, the first, third and fifth — Merger, Party and Charity — also carry the warnings. The Office won a clutch of awards in its time — most notably scooping a Golden Globe in 2004 for Best Television Series, the first British comedy to win. It was co-written and co-created by Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and went on to spawn a successful US version starring Steve Carell. The Office's alerts come after the BBC also put disclaimers about offensive or outdated language on episodes of Only Fools and Horses from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In February, Channel 4 was branded 'humourless' for flagging a series of Father Ted on its catch-up. Broadcasters also hit Bafta-winning C4 sitcom The IT Crowd with advisories, with one warning: 'This episode was made in 2006 and contains strong, strong/offensive derogatory language and adult humour.' Terry and June to get woke warning - 80s comedy show ITV slapped 1970s comedy George and Mildred with a similar caution. Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Award-winning comedy becomes latest hit show to be slapped with woke trigger warnings in crackdown by the BBC
HIT mockumentary sitcom The Office has been slapped with 'discriminatory language' trigger warnings by BBC bosses. Five episodes of Ricky Gervais 's award-winning show on iPlayer have been flagged. 1 All 14 episodes are available on the streaming service. Its two series, with Gervais as paper company branch boss David Brent, carry a 'G' rating to indicate adult humour. But some episodes also carry the additional warning. In the first series, debut episode Downsize — first aired in July 2001 — and the sixth episode Judgement are hit with the alert. And from series two, the first, third and fifth — Merger, Party and Charity — also carry the warnings. The Office won a clutch of awards in its time — most notably scooping a Golden Globe in 2004 for Best Television Series, the first British comedy to win. It was co-written and co-created by Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and went on to spawn a successful US version starring Steve Carell. The Office's alerts come after the BBC also put disclaimers about offensive or outdated language on episodes of Only Fools and Horses from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In February, Channel 4 was branded 'humourless' for flagging a series of Father Ted on its catch-up. Broadcasters also hit Bafta-winning C4 sitcom The IT Crowd with advisories, with one warning: 'This episode was made in 2006 and contains strong, strong/offensive derogatory language and adult humour.'
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Award-winning comedy becomes latest hit show to be slapped with woke trigger warnings in crackdown by the BBC
HIT mockumentary sitcom The Office has been slapped with 'discriminatory language' trigger warnings by BBC bosses. Five episodes of Ricky Gervais's award-winning show on iPlayer have been flagged. 1 The Office has been slapped with 'discriminatory language' trigger warnings by BBC bosses Credit: Handout All 14 episodes are available on the streaming service. Its two series, with Gervais as paper company branch boss But some episodes also carry the additional warning. In the first series, debut episode Downsize — first aired in July 2001 — and the sixth episode Judgement are hit with the alert. read more on bbc And from series two, the first, third and fifth — Merger, Party and Charity — also carry the warnings. The Office won a clutch of awards in its time — most notably scooping a Golden Globe in 2004 for Best Television Series, the first British comedy to win. It was co-written and co-created by Gervais and The Office's alerts come after the BBC also Most read in News TV In February, Channel 4 was branded 'humourless' for flagging a series of Broadcasters also hit Bafta-winning C4 sitcom Terry and June to get woke warning - 80s comedy show ITV slapped 1970s comedy Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Culture That Made Me: Paula MacSweeney of Today FM picks her touchstones
Born in 1985, Paula MacSweeney grew up in Piltown, Co Kilkenny. In 2012, she started on air with Today FM, initially doing daily showbiz reports on the Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show and later presenting her own programmes, including the early breakfast show. In 2022, she began hosting the radio station's evening show, 7pm-10pm, Monday to Thursday. She also presents a Sunday night rock music show on Today FM. See: A Woman's Heart I remember my mam bought A Woman's Heart. Every household had a copy of it in 1992. As a family, we used to hop in the car – eight of us going on holiday with my granddad, so nine of us in a car; you wouldn't be allowed to do it now – and we used to drive to France, children literally hanging out the windows. We had that album on tape. I remember listening to it constantly. I knew every word from those holidays. Even though it wasn't meant for a six-year-old girl, it had a real impact on me. I loved it. I rediscovered it on Spotify a couple of years ago, and it's just beautiful. Take That I was a huge Take That fan. My first ever album was Take That & Party. Santy brought it for me – that's how young I was. I was about seven. I absolutely loved it, and I