Latest news with #triggerWarnings
Daily Mail
15 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?'
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.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Rachel Zegler-fronted Evita musical is ridiculed for trigger warnings about loud music and sudden noises
A new production of Evita is being ridiculed for its ' woke ' trigger warnings about 'loud music and sudden noises'. The West End musical centres on Eva Peron, the wife of Argentine President Juan Perónm, whose life begins as a poor girl to a powerful political figure and beloved First Lady. The show, fronted by Snow White actress Rachel Zegler as Eva, ends with her early death from cancer at age 33 and the show features songs like 'Don't Cry for Me Argentina'. Audiences were alerted to the strobe lighting, flashing lights and haze. But trigger warnings for shows have been blasted in the past by Sir Ian McKellen, 86, best known for his Gandalf role in 'The Lord of the Rings', as reported by The Sun. He said: 'I think it's ludicrous. I like to be surprised by loud noises and outrageous behaviour on stage.' Theatre fans were previously given 15 trigger warnings for a performance of Phantom of the Opera including that it features depictions of violence and death. His Majesty's Theatre released a guide for audiences of the musical, which has been deemed suitable for ages eight and above, telling audience members the timings of the potential triggers. Viewers are warned to expect loud sounds, gun shots, flashing lights, haze, fire, pyrotechnics and depictions of violence and death at certain points during the performance. Toby Young, founder of the Free Speech Union, told The Sun: 'This is beyond parody. It won't be long before theatres ask audiences not to applaud at the end in case they trigger people who are sensitive to noise.' This comes as paying fans were furious after Zegler belted out Don't Cry for Me Argentina at the London Palladium Theatre on Saturday night attracting hundreds of fans on the street. But not everyone was impressed with some questioning why they forked out the money when they could have watched it for free. One person wrote: 'Sorry, are you saying I've paid £350 for 2 tickets and she's singing the biggest number outside at people who haven't paid?' Another explained that they 'go to the theatre to share the same space with a performer'. It's not the first time that a project involving Zegler has caused outrage, after the 24-year-old's star is Disney's 'woke' reboot of Snow White. The remake of the classic 1937 animated film has a 39% critic approval rating (out of 260 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes. The film had a £200million budget but made just £148million at the box office as it was criticised for 'going woke'. Actors were replaced with CGI dwarves, and the storyline was altered to focus on the princess evolving into a fearless leader, rather than her journey ending in romance. Zegler commented that the original Disney film was 'extremely dated when it comes to the ideas of women being in roles of power.' She added: 'People are making these jokes about ours being the PC Snow White, where it's, like, yeah, it is — because it needed that.' Daily Mail's Brian Viner gave Snow White two out of five stars, calling it a 'painfully muddle-headed affair' and 'pallid reimagining' but admitted Zegler 'plainly has oodles of talent.' Meanwhile, The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw gave Snow White one out of five stars and called it a 'pointless' and 'exhaustingly awful reboot' with 'tiresome pseudo-progressive additions that tie the whole thing in knots.' 'Where other movies are playfully reimagining the backstories of famous villains, this one plays it straight, but with carefully curated revisionist tweaks,' Bradshaw wrote. 'Those otherwise estimable performers Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot are now forced to go through the motions, and they give the dullest performances of their lives.'
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Woke madness continues as classic Shakespeare play slapped with trigger warning because it featured violence and death
ROMEO and Juliet has been hit with a trigger warning — with audiences informed it featured violent scenes and death. Shakespeare's classic 16th-century love story has been 'retold' as a modern ballet. But London's Royal Opera House deemed it necessary to warn potential visitors the production includes themes of 'violence and death'. Sir Ian McKellen, who has appeared in Romeo and Juliet productions throughout his career, previously hit out at 'ludicrous' warnings. He said: 'I quite like to be surprised by loud noises and outrageous behaviour on stage.' It comes four years after The Globe in London warned of 'upsetting' themes in the play, and provided a number for The Samaritans. They were even provided a number for the Samaritans for after the show. Actor Christopher Biggins said: 'Do we have to have signs for everything under the sun? 'It's a joke. What they are trying to do is insulting to the mentality of theatre-goers.' The Globe has also warned about themes of 'violence, sexual references, misogyny and racism' in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, as well as 'anti-semitism' in The Merchant of Venice. In February, the University of the West of England slapped over 200 trigger warnings on Shakespeare's work - including 'bad weather' in The Tempest. The Royal Opera House was asked to comment.
