I loved Benny Hill. He appealed to me as the very ordinary guy that people liked, the chubby little fellow who seemed to get the girls and for the most important reason – he was just damn funny.
It’s a crying shame he was ousted from TV, pushed aside by the PC brigade who didn’t want to upset anyone. In fact, Ben Elton very famously suggested that crimes of rape were Benny’s fault, because of the way women were portrayed on his show. Although Elton later claimed he was quoted… out of context, that ‘quote’ was probably the beginning of Benny’s end as far as ITV was concerned. Benny was no more harmful than the saucy seaside postcard, never sought to offend anyone and was generally the butt of the jokes in his sketches.
Benny died just 68, alone and in sitting in his living room chair in 1992. It’s incredible to me that he passed that way, having been one of our favourite comedians for decades. So for those of you who have forgotten about Benny, or who have never seen him perform, here is Mr Hill at his creative and comedic best.
ERNIE
Steve Connolly's Blog
I loved Benny Hill. He appealed to me as the very ordinary guy that people liked, the chubby little fellow who seemed to get the girls and for the most important reason – he was just damn funny.
It’s a crying shame he was ousted from TV, pushed aside by the PC brigade who didn’t want to upset anyone. In fact, Ben Elton very famously suggested that crimes of rape were Benny’s fault, because of the way women were portrayed on his show. Although Elton later claimed he was quoted… out of context, that ‘quote’ was probably the beginning of Benny’s end as far as ITV was concerned. Benny was no more harmful than the saucy seaside postcard, never sought to offend anyone and was generally the butt of the jokes in his sketches.
Benny died just 68, alone and in sitting in his living room chair in 1992. It’s incredible to me that he passed that way, having been one of our favourite comedians for decades. So for those of you who have forgotten about Benny, or who have never seen him perform, here is Mr Hill at his creative and comedic best.
ERNIE