Comedy Connections

Till Death Do Us Part (6x1)

: 18, 2008

The series charting the history of the best of British comedy returns for a sixth series by taking a look at Till Death Do Us Part, which burst onto screens in June 1966. The sitcom was the most controversial, offensive and original programme of its time with the foul-mouthed, East London bigot, Alf Garnett, becoming one of Britain's greatest comedy characters. Comedy Connections reveals how Peter Sellers was the original choice to play Alf, lifts the lid on the simmering tensions between actors Warren Mitchell and Tony Booth, and discusses the language and racial attitudes displayed by Alf Garnett. Till Death Do Us Part courted controversy from the outset and became the bete noir of Mary Whitehouse's Viewers and Listeners Association, which complained, not about the show's racist language, but the use of the word 'bloody'. Despite this, family Garnett were fought over by the BBC and ITV, appearing at various points on both networks for nearly 40 years. Interviewees include Warren Mitchell, Anthony Booth, Una Stubbs, Kenny Lynch, Ken Campbell, producers Richard Boden and William G Stewart, and former controller of BBC One Michael Peacock.