A number of popular British TV shows have been removed from streaming services due to their controversial content being too outrageous to broadcast.
Streamers like Netflix, NOW TV, Britbox and the BBC have taken a stand against shows for their use of racial slurs, sexist language and blackface as ‘times have changed.’
These include the likes of once popular shows such as Little Britain, Come Fly With Me, Fawlty Towers and Bo Selecta.
Even Ant and Dec‘s Saturday Night Takeaway has had episodes pulled over the presenters’ use of blackface.
In recent years big stars have been promoted to release an apology after acknowledging that their shows caused offence.
Matt Lucas said that some of his Little Britain sketches were ‘wrong,’ while Bo’ Selecta star Leigh Francis saying he ‘didn’t realise how offensive’ his work was at the time.
Here is a full list of British TV shows you can no longer watch and details of why they were removed from streaming platforms.
Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
Saturday Night Takeaway has had early episodes pulled from streaming sites
During early episodes of Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway between 2003 and 2004, the popular ITV sketch show featured some controversial moments.
The Geordie duo dressed as Jamaican women and Japanese girls using makeup and exaggerated accents and was removed from ITV’s catch-up service as a result.
The presenters apologised, saying: ‘We realise that this was wrong and want to say that we are sincerely sorry to everyone that we offended.
‘We purposely stopped doing this several years ago and certainly would not make these sketches today.’
Little Britain
Little Britain was banned from major streaming platforms
Little Britain first landed on the box in 2003.
Starring David Walliams and Matt Lucas, it was a TV favourite across the nation when it first aired but it has now been removed from Netflix, NOW TV, Britbox and BBC iPlayer.
This is because of its controversial portrayal of black and Asian characters as well as gay characters and those with disabilities.
Speaking about removing the sitcom, A BBC spokesperson said: ‘There’s a lot of historical programming available on BBC iPlayer, which we regularly review.
‘Times have changed since Little Britain first aired, so it is not currently available on BBC iPlayer.’
Two years later Little Britain returned to BBC iPlayer but there had been major changes to the episodes.
Peep Show
Peep Show hit screens 20 years ago, as the lives of the horrifyingly relatable Mark and Jez played out and garnered fans across the globe
A series two episode of Peep Show in which Jez (Robert Webb) wears blackface has been re-edited for Netflix.
But the unedited version remains on Channel 4’s streaming service.
In a statement, Channel 4 said: ‘We do not believe that erasing our creative history is a quick fix for the issues affecting our society today.’
Come Fly With Me
Come Fly With Me received backlash for blackface
Come Fly With Me was David and Matt’s follow-up series to Little Britain, but was set in an airport.
It was removed from major streaming sites like BBC iplayer and Netflix for featuring blackface.
Creators and stars David and Matt have apologised for any offence caused by their programs.
Matt tweeted in 2020: ‘David and I have both spoken publicly in recent years of our regret that we played characters of other races. Once again, we want to make it clear that it was wrong and we are very sorry.’
Bo Selecta
The reinvention comes after Craig David and Trisha Goddard slammed Leigh for his ‘racist’ depiction of him on his Channel 4 sketch show Bo’ Selecta!
The Channel 4 comedy has been removed from All4.
It was duer to Leigh Francis’ portrayal of Michael Jackson, Craig David and Trisha Goddard using latex face masks.
The comedian has since apologised, saying in an Instagram video: ‘I portrayed many black people. Back then I didn’t think anything about it, people didn’t say anything, I’m not going to blame other people.
‘I didn’t realise how offensive it was back then.’
Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers was temporarily removed from UK TV
Fawlty Towers had one of its episodes, The Germans (1975), temporarily removed from UK TV over ‘racial slurs’ and ‘outdated language’.
The episode showed the character Major Gowen (Ballard Berkeley) repeatedly using the N-word in reference to members of the West Indies cricket team.
It was taken off the platform while the streamer carried out an investigation.
The League of Gentlemen
The League of Gentlemen was pulled from Netflix
The League of Gentlemen follows the lives of four bizarre characters in Royston Vasey, a fictional town in northern England.
It was pulled from Netflix due to the use of blackface.
However, the series remains available to stream on BBC iPlayer with co-creator Reece Shearsmith stating that his character Papa Lazarou was supposed to be black.
‘It was not me doing a black man,’ he said.
‘It was always this clown-like make-up, and we just came up with what we thought was the scariest idea to have in a sort of Child Catcher-like way.
The Mighty Boosh
The Mighty Boosh was pulled from Netflix
Netflix removed all three series of Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt’s BBC series, The Mighty Boosh.
It was pulled from the streamer due to Fielding’s performance, which saw him don dreadlocks and blackface paint to portray the ghost of a famous jazz musician in a number of episodes.
The comedy has remained available on BBC iPlayer.
