Mind Your Language (UK TV series)

***Mind Your Language*** is a British sitcom that premiered on ITV on December 30, 1977. It was produced by London Weekend Television and directed by Stuart Allen. Three series were made by LWT between 1977–79, and the show was briefly revived in 1986 with six of the original cast.

The series was commissioned by Michael Grade, LWT Director of Programmes in 1977. Although the series was attracting some 18 million viewers, the programme was cancelled in 1979 by Grade, who considered the stereotyping offensive.

The show is set in an adult education college in London and focuses on the English as a Foreign Language class taught by Mr Jeremy Brown, portrayed by Barry Evans, who had to deal with a motley crew of foreign students. Brown holds a degree from Oxford University and, when hired, is warned that the previous teacher was driven insane by the students. Mr Brown is up to the challenge; however, he often has to put up with the students' often literal, creative interpretations of the English language.

Zara Nutley played Miss Dolores Courtney, Headmistress of the school. Ms. Courtney holds a very eminent dislike for the male sex, thinking women superior to men, and preferring to have female teachers instead of male. Hesitating to hire Mr. Jeremy Brown, she puts him on a month's trial, often dropping by the classroom to check up on the progress of Mr. Brown's class, and often getting disappointed.

Among the students are:

* Giovanni Cupello - stereotypical Italian chef with a misunderstanding of metaphors and large words, though he often answers wrongly on purpose to amuse the class. He often calls Mr. Brown "Professori". When shocked or surprised, he often remarks and he says the catchphrases like "Santa Maria", "Okey Cokey", "Buona Sera" or "Holy Ravioli".
* Anna Schmidt - stereotypical 1970s German who works as an au pair who mixes "V"s and "W"s. She also punctuates her sentences with German words. She is shown to have exceptional physical strength and she is never reluctant to show it, often punching fellow students if they try to flirt with her.
* Juan Cervantes - Spanish bartender who is always laughing at himself, confident of his answers even when they are completely wrong. His typical catchphrase is "s'alright!" and sometimes when he is corrected he says "Sorry, wrong number".
* Ali Nadim (played by Dino Shafeek, famous for also appearing as Chai Wallah Muhammed in the BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum) - Pakistani, and the first student to make an appearance. Practically, never seen without his Jinnah cap, he is the most vocal, and most honest, and hardworking of the students. He often misinterprets the English for a comical sense, but has a very fair command of it. Ali's typical catchphrases are "yes please" (in situations where he should say "yes, thank you"), "oh blimey!", "Squeeze me please" (which is how he pronounces "Excuse me please"), and "jolly good".
* Maximillian Andrea Archimedes Papandrious - stereotypial Greek shipping agency worker from Athens who tends to misunderstand metaphors and large words. He also has a heavy accent, which causes him to add "H" to almost every word he says.

The series was sold to other countries, including Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Singapore. It was also one of the first British TV programmes shown in South Africa after the end of the boycott by the British Actors' Equity Association. It was also broadcast in Canada on CBC in syndication from 1978 until 1982. The series made it onto some minor TV networks and independent TV stations in the United States of America (mainly in the mid West).

Various international television shows based on the premise of Mind Your Language have followed the original series. Among them are What a Country! (US), Zabaan Sambhalke (India and Pakistan), Second Chance! (Nigeria), Jami'ar Albarkawa (In Hausa language, Nigeria), Raja Kaduwa! (Sri Lanka), Classmates (Kenya) and Kelas Internasional (Indonesia).