page_title: Little Britain
section_title: Television series
hierarchical_section_title: Little Britain / History / Television series
caption_attribution_description: English: Little Britain comedians David Williams and Matt Lucas at Live 8 Deutsch: Little Britain Darsteller David Williams und Matt Lucas während dem Live 8
context_page_description: Little Britain is a British sketch comedy series that began as a radio show in 2000 and ran as television series between 2003 and 2007. One-off specials were broadcast in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2020. It was written and performed by David Walliams and Matt Lucas. Financed by the BBC, the radio series was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4, with the initial two television series premiering on BBC Three and the third and final series on BBC One.
  The programme consists of a series of sketches involving exaggerated parodies of British people from various walks of life. Each sketch was introduced by a voice-over narration suggesting that the programme was a guide – aimed at non-British people – to British society. Despite the narrator's description of "great British institutions", the comedy arises from the British audience's self-deprecating understanding of either themselves or of people known to them.
context_section_description: Like several other BBC comedies (such as Dead Ringers and The Mighty Boosh), Little Britain made the transition from radio to television. All the episodes for the series were filmed at Pinewood Studios. Much of the TV material was adapted from the radio version, but with more emphasis on recurring characters and catchphrases.
  Series One, 2003
  The first TV series was one of the new programmes in the launch line-up for digital channel BBC Three, the replacement for BBC Choice, which launched in February 2003. As a result of its success, the first series was repeated on the more widely available BBC Two. Although reactions were mixed, many critics were enthusiastic, and the programme was commissioned for another run. Part of the series was filmed in Kent at Herne Bay - Emily Howard the Lady, and the Lou and Andy sketches.
  Series Two, 2004
  The second series, featuring several new characters, began on BBC Three on 19 October 2004. Its continued popularity meant the repeats moved to BBC One, starting on 3 December 2004. The episodes were edited for their BBC One run, to cut out any material that might have been too offensive for the more mainstream BBC One audience.
  Series Three, 2005
  A third series began on 17 November 2005, for the first time on BBC One and not BBC Three, and ended six weeks later. After its transmission, it was unclear whether there would be another, as many sketches were given dramatic twists and "wrapped up" — (see individual character articles). Lucas and Walliams were reportedly in talks for a fourth series with the BBC. Furthermore, they admitted in an interview they preferred to "kill off" certain characters in order to make way for new ones.
  Little, Little Britain, 2005
  In 2005, to raise money for Comic Relief, Walliams and Lucas made a special edition of the show, dubbed Little, Little Britain. The episode included a variety of sketches with celebrities including George Michael, Robbie Williams and Sir Elton John. This was released on a limited edition DVD and was released in the United States as Little, Little Britain on the region 1 version of the Little Britain: Series 2 DVD.
  Little Britain Abroad, 2006
  In 2006, a two-part Christmas special was released, in which characters from the programme were depicted as visiting other countries.
caption: Lou Todd and Andy Pipkin, recurring characters in the series
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