Paul Whitehouse’s Sketch Show Years is a brand-new UKTV Original series airing on Gold. The four-part series, curated and narrated by Mr. Paul Whitehouse, takes viewers on a journey through the history of British sketch shows over the past 60 years. Each episode broadly covers a decade, from the 1970s to more recent times, showcasing how these shows mirrored modern Britain’s story.
In the first episode, airing on Thursday, 27th June, at 10 pm, Paul Whitehouse begins his celebration with the roots of sketch shows in music hall and post-war radio. Expect performances from Tommy Handley, as well as a look at how the surrealist sketches of Monty Python pushed the boundaries of TV comedy. This episode also includes remastered Python material, shown for the very first time.
The episode explores the influence of sketch shows on Paul Whitehouse’s own career, including the impact of figures like Arthur Atkinson. Meanwhile, across primetime TV, household names emerged, including Dick Emery, Benny Hill, The Two Ronnies, and The Goodies, solidifying the 1970s as the start of TV comedy’s golden era.
Paul Whitehouse’s Sketch Show Years airs Thursday, 27 June, at 10:00 pm on Gold.
