BBC streaming service removes Fawlty Towers ‘Don’t mention the war’ episode
UKTV says 1970’s classic British comedy ‘contains racial slurs so we are taking the episode down while we review it’
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As entertainment companies grapple with the appropriateness of past productions in the wake of protests over the death of George Floyd, the BBC-run streaming service UKTV has pulled an episode of the 1970s comedy “Fawlty Towers” containing various racial slurs from its online package.
UKTV, which is owned by the BBC, said it was temporarily removing “The Germans” — the final episode of the first season of the classic British comedy starring John Cleese, which coined the catchphrase “Don’t mention the war!” — while it considered whether to drop it permanently.
“The episode contains racial slurs so we are taking the episode down while we review it,” UKTV said in a tweet, adding that the service was “particularly aware of the impact of outdated language.”
“We want to take time to consider our options for this episode,” the company said.
An update on Fawlty Towers for our viewers pic.twitter.com/O0kFR4Md8E
— Official UKTV (@UKTV) June 11, 2020
The episode includes Cleese goose-stepping around his Torquay hotel while shouting the phrase “Don’t mention the war!” in order to not offend his German guests.
The “outdated language” mentioned by UKTV is likely a reference to a scene in which Major Gowen, a regular guest at the hotel, uses strong racist language in relation to an anecdote about the West Indies cricket team.
Many broadcasters have already edited out this part of the program but it remains on the version hosted by Netflix, as it did on UKTV.
“Fawlty Towers” centers around owner Basil Fawlty, played by Cleese, whose acidic wit and rude behavior offers the irreverent backdrop to efforts to run a hotel visited by eccentric guests.
Even though only 12 episodes were made, it was voted number one in the British Film Institute’s 100 Greatest Television Programs in 2000.
It’s not the only “classic” production to face review in the wake of the George Floyd protests.
This week, HBO Max announced that it was temporarily removing “Gone With the Wind” from its streaming library in order to add historical context to the 1939 film long criticized for romanticizing slavery and the Civil War-era South.
In addition, Paramount Network dropped the long-running reality series “Cops” after 33 seasons and the BBC also removed episodes of “Little Britain,” a comedy series that featured a character in blackface, from its streaming service.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.