Could we finally have a contender for bottom of the league? Bottom of the barrel? Most certainly. Keith Lemon: The Film is widely regarded by critics as one of the worst British comedy movies of all time. Completely mauled upon its release and a disappointment at the box office in 2012, Leigh Francis (AKA Keith Lemon) was nevertheless and remains one of the most popular comedians on the small screen.

So what went wrong? To discuss this in great length with Rob and Guy is one of the funniest people on social media, Nina Buckley. Nina went above and beyond for Britcom Goes to the Movies, watching this monstrosity on no fewer than five (FIVE) occasions before recording, to really get to the heart of what made this film not work.

We get deep into the character of Keith Lemon, who first appeared to South East ITV audiences in 2000 and has been one of Leigh Francis’ go-to characters for the intervening quarter of a century. Celebrity Juice, Very Brilliant World Tour, The Keith and Paddy Picture Show and of course the programme that made Francis a household name, Bo Selecta.

So join us for Keith Lemon: The Film and all that comes with it. Copious celeb cameos shot on green screen, recycled jokes, inappropriate touching of female co-stars, hastily written and rewritten denouements and a whole load besides as we finally answer the age-old question: Is this really worse than Lesbian Vampire Killers?
Leigh Francis – Whatever I Want – First appearance of Keith Lemon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK4QKhIcqhU&t=1052s
Keith and Fabio – Bo In The USA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL-N_A0d1vs&list=PL390C2FE08AA6D091
Keith Lemon’s Very Brilliant World Tour – Australia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPAReLy-UPU
Keith Lemon best bits – Celebrity Juice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGanpd_jLLI
Leigh Francis Apology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KYgYTxJwjc
Keith Lemon: The Film – Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIemgNIFKEM
Keith Lemon: The Film – Gary Barlow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kum3R7_EEos

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How time flies. It doesn’t seem feasible that we should be on series five already, but here we are. We begin with a huge figure in the British comedy landscape, The Banana Box. You may know it as Rising Damp, but Eric Chappel’s beloved sitcom began life as a stage play with this rather more visceral title. Indeed, everyone’s (least) favourite landlord Rigsby, although always portrayed by the magnificent Leonard Rossiter from stage to small screen to big screen, was originally known as Rooksby.

Rob and Guy have had mixed experiences with 1970s straight spin-offs in the past, but surely a sitcom widely regarded as ITV’s best-ever could not diminish in quality too much in adaptation. Even if Chappel’s tactic of reworking multiple episode scripts to fit a film was reminiscent of a couple of other noticeable failures, surely it wouldn’t claim the good name of Rising Damp?!

Joining our regular team to discuss this comedy institution is Jake Yapp. The writer, producer, performer, and broadcaster has a huge fondness for all things Rigsby and Miss Jones, so was an eager participant in our first adventure of a new series. Jake also acted as quizmaster for the newly reset competition and was keen to put in an early plug for his son’s new line of 1970s light entertainment Top Trumps, which will no doubt be in the shops for Christmas.

Get comfy for a new series and some Rising Damp.
Rising Damp - Funniest moments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96VpnQq197U&list=PLT2hAuUDOLMAgPlQjv0EO0YQAPuo7jgwd
Rising Damp - Pink Carnations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4honiX0_vk
Rising Damp - Disco opening sequence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhCI0JceBic
Rising Damp Movie - Rigsby’s Dream Sequence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBGvGuGKWcw
Jake Yapp - This Morning in 97 Seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DLx8FPtA8k
Tin Sandwich Anyone?: The History of the Harmonica - Produced by Jake Yapp, Assistant Produced by Rob Heath
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clsGakOc8AE

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On the 17th Sep 25, an event happened of such earth-shattering proportions that it would shatter the earth to its very core. Yes, BritCom goes to the Movies, did a Smashie and Nicey: End of an Era mid-season special.

Harry Enfield's beloved characters (well, not by Radio 1 DJs) were to be retired after a changing of the guard at the BBC's flagship music station rendered their very specific brand of satire almost irrelevant. Some of these new DJs coming through the door at the broadcasting house were so young they were still in their thirties. But messers Smash and Nice wouldn't go out without a fight, and what transpired was one of the greatest stand-alone pieces of British television comedy history.

Using the Matthew Bannister-led cull of out-of-touch disc jockeys as a backdrop, End of an Era recounted the history of Smashie and Nicey's careers, poking fun at just about every real-life radio presenter ever to take the mic in the UK up to that point in the process.

