Several beloved British TV shows have been pulled from streaming platforms due to their controversial content being deemed too offensive for broadcast. Streaming giants such as Netflix, NOW TV, Britbox and the BBC have taken a stand against programmes that feature racial slurs, sexist language and blackface, stating that 'times have changed.
This includes once-popular shows like Little Britain, Come Fly With Me, Fawlty Towers and Bo Selecta. Even episodes of Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway have been removed due to the hosts' use of blackface. In recent years, several high-profile stars have issued apologies after acknowledging that their shows caused offence.
Matt Lucas admitted that some of his Little Britain sketches were 'wrong,' while Bo' Selecta star Leigh Francis confessed he 'didn't realise how offensive' his work was at the time. Peep Show has also come under fire for their use of 'blackface'.
Peep Show, which also stars comedian David Mitchell, ran for nine series between 2003 and 2015 on Channel 4. Filmed through point of view shots, with characters speaking directly to camera, the cult comedy is now part of the archive content on both Netflix and All 4
An episode from the second series of Peep Show, featuring Jez (Robert Webb) in blackface, has been re-edited for Netflix. During a bedroom scene featuring Jez and his girlfriend Nancy, played Rachel Blanchard, Jez says: "It just feels almost wrong. Are you sure this isn't racist?"
Nancy replies: "We're breaking a taboo, of course it feels wrong. We've got boundaries to smash, Jeremy." Nancy later adds: "Jeremy, I come from America. I've seen the problems race brings up."
While Netflix has re-edited the scene the unedited version remains on Channel 4's streaming service. In response, Channel 4 stated: "We do not believe that erasing our creative history is a quick fix for the issues affecting our society today."