loved Take That throughout the Nineties. There was a Take That vs. Boyzone rivalry; I was always Take That. I loved the five-piece. Now that Robbie has left, and I think they're down to about three, I've kinda lost interest a little bit! Ricky Gervais Ricky Gervais. I'm a huge Ricky Gervais fan. I know he's not for everyone. Some people find him too much. People love to give out about him online. With his observations, sometimes I even find myself going, 'He's gone too far, he's gone too far,' but I still love it because dark humour is something I find very funny. Comedy's gone a bit dull, so I love when Ricky Gervais goes for it. I love the way he uses satire to critique societal norms, politics, celebrity culture. Nobody is safe. He's witty. He's clever. I love him. Britney Spears As I grew a bit older, into my teenage years, I loved Britney Spears. She came out when I was about 13 so throughout my whole teenage years – like a lot of girls who were into pop at that age – I was obsessed with Britney. Because we didn't have social media at the time – and she was being absolutely harassed by paparazzi – I was one of those buying the magazines to see what she was up to. I owned every album. I knew every word. I love her. Lily Allen I'm an enormous Lily Allen fan. I've loved her since 2004-2005 – when she was young and very new. She hasn't released music since 2018. It's been quite a while, and she only has four albums. I went to see her when she was on at Electric Picnic in 2014. I'll never forget it. She was on early in the day. It was Sunday, maybe about 6pm, so it was bright. I was waiting for her set all year. I was so excited to go and see her. She was promoting her album, Sheezus, which probably is her worst album. I'll never forget standing there with a cup of warm beer, in a field, it had been raining, and I felt the happiest I'd ever been. I'd finally got to see her live on stage, and it was magnificent. Gavin & Stacey Gavin & Stacey. I'm very passionate about Gavin & Stacey. The word play in it is clever. James Corden and Ruth Jones are phenomenal writers. The characters are so clever, so well-developed. I love the character arc as well from when they started 20 years ago to that amazing Christmas special finish. Their finale made my Christmas. Every line was perfect. It's like a warm hug on the TV. It's my go-to whenever I need a little pick-me-up. It's gorgeous TV. The Sopranos My favourite TV box set of all time is The Sopranos. It's perfect – the characters, the storylines are amazing. There are unexpected twists. Nobody was safe in that show. It explores the American dream, and what it takes to obtain that. There's nuanced exploration of stuff like identity, loyalty, the human condition. Tony Soprano is so multidimensional. He's flawed. He's brilliant. He's funny. I've probably watched it from start to finish at least 10 times in my life. Every time I watch it, I find something new that I hadn't seen or heard before. It's so entertaining. The Pillars of the Earth The best book I've read is Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth. He's an extraordinary writer. It's set in the twelfth century, in England during a time of political turmoil, religious strife, and the construction of a magnificent cathedral. He travelled around Europe years before writing his book to understand architecture and how these cathedrals were built. That side of the book is very detailed. Even though I didn't find that bit particularly interesting, it's so powerful. The drama is gripping. It has complex characters. It's a rich tapestry of human experience, with insight into human ambition, and the power of the church. It's brilliant historical fiction. The book had a profound effect on me. I remember finishing it thinking I want to restart it. Ian Dempsey Ian Dempsey. I loved Ian Dempsey on RTÉ 2fm. I remember, in my teens, the moment when Today FM announced, 'Look who we've poached for breakfast' and he moved to Today FM. It was such a big deal. It was huge news. Everybody was talking about it. I was a huge fan. All I ever wanted to do was work with Ian Dempsey. It was a life goal. It's funny because we've worked together now for, like, 13-14 years. He's the greatest of the greatest, and he's only getting better. There's no slowing down. Then She Was Gone I read seven Lisa Jewell books in a month about six months ago because of this book of hers, Then She Was Gone. Some of her books are better than others. Then She Was Gone is full of suspense and mystery. I couldn't put it down. It is sad, I have to say. It's a hard read at some points – because some of the best things are – but it's brilliant. The book has it all. It has amazing twists, a real page turner. The Baby Tribe I have three children aged six, four, and two. I've come out of my era of listening constantly to parenting podcasts, but The Baby Tribe is a podcast I listened to religiously for about two years. It's hosted by Professor Afif El-Khuffash, a neonatologist in the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, and his wife, Dr Anne Doherty, who is an anaesthesiologist. It's evidence-based fun, and ways to learn about stuff. There's no opinion. It's all 'according to research', which is so reassuring. They have some good guests on it as well. It's very good.
