British Comedy Guide
British Comedy Guide
The British Comedy Quiz

Quiz 256: The answers

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Here are this week's answers, question-by-question. Scroll down for a bonus cryptic question.

1. What is the name of this character, played by Ben Willbond, in Ghosts?

Ghosts. Captain (Ben Willbond). Copyright: Monumental Pictures
  1. The Captain
  2. The General
  3. The Major
  4. The Corporal
  5. The Brigadier

2. In which fictional English town is The Thin Blue Line set?

The Thin Blue Line. Image shows from L to R: D.I. Grim (David Haig), P.C. Goody (James Dreyfus), D.C. Boyle (Mark Addy), Inspector Fowler (Rowan Atkinson), P.C. Habib (Mina Anwar), P.C. Gladstone (Rudolph Walker), Sergeant Dawkins (Serena Evans). Copyright: Tiger Aspect Productions
  1. Grantleigh
  2. Gosford
  3. Dibley
  4. Walmington-on-Sea
  5. Gasforth

3. In which Carry On film did Barbara Windsor make her first appearance?

Carry On Spying. Image shows from L to R: Daphne Honeybutt (Barbara Windsor), Harold Crump (Bernard Cribbins), Charlie Bind (Charles Hawtrey), Desmond Simkins (Kenneth Williams). Copyright: Peter Rogers Productions / STUDIOCANAL
  1. Carry On Doctor
  2. Carry On Camping
  3. Carry On Henry
  4. Carry On Spying
  5. Carry On Cruising

4. Staying with Barbara Windsor, in which sitcom did she appear in one episode as a greengrocer called Millicent?

One Foot In The Grave. Image shows left to right: Millicent (Barbara Windsor), Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson)

Millicent takes a fancy to Victor Meldrew and attempts to lure him to her house when he misses a football match.

  1. dinnerladies
  2. Open All Hours
  3. One Foot In The Grave
  4. The Good Life
  5. 'Allo 'Allo!

5. What is the name of Janey Harper's son in My Family?

My Family. Image shows from L to R: Abi Harper (Siobhan Hayes), Janey Harper (Daniela Denby-Ashe), Michael Harper (Gabriel Thomson), Susan Harper (Zoë Wanamaker), Ben Harper (Robert Lindsay)
  1. Kenzo
  2. Kenneth
  3. Kyle
  4. Kieran
  5. Kevin

6. Which of these actors NEVER appeared in an episode of Steptoe And Son?

Steptoe And Son. Image shows from L to R: Harold Steptoe (Harry H. Corbett), Albert Steptoe (Wilfrid Brambell). Copyright: BBC

Patricia Routledge appeared in Seance in a Wet Rag and Bone Yard, Joanna Lumley was cast in Loathe Story, A Star is Born featured Trevor Bannister and Leonard Rossiter starred in The Desperate Hours and The Lead Man Cometh.

  1. Patricia Routledge
  2. John Le Mesurier
  3. Joanna Lumley
  4. Trevor Bannister
  5. Leonard Rossiter

7. How many full series of French And Saunders have been broadcast?

French And Saunders. Image shows from L to R: Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French. Copyright: BBC
  1. 5
  2. 6
  3. 7
  4. 8
  5. 9

8. In dinnerladies, what is the name of TV game show, presented by Henry Kelly, on which Bren appears in an attempt win £10,000?

dinnerladies. Brenda (Victoria Wood). Copyright: Good Fun / Pozzitive Productions
  1. Goldrush
  2. Going For Gold
  3. Totally Trivial
  4. Wheel Of Fortune
  5. Who's A Lucky Person?

9. In which year was Not Going Out first broadcast?

Not Going Out. Image shows from L to R: Kate (Megan Dodds), Lee (Lee Mack), Tim (Tim Vine). Copyright: Avalon Television
  1. 2004
  2. 2005
  3. 2006
  4. 2007
  5. 2008

10. What links the following sitcom episode titles? The Pop Star; Summer Holiday; The Pageant; The Vicar In White.

The Vicar Of Dibley. Geraldine Grainger (Dawn French)

Are You Being Served? finished with The Pop Star in 1985, Summer Holiday ended The Young Ones in 1984, Keeping Up Appearances concluded on The Pageant in 1995 and 2007 special The Vicar In White was the last full-length episode of The Vicar Of Dibley.

  1. They are episodes which have not be aired since they were first broadcast
  2. They are all Christmas specials from their respective series
  3. They are the first episodes of their respective series
  4. They are the last episodes of their respective series
  5. They all received a notable number of Ofcom complaints

Bonus cryptic question

Feeling brainy? BCG's Ian Wolf likes devising additional, obfuscated brain-teasers as an extra challenge. See if you can work this one out. You'll find the answer in the next quiz.

Why are 2023's British comedy Oscar nominee, a home guard commander, round shrinkage and the actor playing someone making bad choices so playful?

Last week's cryptic question

What paths would you be taking if you had some lager, some untold dark timber, Romana Barrack, the doormen's trip, and Shaun's debut?

Kate Emmett, Joanne Rutherford, Gary Richmond and Wayne Mason avoided hitting any dead ends with this one.

See the answer

The paths in question are all various types of thoroughfare.

Lager: Stella Artois, a link to Stella Street.

Untold dark timber: the radio sitcom The Secret Life Of Rosewood Avenue.

Romana Barrack: the real name of comedy writer Carla Lane.

The doormen's trip: Max And Paddy's Road To Nowhere.

Shaun's debut: A Close Shave featured the debut of Shaun the Sheep.

Thus the thoroughfares are a street, avenue, lane, road and a close.

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