Ronald Crook

## Bio

**Ronald Crook** is a tabloid news journalist known for using unethical means to get interviews. Employed by Bentral TV, he confesses he hates the wealthy and considers himself a Socialist, prefers in a fairer distribution of wealthy, even though he's not that charitable himself. He's not above starting fights to justify his own means and even speaks with a profanity-sprinkled dialogue.

Joined by a crew, Crook plans an expose to bust Raji Ben Ali Yakkiman, a corrupt businessman who employs illegal immigrants and underage kids under sweatshop conditions in a carpet factory. When Mr. Yakkiman shows up, the team swarms in on him, but the businessman just opens his car door, hitting Crook in the process, before unlocking his gate, silently driving in and closing his gate behind him without facing them. Locked out, Crook advises his driver (Duggie Small) to ram the gate with their van. Crashing through, they drive over a cat, and the cameraman (Henry McGee) gets footage of it. At the door, Crook actually stops to check his hair and use the door bell. Not getting a rely, he raps on the door with the microphone, which annoys the sound guy (Bob Todd).

Still not getting a response from inside, Crook kicks through the door as his director (Jon Jon Keefe) and driver charge in, dragging out Yakkiman (Albert Moses) and his wife (Anna Dawson). Yakkiman remains oddly silently as Crook insults him and his wife, eventually learning the man doesn't speak English. With the wife acting as interpreter, she reveals that Crook has actually attacked Mr. Apu Dhurani of the Dhurani Film School. Crook has the wrong house!!

Screaming at his crew to turn off their cameras, Crook discovers he's now the victim of an expose on corrupt reporters. A sound guy with a cameraman (both unidentified) push a microphone to his face followed by an investigative team (Carla De Wansey and two identified) emerging from the side of the house along with another team (Mike Mulloy, Vicky Facey(?) and unidentified) from the bushes to question his code of ethics. Crook's team dive into the van to escape, dragging Crook down the driveway by his microphone. They drive over the statues at the gate in their escape, but Crook is left fleeing through the streets hounded by the ITV reporters. He tries hiding in a bathroom, but they materialize in it. At the park, he feels watched and they emerge from behind a tree. When he sits at a bench, a microphone comes up in front of him. Down the street, he fakes the sound of a collusion between two motorists (Mike Mulloy and Jon Jon Keefe(?)), stealing the lead car and racing down the street with reporters filing the streets and appearing on the hood of the car. Eventually, he drives down a one-way street and over a cliff. At the bottom, the reporters finally confront him as he passes out from the crash.

## Trivia

* Ronald Crook is played by Benny Hill.
* This sketch has a rare moment as Benny is using profanity in character.
* Benny's crew includes Jon Jon Keefe (director), Henry McGee (camera), Bob Todd (sound) and Duggie Small) (driver). Johnny Hutch plays the homeless person.
* The clap board in the sketch has the name of R. Sieman, Benny's actual field camerman.
* The statues Duggie Small drives over aren't at the gate when Albert Moses arrives.
* Unlike other chases in the series, the chase starts without Yakety Sax which doesn't begin until the credits appear.
* The sketch was based on Roger Cook, host of "The Cook Report" and British investigative reporter known for "ambush journalism" reporting.

## Gallery

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