Joining Rob and Guy for this cultural high point, culturally-wise, in an English cultural high point sense, are two of the most popmongous former guests of the BritCom Goes to the Movies back catalogue and huge Smashie and Nicey fans, Rob Gilroy and Ricardo Autobahn. It promises to be Good. Clean. Family. Fun.

Smashie and Nicey: End of an Era 

https://youtu.be/UP67GQoII5M?si=fUIWsKg4nXHiWQ71

Blood on the Carpet: Walking with DJs

https://youtu.be/D3R1Mcr7I0M?si=dgvjzlXfKWz3Vry1

A day in the life of Radio 1

https://youtu.be/UnKsDmDv6g8?si=g-ymC1m0F5beMIdq

Smashie and Nicey fab commercial 

https://youtu.be/13fbOp1qQDQ?si=GfgROowU2HxMi-hw

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Here we are at the end of our St Trinian's bank holiday treat. The final episode sees Rob and Guy tackle the reboot(s) of the mid-00s. A kind of back to basics, borrowing heavily from Belles but with an updated 00s sensibility, which depressingly probably means more sexism if anything.

An embarrassment of riches of a cast. Early roles for the likes of Gemma Arterton and Juno Temple, plus old hands like Colin Firth and Rupert Everett. All tied together with the rather large elephant in the room of Russell Brand as Flash Harry, set to a malaise of Girls Allowed and Landfill Indie.

Along with 2007's St Trinian's, we also briefly discuss the 2009 sequel: Legend of Fritton's Gold and any possible legacy and future for the IP. Guy had been waiting for the films to be more about the students, and on the face of it this reboot would deliver. Tune in to find out if it did.

St Trinian's - Trailer

https://youtu.be/JJQ1pAW4uU8?si=5Vw-kwNNwVNWCBBD

St Trinian's - Premiere

https://youtu.be/Rtx43qThERk?si=rtDofxBgOnJd3tDr

St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold - Trailer

https://youtu.be/9chVAXvsOcQ?si=qJCieDgWkLB1s7Td

Pistol - Trailer

https://youtu.be/-QtyfPxkBqs?si=G75tBV7RnbNuIkPz

4 3 2 1 - Trailer

https://youtu.be/VL27h8b-K38?si=kB1NfMh3ZHmLZWfV

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Hot on the heels of the Belles for St Trinian's, Rob and Guy are back and have skipped through the next two movies of the franchise (Blue Murder at St Trinian's and The Pure Hell of St Trinian's) to 12 years later and the midst of the Swinging Sixties for The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery. 

This just so happens to be a childhood favourite of Mr Film Stories Podcast Network A.J. Black, so Tony joined us once more to discuss a new breed of St Trinian's students, the new Headmistress, played by Dora Bryan, and the new villain played by Frankie Howerd. 

Of its time, it includes jokes about the Wilson Government, James Bond, The Beatles, and some rather unfortunate use of boot polish. 

Train Robbery is a new era for St Trinian's and a real departure from the 50s versions. But is that all for the bad, or will there be redeeming features? Tune in to find out. 

...and if that hasn't sold you...it has Reg Varney in it!

The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery - Trailer

https://youtu.be/DWVyGvMz8-g?si=tBSzd4JpfcMTgodp

The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery - New Pupils

https://youtu.be/a9und3QCBM8?si=ZdFELSkeWb2Bw8Zw

Before Your Very Eyes - Sabrina with Arthur Askey

https://youtu.be/1OsX-A4XZcg?si=trW8cETrSPsClnff

Sabrina - 1956

https://youtu.be/NwjdnKQrUhg?si=U7ckWIfFswuf1DJS

The Pretty Things - Midnight To Six (1966)

https://youtu.be/w3qJ-KPlt4M?si=Ppvyn0nqb2JY_Ec-

Peter Sellers in The Millionairess

https://youtu.be/DZz4KfUfkQY?si=gX25sKRan0NYx-o9

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The St Trinian's films were one of the first names on the long list when we first came up with the concept of this podcast, but even with the most tenuous and creative of thinking, we weren't able to link them to the small screen. So much like Carry On last summer, we decided a three-episode mini-series would be the best way to tackle the issue.

