Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule - BBC2 Saturday 10:05pm
degsyhufc
Posts: 59,251 Forum Member
✭
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04w7m97
Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule
Comedian Rik Mayall died suddenly on 9 June 2014. Mayall's blend of rocket-fuelled physical comedy, surrealism, subversive satire and pompous punk wit left a body of work that spanned four decades. Mayall's characters include the Black Country's investigative nerd Kevin Turvey, Felicity Kendal-adoring student and 'People's Poet' Rik in The Young Ones, ruthless MP Alan B'Stard in The New Statesman, seedy loser Richie in Bottom and larger-than-life characters Robin Hood and flying ace Lord Flashheart from Blackadder.
Narrated by Simon Callow, this programme salutes Rik Mayall and celebrates his part in the UK's comedy history using rare and unseen archive footage. It also features contributions from people who knew or admired him, including Michael Palin, Simon Pegg, Lenny Henry, Ben Elton, Alexei Sayle, Christopher Ryan, Tim McInnerny, Jools Holland, Ruby Wax and Greg Davies.
0
Comments
Wasn't a fan of Bottom or Filthy Rich and Catflap, but there we go
No . . . but imminent!
No Ade interview? Odd.
Refused to take part apparently
I am watching it, sorry Ade, just because I'm reminded of how brilliant he was, and that period of comedy was wonderful.
I remember everyone at school quoting that after it was on tv.
With all due respect to Ade what was he expecting? Hours program on the tele with friends and family talking about the persons career is what most 'famous' people get
I loved Riks work as much as anyone but cant really see how he deserved more tbh
Rik Mayall performing contortionism early 1980's: http://youtu.be/K2FMB2h3dj8
And then, in June, Mayall died. He had never been quite the same after a serious quad bike accident in 1998 left him in a coma for several days, says Edmondson; the incident left Mayall “strangely more emotional; still very funny”. His death was horribly sudden. This is the first time Edmondson has spoken publicly about it.
“I mean, Rik’s death is just enormous and I haven’t talked to anyone other than close friends about it,” he says and, as he talks, he swivels round in his chair so that he is not looking at me, but is facing sideways towards the wall. His gaze drifts inwards. His sentences start and stop, slowly become more pause than speech. “I don’t really know how to talk about it to other people. I’m aware that people want something from me – not just you, but other people – and I don’t quite know how to give them what it is they want.”
He looks at me, apologetic. “I knew you’d ask and, erm, I’ve been trying to think of a cogent way of talking about it but I think, the thing is, I’m just completely awash, still. I don’t know where I am with him.”
The BBC approached him recently to take part in a tribute programme.
“I was sent the synopsis and it was all wacky and wild and…” he breaks off and sighs. “You could see it was just going to be a load of talking heads and clips, so I pulled out of that… I just think he deserves something better than that. And I think, if someone important dies, you can’t be flippant about it.”
Mayall’s death was made more difficult by the fact that the duo had not worked together for 10 years. Edmondson hadn’t wanted to retread old ground: he was proud of what they’d achieved and thought it stood on its own merits. He wanted to try different things – he formed a folk band, the Bad Shepherds, in 2008. He presented a few documentary series. Last year, he won Celebrity MasterChef. He didn’t want to reunite with Mayall just to do “a shit, late series like Morecambe and Wise”. He felt they’d had their allotted two boiled eggs, so why would they want four?
It was a decision, he says, that “confused” his writing partner: “I spent 10 years trying to explain to him why I didn’t want to work with him, you know, and it was tough.”
But they stayed friends. The last time Edmondson saw Mayall, the two of them went for a walk around Hyde Park: “We had a great time… and chatted about ordinary stuff.” They got on so well, he thinks, because they had a shared background. Both were the children of teachers, both went to “middle-class, direct-grant schools”.
“We were both, sort of, arty ******* but with a taste for beer,” he says, only half-joking. “So when we met we had a kind of shorthand.”
Was lucky enough to see him live in 'Bottom: Hooligans Island', had face ache from laughing so much.
Me too. Almost like a reading at a funeral.
I totally understand Ade not wanting to be on this, it was a very nice tribute programme, with some clips I had no seen before and the tributes were fitting and well made. Ade is too close to have appeared on it, if that makes sense.
Found it...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04pvl7c