BBC to remake classic Sitcoms

I am looking forward to the BBC remakes of some of their classic shows from back in the 1960s/1970s but with a few reservations. Back then TV was not has political correct as it is today some sitcom had racist overtones and plenty were sexist.

I am lead to believe these new updated to mark the 60th anniversary for the sitcom Hancock’s Half Hour first airing on TV. They will be using original scrips for these remakes some of episodes where no recordings survived.

The first images from the TV remakes have been release of Till Death Us Do Part, Steptoe and Son and Hancock’s Half Hour see below. The re-emergence of Alf Garnett will send a shiver down the spine of the PC brigade is he was notoriously anti socialist, racist, and sexist, which I expect will be dumbed down in the remake.

The episode set to be re-created is titled A Woman’s Place is in the Home. In the 1967 episode, Alf arrives home to an empty house and a burnt supper as wife Else is at the pictures when his daughter arrives home she simply doesn’t care. He then sets about “putting things right” in his own particular way.

Steptoe and Son is one of my all-time favourite sitcom so straight away, there is a lot to live up to, but I will not be comparing the two I will be looking for them to pay justice to the original. Harry H Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell were the perfect foil to each other as their relationship was on screen while off they had grown to dislike each other intensely.

This year marks six decades since Hancock’s Half Hour made the leap from radio to TV – a pivotal moment in comedy history. Regarded as the daddy of all comedy sitcoms being the first televised I had to play catch up as it was broadcasted before I was born and ended its run when I was a baby. Actor Kevin McNally will be stepping up to play Tony Hancock, with Robin Sebastian, Kevin Eldon, Jon Culshaw, and Katy Wix all co-starring.

These aren’t the only revamped sitcoms planned either, with a Keeping Up Appearances prequel titled Young Hyacinth in the works, alongside remakes of Are You Being Served?, The Good Life, Up Pompeii and Porridge where Ronnie Barker’s character Fletch’s grandson is now in prison. In Goodnight Sweetheart, most of the original characters will be returning.

These are plan as one off but if one or two are successful, there could be a new series commission of a whole series of the likes of Steptoe and Son or pick out one or two episodes.

Jeff Rawle and Ed Coleman as Steptoe and Son duo in the new remake

Simon Day will become Alf Garnett in the remake of Till Death Us Do Part

Hancock’s Half Hour with Kevin McNally alongside impressionist Jon Culshaw