We start at the very beginning with the first St Trinian's films, The Belle's of St Trinian's from 1954 with Alastair Sim popularising what could now be known as The Tyler Perry, playing both Headmistress Millicent Fritton and her no-good brother. This being the first time Ronald Searle's schoolgirl characters were brought to life, it was perhaps a surprise to see the grown-ups take centre stage, but not without plenty of chaotic school set pieces with the students and a surprisingly complicated plot for a family film!

Join Rob and Guy as both of them start their St Trinian's journey with the O.G. of the franchise. Will this movie have aged like a fine wine, or a bottle of Flash Harry's gin? Tune in to find out.

The Belles of St Trinians - Trailer

https://youtu.be/VKzCKoO-K9I?si=HE3LCv-2ekTLEAaz

The Belles of St Trinians - Best scenes

https://youtu.be/0O__WLDjMNo?si=KB77PUBB_rnI6znk

Hockey match at St Trinians

https://youtu.be/uS4LLAKPwyk?si=fy3hkWtuOT2_e1sv

Dad - Series 1, Episode 1

https://youtu.be/b0S1q1zyMn8?si=IH6RJGnfea1wGBXy

Minder - Grass growing on the car

https://youtu.be/01dXHywMMyE?si=hs-uQIBkHUFnuQUv

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We're at the end of series four already. Our second series as part of The Film Stories Podcast Network, so to celebrate we're joined by Mr FSPN himself, A.J. Black, to talk about one of the biggest BritCom institutions ever, Morecambe and Wise.

The inimitable double act made three movies before joining the BBC from ITV, and we'll start at the beginning with the first instalment, the spy pastiche, Intelligence Men. It is hard to imagine Morecambe and Wise before the BBC series and Christmas specials that endure in the memories of all Brits of a certain age, but the pair had been going long before The Stripper, long before Andre Previn, Angela Ripon, and Glenda Jackson, and The Intelligence Men is very much part of a different era.

As well as the film, we'll dive deep into Two of a Kind, the Morecambe and Wise ITV series of the 1960s. As if that wasn't enough, all three of us count down our top three British comedy double acts. All this, plus the culmination of the series four quiz. Join us for the first in a much lesser-known trilogy.

Morecambe and Wise - Two of a Kind with the Beatles

https://youtu.be/Qw9dJG8GnmY?si=5X1bUeXhjHpjRSZL

Morecambe and Wise - Two of a Kind with Roy Castle 

https://youtu.be/gC1XaYGGJVc?si=-0PD0oJrWfHZTNbu

She'll Have to Go - With Bob Monkhouse

https://youtu.be/BpvRcXADNXA?si=zPn8OD00B9yumRJu

Morecambe and Wise on The Sweeney 

https://youtu.be/yXuLlhOt1xk?si=mrI5ZcCGrKAFGsbr

Two Ronnies - Mastermind 

https://youtu.be/QRhyc56aVb0?si=bPoG9lMJf7p3cL08

Morecambe and Wise - Mastermind 

https://youtu.be/HEjdJszBbY8?si=93WNU3b8bHYa-FCk

Ellie and Natasia - Saturday Kitchen 

https://youtu.be/XDVECscArVQ?si=G-CzJ9zFsuvI4fmF

Adam and Joe - Room For Change

https://youtu.be/b-d0RZKexNA?si=CJbwCMB1K5mRMvva

Derek and Clive - The Pope

https://youtu.be/RPcDREaxsu8?si=4ORwpEJdN5Pr_8cK

Vic and Bob - Hernia Hotline

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdBSmt9v/

Vic and Bob - The Club

https://youtu.be/LjjjVApPePw?si=YPZ-LIm6XiMkciJu

French and Saunders Go to the Movies 

https://youtu.be/BczGvH60a38?si=aGjHp-_h6orIQ-iY

Derek and Clive - Cancer 

https://youtu.be/KDerCtj3-RI?si=GqcvD16BqP8zUgvq

The Intelligence Men - Full Movie 

https://youtu.be/kGy5HRI8plg?si=NfDWYezPONaLSgYC

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It's only from 12 years ago, yet Powder Room is not a British indie that sticks in the memory. Indeed, it didn't exactly perform at the box office. Only 2,100 people went to see it in British cinemas, making it the least successful film we've profiled so far.

