If you've been enjoying the antics of Benny Hill on BBC America, I have sad news for you: the series is being removed from the channel.
The decision to remove The Benny Hill Show from the channel's lineup is just part of a new makeover that's discarding many older shows for newer ones. The channel hopes to give American audiences more modern shows instead of older fare such as Hill and Are You Being Served? and replace them with newer shows like Torchwood and Hollyoaks.
I must say, I never really understood the appeal of Benny Hill, though that certainly doesn't mean it was a bad show. Obviously, a lot of people liked the series, and how many of us can watch a scene shot in high speed and not start humming that goofy Benny Hill chase music?
I have to ask: will any of you miss Benny once he's gone? Or is he an artifact of an earlier age and no longer relevant?
[via CC Insider]















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-11-2007 @ 3:34PM
mike m said...
I won't miss him one bit. The older shows are good, but really unwatchable nowadays.
Give me Coupling, The Office, Two Pints, Lead Balloon, Torchwood, Hollyoaks, Life on Mars, and Robin Hood any day! I download these shows via torrents anyway, but It's still nice to have them on since they're better than the majority of programming offered elsewhere.
I presume this is because of the recent success of Robin Hood. I was a fan of it when it premiered, and I'm a fan of it now. I remember Martin(the resident BritBlogger) wasn't too keen on it, but it has a certain American flair and is high in quality. Now all we need to do is get reduce the number of Whose Line episodes and BBCA will be Must See TV every evening.
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4-11-2007 @ 4:01PM
BC said...
I understand the appeal and the connection to traditional English music hall and vaudeville entertainment. But the show has been in syndication for three decades on American TV, so I didn't understand why BBC America needed to show it, several times a day, every day, with occasional marathons. Especially since the day a little over two years ago I turned on the TV to watch the second-to-last episode of a series I'd beeen watching, which I had missed on the first run, and discovered BBC America had abruptly changed the schedule and Benny Hill was now on in the time slot. It's had a run, now it's time for something else.
BBC America's habit of dropping series without completing them with no notice or explanation really annoys me; most British series only run 6 or so episodes at a time, so how big a problem can low ratings be, when something new is going to be on next month anyway? Especially when they drop programs mid-run just to replace them with more "Whose Line Is It Anway" episodes; it can be amusing, but who could watch it for three hours in a row, which is currently the Thursday night lineup? Fortunately, I did find out that this time at least, the unaired episodes of "Hollyoaks: In the City" were on BBC: America On Demand.
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4-11-2007 @ 4:26PM
James said...
Adam,
Sorry to break the news to you, but Benny Hill passed away in 1992. I'm sure many of his fans still miss him.
Just having fun with ya! Enjoy your animation recaps and I know we share the same sense of humor (Cross, Tim and Eric, Mr Show). Keep up the great writing!
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4-11-2007 @ 5:06PM
knight3985 said...
ba-de-ba-de-ba-de-ba....... THATS ALL FOLKS!!!!...... It's just to bad for the -Bad boys- They had ther Day... I guess we are the Lucky Ones that still have a laugh left over from yesterday.... R.I.P.... BENNY WE STILL LOVE YA .... shit head
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4-11-2007 @ 5:22PM
Tia said...
I'm just really glad that BBC America is finally going to start airing the new season of Life on Mars because I watched the first three episodes online and enjoyed every second of it. Plus its not mentioned here, but the network will also be airing MI-5, which is really good news cuz its also a really good scripted show. As for Torchwood, I haven't gotten the chance to watch it, but if its as good as Doctor Who, then I will definitely tune in...
By the way I hated some of those older programs that BBC America has been showing. They play shows like Benny Hill and Whose Line is it Anyway like 20 times a day. I'm really glad for the change especially since there are some really good British television shows out there.
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4-11-2007 @ 5:38PM
Ralph said...
Oddly enough, I find my favorite Brit shows on other networks: "Midsomer Murders", "Poirot", and "Sherlock Holmes" all air (or aired, they're mucking the schedule up a bit) over on Biography Channel, of all places.
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4-11-2007 @ 7:17PM
Cyberphin said...
I've always been aware of Benny Hill but never watched until recently.
There is always someone new to even a show as syndicated as this.
I guess I'll just watch Stewie's Sexy parties!
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4-11-2007 @ 7:35PM
Karen said...
I do have a lingering fondness for Benny Hill, if only because he makes me remember the sound of my late father giggling hysterically at the show when it first appeared here in the late 70s or early 80s. My father had the greatest giggle.
But watching him now, in my 40s, on his own merits--I just find him embarrassing.
If bumping him gets us the second season of "Green Wing" or "Life on Mars," though, I'll have no problem with that at ALL.
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4-12-2007 @ 10:19AM
Valerie St. John said...
No Way - I am soo glad to read this ridiculous program is finally off the air! More over, from what I have heard, there was an actress who played a character on the show of my same name - that's particularly annoying, because it happens to be my real name in real life - my parents never watched the show in 70's, so can't blame them. It's funny how the names of characters in TV shows and movies are the actual real names of real people...
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4-16-2007 @ 10:24PM
zkam said...
BTW, The Benny Hill theme is actually called "Yakkety Sax"
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:difpxqugldje
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4-29-2007 @ 6:12AM
Don said...
Yes I'll miss Benny Hill, I've always liked British humor starting back in the 40s when Much Binding In the Marsh was on with Richard Murdock, Kenith Horn I forget the other two one was a woman was on Shortwave
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5-28-2007 @ 11:28PM
Tammy said...
Yes, I will miss watching the Benny Hill Show. He was so funny. I couldn't wait to get home from school to watch him. If I was in a bad mood, watching his show made me feel better. I know this is an old show,but it is still funny.
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6-13-2007 @ 10:28AM
Jean Moore said...
What fun is there in watching newer programming from the U.K. when they're all more or less copies of U.S. fare with U.K. accents!
There are MANY of us over here who would LOVE to see reruns of "Piece of Cake", "Blakes 7", "Space 1999" even!
Just one more show without overt sexuality, racial confrontations, vulgar language, and killings galore!
If the so-called "modern" programming being sent to the States on BBC America defines modern life in Britan, I shan't be taking my holiday there!
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