John Fortune

1996 comedy sketch is an eerie prophecy of Brexit

A recently reemerged clip from the 90s comedy sketch show Bremner, Bird and Fortune, which starred comedians John Bird, John Fortune and Rory Bremner, takes a shot at the Eurosceptics of the mid-90s. Bird assumes the character of George Parr, a fictional Tory MP who isn't too fond of the EU, the European Court of Human Rights, Greek words and the women of Luxembourg.

John Bird and John Fortune - 1962 review

In this extract originally published in the Observer on 14 January 1962, an early Soho appearance by the duo makes our critic laugh, even if he finds something essential lacking.

5 of John Fortune's funniest satirical sketches

We take a look back at 5 of the most memorable moments from The Long Johns series.

John Fortune: 'one of satire's leading lights'

Michael Hogan pays tribute to the comedian John Fortune who has died at the age of 74.

Rory Bremner, John Bird and John Fortune take their satirical scalpels to the election. With three shows (tonight, tomorrow and Tuesday) in which to poke political fun, the trio keep things topical by recording each programme on the day of its transmission. Bremner provides impressions and analysis with Bird and Fortune adopting their usual guises as senior political figures.

Rory Bremner interview

For the moment, budget cuts mean Bremner is recording themed specials rather than the topical series that needs weekly recording time. People say nobody saw the financial crisis coming but he has sketches going back to 1996 in which John Bird and John Fortune lampooned the whole City culture.

Impressionist Rory Bremner and his regular collaborators John Bird and John Fortune have, arguably, become the kings of biting topical satirical comedy. And in this new three-part series, everything is fair game. MPs and their expenses, the current financial disaster and Gordon Brown's much-derided grin in the video he recently released on YouTube get the skewering they so richly deserve.

A new three-part series from Rory Bremner, John Bird and John Fortune focuses first on the economic recovery, or lack of it, as well as looking askance at Gordon Brown's frightening smile and the "Sachsgate" affair. This was recorded in advance of the full horror of the MPs' expenses scandal; that will no doubt be explored in future weeks.

Everyone, from the writer Christopher William Hill down, seems to have had a whale of a time making this comedy set in the past but concerning a radio soap that takes place in 2008.

And you can see why. Two worlds are your oyster, and events in both of them are known. In 1962 you have all the events going on that happened then - reds under the bed, mainly - while the 2008 stuff that the characters in the soap imagine would be commonplace now (still with me?) provokes the usual knowing laughter that comes from knowing how wrong they got it.

Toss in rampant paranoia along the lines of 1984 (the book, not the year), a death or two and a first-rate cast (Peter Bowles, Cheryl Campbell and John Fortune) and you have something that should come to boil nicely over the next six weeks.