Susan Nickson on Channel 4's Lloyds Bank Film Challenge 

https://youtu.be/iQ6qz4nyX0M?si=U7iSIUXz3_nOsTQi

Two Pints of Lager - Biscuit Rap

https://youtu.be/anRKT3hYz60?si=d5m5JoDntsBAN_5j

Two Pints of Lager - Phone Messages 

https://youtu.be/m8IM-MFeKvk?si=gaxjVJOHeLsI-JfA

Newport State of Mind - Directed by MJ Delaney 

https://youtu.be/Eijc2tGe-zM?si=MMhLXUeRLsqEPyhz

That One Guy Who's Always Preaching - Key and Peele

https://youtu.be/GrYbMbudILQ

Powder Room Trailer 

https://youtu.be/77Eb6NsLFqE?si=kY3j-hhxs3KYutwN

Powder Room - Bad Night

https://youtu.be/KlUG46H4W8o?si=iTee2ZuyYNIIIyfu

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It's another visit back to the old school this week. We go all the way back to 1970 for a rom-com...of sorts. The Jonathan Miller-directed Take A Girl Like You. 

As it is directed by Miller, we're also going to talk about his comedy breakthrough Beyond the Fringe. A show without which we might not have any modern comedy. So for extreme old-school source material, it made sense to have a new school comedian on the show to discuss the origins of her craft.

The hilarious Jain Edwards joined Rob and Guy to assess the lasting impact of Beyond the Fringe, as well as the, let's say, dated attitudes of Take A Girl Like You.

A standout cast of Hayley Mills and Oliver Reed, as well as supporting roles of the British kings of satire John Bird and John Fortune, this sex comedy couldn't be all that bad... could it?!

Oliver Reed on the Word

https://youtu.be/EvCh6bbSQDg?si=6W7dHB7jmAqRkiCb

Hayley Mills at Disney 

https://youtu.be/zeAmQ2zmVoY?si=M1XVL-Jbll6_r3t1

Hayley Mills in Twisted Nerve - Trailer 

https://youtu.be/BWoMM6-fpAA?si=dp1BF04ormKHe5aZ

Beyond the Fringe 

https://youtu.be/KUd1OxPbKk4?si=k4QDTCsOkVAgwYgJ

One legged Tarzan 

https://youtu.be/lbnkY1tBvMU?si=Tbv38-0BRHtOZzP4

Take a Girl Like You - trailer

https://youtu.be/AZzpyfJZwMs?si=s-GiYaSW1UQn6qkb

Take a Girl Like You - Dick Thompson 

https://youtu.be/KF5pXwpwEH4?si=G4UVv8kutnrW_aao

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For episode seven, we have another movie from 2024. Wicked Little Letters is Jonny Sweet's retelling of the curious case of the Littlehampton Letters. A falling out involving some incredibly creative, foul-mouthed penwomanship.

As the film is written by Jonny Sweet, it made sense to also talk about his similar time-period sitcom Chickens, which he co-wrote with Simon Bird and Joe Thomas.

Joining Guy and Rob to discuss both these works was Tracy Milnes. Herself already a big fan of the film, could she convert Rob and Guy to the Church of Wicked Little Letters? There'll be plenty of Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley and Timothy Spall chat and some suspicious quiz scoring. Check out episode seven!

Johnny Sweet in When Boris met Dave

https://youtu.be/KiM3uUqsO7E?si=VzIXB-87kVDhMITv

Olivia Colman in bruiser

https://youtu.be/MA6ksn6oNYk?si=daNVOzPUw6tc5r1z

 Olivia Colman in Peep Show

https://youtu.be/3l1mbCSUw-0?si=mq5-7M5mtj-nJqTc

Olivia Colman in Look Around You

https://youtu.be/g7JrUGhfcTI?si=K8N0npre5iAlnunS

Jessie Buckley in I'd Do Anything

https://youtu.be/yKiCTEf6Xn0?si=hhUGfPlA-onr26Dv

Jessie Buckley in Beast

https://youtu.be/cdzfnve-10A?si=L4cV6If2bc5RW2Ik

Jessie Buckley in Chernobyl 

https://youtu.be/xqbUJYgd8_E?si=p_aNMcjvdsCuPo23

Chickens Episode 1

https://youtu.be/B6ydb5Nb__Y?si=WrN5PyhYhADTmWlJ

Wicked Little Letters Trailer

https://youtu.be/SeTeCWbF8KY?si=9FF89S2vkxsxFJkb

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