A recent study conducted by television regulator Ofcom revealed that audiences consider a sketch from the TV show Little Britain, aired from 2003 to 2006, as “explicitly racist and outdated”. The contentious sketch, written and performed by David Walliams and Matt Lucas, portrays Walliams using racially offensive language in reference to an Asian student.
The study was part of an investigation into audience perceptions of offensive content across traditional TV and streaming services. Ofcom presented a selection of clips to participants for review, including the Little Britain sketch. The reaction was largely negative, with participants stating that societal attitudes have progressed since the show’s airing.
While a minority of participants found the sketch humorous, they acknowledged its potential to offend and appeared uncomfortable admitting their amusement. The study also revealed surprise among some participants that the episode was still accessible on the BBC iPlayer. They suggested that video on demand (VoD) platforms might be a more suitable home for such content, as they afford viewers the choice to watch or abstain.
However, the report noted that for some, the content was deemed too controversial, even for VoD platforms. The contentious episode on iPlayer is currently prefaced with a warning that reads: “Contains adult humour. Contains discriminatory language.” However, study participants felt this warning insufficient, proposing that a more explicit caution about the racist language and an explanation for its continued availability were essential.
The BBC has defended its decision to maintain the sketch on its platform, arguing that it is intended to highlight and lampoon the outdated racism and prejudice that persist in some facets of British society. A BBC spokesperson explained that all comedic content is evaluated based on its context and intent. They added that the episode forms part of the BBC’s comedy archive and that iPlayer viewers are informed about the presence of discriminatory language.
The study’s participants held varied perspectives on the continued accessibility of the sketch. While some saw it as a crucial reflection of societal attitudes of the time, others expressed fears that it could normalise racist behaviours, particularly among impressionable young viewers. A Scottish father, participating in the study, expressed his fear of his daughter mimicking the racist behaviours depicted in the sketch.
Other Little Britain episodes have been previously withdrawn from streaming services due to criticism over the use of blackface. The Ofcom study also presented clips from Jimmy Carr’s stand-up special His Dark Material, Channel 4’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Amazon Prime Video’s The Boys, and Disney’s The Aristocats.
