Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse to spoof BBC Two
As part of forthcoming programming to mark the 50th anniversary of BBC Two, Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse have been given licence to lampoon the channel's output.
The comedy duo will present an hour-long special called either Harry & Paul's History Of The 2s or Harry & Paul's Story Of The Twos (at the time of writing which title has been adopted is un-clear).
The one-off show will see the double-act appearing as a number of the channel's well-known faces, with names such as Germaine Dreary, John Cleese-Shop-Sketch, Mark Egghead, Joan Bakewell Tart and Russell Somebody.
Enfield will narrate the series in the guise of history expert Simon Schama.
Programmes said to be mocked in Harry & Paul's Story Of The Twos include music show The Old Grey Whistle Test (renamed The Old Grey Wrinkled Testicle); Derek Jacobi drama I, Claudius; University Challenge; Monty Python's Flying Circus; Top Gear; The Apprentice; and The Great British Bake Off.
The Independent says: "Nothing is sacred. Sly digs are made at the supposed left-leanings of the BBC, its obsession with covering the First World War in endless detail and its enthusiasm for broadcasting snooker to viewers watching in black and white."
The sketches also include a scene in which BBC executives are seen to be struggling to think up a name for their new channel, before celebrating with "self-congratulatory whiskies all round" when they come up with the label 'BBC2'.
A source added: "From 1964 up to the present day they lampoon every iconic programme and every genre and every major talent."
The show is also set to star Kevin Eldon, Simon Day, Rosie Cavaliero and Catherine Shepherd in supporting roles.
BBC Comedy Commissioner Shane Allen told RadioTimes.com how he decided to commission Enfield and Whitehouse to make the show: "When I noticed the 50th anniversary looming, and having seen their amazing Question Time sketch, I thought it'd be great to get their take on all the iconic shows and people from BBC2's history. Harry wasn't sure it'd sustain but when he got in to the swing of it the ideas flowed really well. I think it's a real masterpiece and shows what superb impressionists they are as well as marvellous character comics.
"It sees these masters of social and cultural satire at the top of their game. They distil these heavyweight TV institutions in to a ridiculous essence and you'll never quite take the original that seriously ever again without these springing to mind."
Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse have worked together for many years, including on Harry Enfield's Television Programme, a sketch show which became a huge hit for BBC Two in the 1990s. So far they have delivered four series of their latest sketch show, Harry & Paul, the most recent two series of which have been on BBC Two.
Harry & Paul's Story Of The Twos will be broadcast in May. Other comedy programmes expected to be involved in the 50th anniversary programming include a new episode of Goodness Gracious Me and a documentary about The Fast Show.
In the below clip from Harry & Paul, the duo spoof business programme Dragons' Den: