A Leak... From The Prime Minister's Office? | Yes, Minister | BBC Comedy Greats

There's only one way to ensure that nobody finds the source of all these leaks - a leak inquiry. Subscribe: bit.ly/BBCComedyGreats
WATCH MORE:
Yes, Minister: bit.ly/CGYesMinister
Only Fools and Horses: bit.ly/CGOnlyFoolsAndHorses
Blackadder: bit.ly/ComedyGreatsBlackadder
Fawlty Towers: bit.ly/2L9FRYH
Welcome to BBC Comedy Greats, home to the best comedy from the BBC! Whether you're a fan of the classics or if stand up comedy is more up your street then check out our hand picked playlists full of the funniest clips by the best performers. From Only Fools and Horses to Live at the Apollo we can guarantee plenty of awesome Comedy Greats.
Want to share your views with the team? Join our BBC Studios Voice: www.bbcstudiosvoice.com/register
This is a commercial channel from BBC Studios. Service & Feedback www.bbcstudios.com/contact/co...
#Comedy #YesMinister

[@MijmerMopper]

"The only ship that leaks from the top" utter brilliance.

[@richiesimons4403]

That line is just a magnificent piece of writing. Sums up politics perfectly.

[@ZiggyMercury]

Exactly what I was thinking. I thought to myself, "how the hell did they manage to come up with such a great line?".

[@jogzyg2036]

Hacker and Humphrey being Machiavellian together is so cute.

[@ScorpiusZA.]

When those two get together, the results are epic.

[@daanvos194]

@@ScorpiusZA. why else do you think they have made it to prime minister

[@unclejoeoakland]

This could almost be shipping

[@MLaak86]

And horrifying... They beat the PM's office in this.

[@dmkappa62]

I agree totally. It hardly happens but them working together is very entertaining.

[@SamvedIyer]

The most hilarious point of this show is that everyone knows that everyone is involved in an intrigue of one sort or the other, and everyone nonetheless comports oneself in a manner most dignified. They even lie to one another with utmost elegance. Better yet, one often knows that one is being lied to but carries on nonetheless.

[@MrThorfan64]

It's like a sort of gentleman's agreement where they can't officially accuse the other side of lying or leaking but are finding ways to hint at it and what they could expose. Is it like a MAD scenario? If either pushes forward the other could push and disgrace them as well, ending their career. Finally they just go with a stalemate.

[@erikisidore8366]

that happens a lot in real life, maybe not as elegantly

[@medstud]

It's the Anglo-Saxon way my friend. The alternative is violent clashes that end in civil wars as you see in other cultures. ;)

[@mchparity]

The charades must go on, greasing of the wheels and all that.

[@MrRedcarpet02]

@@MrThorfan64 Mafia dons are more direct I imagine. Like in voice messages shouting, etc

[@captpicard6894]

That’s why Yes, Minister was so successful, because you always felt at the heart of the programme that Jim Hacker and Sir Humphrey actually really rather enjoyed each other’s company, and away from Whitehall they would probably have been great friends. Still arguing and bickering between themselves but actually still liking each other.

[@chrisbeadle6287]

It is a very intimate show I agree.

[@RJSRdg]

I think despite the struggles between them, they both had a degree of respect for each other. Humphrey got Hacker out of a hole every now and then, and occasionally vice versa. When Hacker misinterprets Humphrey's announcement that he is going to a "higher place" (i.e. replacing Sir Arnold as Cabinet Secretary) as Humphrey being terminally ill, he gets quite emotional about it.

[@laurentdrozin812]

The face Arnold makes when Jim contradicts him. One senses immediately that he is not used to contradiction.

[@MrGraemeb2022]

I do love these old documentaries. It's good to know that nothing like this happens in this day and age.

[@An-lv9vw]

happens all the time

[@jeffhubbard4688]

@@An-lv9vw Whooooosh!

[@iheomanwakpadolu2576]

I hope you are being sarcastic 🤔

[@MrGraemeb2022]

@@iheomanwakpadolu2576 The English language and sense of humour can be very subtle. And occasionally sarcastic - or ironic.

[@johnwolf6082]

If you say so.

[@shetah8039]

God bless John Nettleton (Sir Arnold Robinson). Believe it or not, in 24 hours he'll turn 92. One of the last cast members still alive.

[@jokerofMI6]

Makes perfect sense sort of.

[@dipro001]

Thank you for sharing this. I wish I was lucky enough to meet the man himself in person. My good wishes to him and his health.

[@MrThorfan64]

Suitably he was on The New Statesman playing an elderly MP.

[@shetah8039]

@@MrThorfan64 Yes. He portrayed the hapless backbencher, Sir Stephen Baxter. What a change from the man who ran the U.K. with the PM as his beard, to the hopelessly unimportant MP. 2 great roles. One incredible actor.

[@MrThorfan64]

@@shetah8039 Well good acting in playing such dissimilar characters. Ends up in the House of Lords Baxter, the end of a career. If only Nettleton had been in House of Cards as perhaps a Lord that would have made a full set! Though did play a Priest in last Classic Dr Who Season.

[@MrSniperfox29]

This topic is actually revisited during Yes Prime Minister, with Hacker demanding a leak inquiry (after pointing out that he actually meant it and wanted one after Humphrey assumed he wasn't serious given his previous experiences). Humphrey is then at a loss to do with the results since they had never been a leak inquiry before that actually found the culprit.

[@the_real_bin_chicken]

Yes I remember that episode! I never thought of that connection before! Good catch!

[@MrThorfan64]

@TheRenaissanceman65 So they decide to draw attention away by expelling Soviet diplomats. Thankfully in the following ep the old PM tragically dies from a heart attack so his memoirs will never be finished.

[@vydave]

@@MrThorfan64 Oh, two of the best episodes from the series. Jim's relieved laughter turning into pretentious sorrow when he got the news.... Marvelous.

[@GoldenSunAlex]

@@MrThorfan64 "He''ll' be sorely missed!"

[@MrThorfan64]

@@GoldenSunAlex so will his memoirs.

[@alialmuhanna4938]

3:23 The pitch of Sir Arnold’s voice as he gathers his thoughts and formulates his statement is just hilarious.

[@hagamapama]

It's the tone of a white flag being raised with the utmost reluctance and diffidence

[@wedgeantillies66]

It is always a joy to watch Jim and Humphrey work in perfect delightful harmony and diabolical Machiavellian unity to run rings around their opponents or fellow ministers or civil servants, whomever they need to one up depending on the episode.

[@odysseusrex5908]

It's so unusual to see Jim having the same level of cynicism as Humphrey. It's very amusing.

[@jrd33]

Like most politicians, Hacker's principles mostly apply to other people. When his own neck is on the line, he's just as cynical as the rest of them.

[@leftcoaster67]

It's nice to see Jim win once in a while.

[@Diego-zz1df]

Hacker is clueless when it comes to matters related to the civil service and the inner workings of the state, but he's the clever one when it comes to party politics, the media, etc.

[@MLaak86]

@@Diego-zz1df Which is why he hits on things that surprise and even seem to shock Humphrey in this episode to ensure the first proposal is shot down.

[@Kalenz1234]

I love how when Humprhey and Hacker are on the same wavelength and work together they are unstoppable.

[@Mnogojazyk]

In the beginning of the series, Hacker comes across poorly: he is out of his depth, he is vapid, etc. But in episodes like this, he demonstrates he is not as shallow and self-serving as he seems. He knows how to manipulate politicians much better than Sir Humphrey can. It makes him a character instead of a caricature. Mind you, Hacker still has his flaws, but don’t all of us?

[@johnking5174]

This clip is from the last series of Yes Minister in 1982 before Hacker becomes Prime Minister in the 1984 Christmas Special, so Hacker was getting better trained compared to how he was back in the first series in 1980.

[@Mnogojazyk]

@@johnking5174, and that is one of the best things about this series. The characters just aren’t fleshed out and then frozen for the rest of their series, they grow and develop. Sir Humphrey develops and Bernard asserts himself a bit by the end while in the beginning he hardly said much beyond ‘Yes,.whatever you say’. (Sir Humphrey can’t be around, however. Maybe if the series had continued, Bernard would have stood up to him once in a while.)

[@shelbynamels973]

This is what elevates the material. In your run-of-the-mill sitcom, a character, once defined, never grows. Hacker, while inexperienced in the beginning, is not a fool, and he learns and adapts as time goes on. As enjoyable as simply dipping into this series may be, it provides even more of a payoff when viewed in successive order. The crowning glory at the end? Humphrey getting locked out of his office in the final episode "The Key".

[@mateuszmattias]

@@shelbynamels973 To add to what you wrote it makes the whole thing more credible as well, because as much as one can joke about, and look down on, even despise certain politicians, they wouldn't be where they were if they completely lacked any social or other skills. I read somewhere that the writers realised that letting Hacker coming across as too dim would make it less entertaining in the long run.

[@hagamapama]

I loved that the very last episode of the original run was Humphrey stepping into Hacker's domain, bungling, and needing desperately to be rescued by Hacker (and a very intrepid Bernard who by the time anyone realized something needed to done, had already done it) in the matter of the BBC tapes.

[@jeremy1860]

Having our two leads actually working together is so satisfying to watch 😊

[@gregdeandrea1450]

If Humphrey and Hacker could stay on the same page for more than a month, they would fix the entirety of the world's problems, then conquer it.

[@lauterunvollkommenheit4344]

Oh no, not another leak! This is a matter of the utmost seriousness.

[@alecjones4135]

It's very serious. Seriously serious

[@oyiejavelosa]

I hardly think it could be any more serious.

[@lauterunvollkommenheit4344]

@@oyiejavelosa I must agree with you: this is very serious indeed.

[@lachyt5247]

Serious repercussions

[@melissamarsh2219]

Serious

[@chrisbeadle6287]

Bernard compliments them both so well. He likes Jim as much as he respects and admires Humphrey, as a consequence he performs a balancing act between pleasing Humphrey and helping Jim in his escapades as he’s able. I ❣️ Bernard :).

[@danieldickson8591]

Bernard is also a stand-in for the audience. He asks the reasonable questions about the bizarre goings-on in government that we would ask in those situations.

[@AL_Neri2]

Bernard was absolute best, he had some killer lines

[@RJSRdg]

Bernard is in a difficult position. He is Jim's private secretary, so his job is to do what Jim tells him to do. But at the same time Sir Humphrey is his boss, so he has to do what Sir Hunphrey tells him to do - which is often completely the opposite!

[@EmperorBlue]

Once he has a clear view, Hacker is good shot.

[@michaeljames4904]

The lady who played Annie his wife said that Eddington understood, in a flash once, who Jim Hacker was and summarised it thus: _”He’s a mouse learning how to be a rat.”_

[@RahulKumar-ng2gh]

@@michaeljames4904 his wife is also a delightful beautiful lady ❤

[@chrisbeadle6287]

Indeed :), Jim does have flashes of badassery sometimes. I adore the occasions when Sir Humphrey recognises Jim is in the zone and can’t help being a little proud, . The scene where Jim dismantles the journalist inquiring about rose water jar from Khumran is my favourite example.

[@chrisbeadle6287]

@@michaeljames4904 perfect 😍

[@michaeljames4904]

@@chrisbeadle6287 Those are great moments and I have my own favourites also, too, why I prefer _Minister_ which played things as much for scorn as laughs. Such glimpses don’t figure at all in _Prime Minister,_ and, I’m referring to those few moments when Jim simply begs Humphrey to stop dissimulating and speak English, for once, “Very well, Minister, if you insist…” comes the reply: after which Appleby delivers such laconic disarming frankness that Hacker ends up as dumbfounded as if the boogeyman had just slapped him around.

[@northernhound3899]

A truly brilliant programme. On the rare occasions they worked together, Hacker and Sir Humphrey made a great team.

[@JGalt-em4xu]

Disappointed in the relatively weak performance of Sir Arnold in this scene, one of my favorite characters. Normally he shows a hint of his immense power through his muted, deliberate competence. Here he presents as a frustrated hall monitor. To be fair, he was facing the combined might of Hacker and Humphrey, who are unstoppable when they join forces.

[@aptspire]

"How many leak inquiries have turned up a culprit, in rounded figures?" Half expected : "Well 0 is a round figure"

[@Mr_Spock512]

Whenever I hear the term "inquiry" being used by my own government (Canada), I always think of this show. I know it's the last we'll ever hear of a hot topic currently in the news.

[@saurabhsinghmakrahi]

My god...when the two actually work together...they're a force of nature.

[@malcolmabram2957]

Sir Humphrey's remark at 3:36 is particularly amusing as in fact much of this episode was focused on him trying to get the policy back to the Department of Transport.

[@Punnery]

In round numbers? Well, no number is rounder than zero.

[@rin_etoware_2989]

...8?

[@karlmags4022]

@@rin_etoware_2989 0 is rounder than 8. 8 has to many curves.

[@mothiurNCL]

I was half expecting him to say 0 as it's the roundest number.

[@orkhanbayramov553]

Humphrey eventually taught Jim the ropes

[@user-ez9ng2rw9c]

Jim always knew the political ropes, but he can't compete with Humphrey in administrative traps. Humphrey simply beats him on education and experience.

[@the_real_bin_chicken]

Regardless, their differing skill sets complemented each other and allowed them to work together when the situation warranted it.

[@oktfg]

@@user-ez9ng2rw9c not surprising given Hacker studied at the LSE

[@michaeljames4904]

@@oktfg *only

[@goccha]

@@the_real_bin_chicken you mean when time is right, when climate is favorable? :)

[@DCdabest]

I will say that when Humphrey and Hacker are in cahoots with one another it's almost more fun than when they are at loggerheads haha

[@thewelder3538]

Comedy genius and I remember this being on TV when it first aired, but was very young back then. It's only now that I appreciate just how amazing the writing was and it's one of my favourite quintessentially British comedies.

[@rageforthemachine]

I love the fact that even though they all know what they are really saying and where they want to end up, they still have to go through the actual motions of saying it.

[@iandhr1]

I'm an American and Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister is one of my favorite shows of all time. In particular like the episodes where Hacker and Humphrey are forced to work together.

[@iandhr1]

​@TheRenaissanceman65Humphrey testifying before the select committee is one of the best moments of the series

[@clairee4939]

Just got recommended this even though it's ages since I last watched any Yes Minister. It contains one of three of my favourite quotes from the show; " The ship of State is the only ship which leaks from the top" The other two are; "I don't know what you don't know, it could be almost anything" And .., "The Official Secrets Act isn't for protecting secrets, it's for protecting officials" 😊

[@johnnettleton774]

Zee

[@ws5290]

Sir Arnlond is such a fine actor

[@Robertbuccellatobooks]

I love it the half a dozen times these two work together

[@BuddyCampbellRacing]

The leak is probably coming from that microphone in shot at 0:46.

[@hruaiachawngthu507]

Where??

[@rohithparashivamurthy3268]

Its such a tragedy, that John Nettleton, the Cabinet Secretary as Sir Arnold in Yes Minister has passed away recently🙏

[@michaelscott6022]

They're always going on about how they're worried about all these leeks, what did the Welsh Nationalists do to require this level of scrutiny?

[@stephaniemay792]

Ach y fi! Lol

[@johnhenshaw7655]

It’s leaks Michael ,not leeks🙄😂

[@clickrick]

What's Welsh for whoosh?

[@johnhenshaw7655]

@@clickrick whooshboyo 🙄👍

[@clickrick]

Then whooshboyo, @@johnhenshaw7655

[@AsbestosMuffins]

"The ship of state is the only one that leaks from the top!" times may change but nothing changes

[@robinmyman]

RIP, Sir Arnold.

[@Danka42]

When Jim and Humphrey actually do work in tandem, they are a terrifying force.

[@swanvictor887]

one of the best lines of the entire series: " the ship of state...." etc etc...Utterly brilliant.

[@socialistdemocrat7207]

Always have a drink, before you leak!

[@knewster8352]

I just noticed the microphone (a boom mike?) dropping down from above at the 0.46 mark, and now I can't unsee it. Maybe all the leaks are from whoever is surreptitiously shoving a microphone into their office. :)

[@GEO_________________________24]

Ohh I love i this show

[@1995martire]

The amount of times the word 'Leak' was uttered in this episode borders on the obscene. The absolute incontinence! hahahaha

[@lrmcatspaw1]

A LEAK INQUIRE?! That is the best idea I have ever heard!

[@gorillasinthemist2893]

Remember BBC banning Johnny Rotten for outing Jimmy Saville in 1978 .

[@siriusindustriesllc238]

The "yes" in unison... beautiful

[@modelcitizen2028]

2:38 Game set and match to the Minister - he skillfully shuts down an opposition leak inquiry from Sir Mark Spencer (all very polite and British, of course). Actor Nigel Stock is reprising his excellent character from the 1979 Tinker, Tailor movie.

[@ravenwilder4099]

Only time in the series anyone got the better of Sir Arnold.

[@eliasabi-elias8501]

3:00 what a sequence 🤣🤣🤣

[@tortinwall]

Nigel Stock. One of the all time great supporting actors. Especially Watson to Cushing’s Holmes.

[@stephenmuirhead2615]

Quite agree, his performance as Roddy Martindale in tinker, tailor, soldier, spy, although not a big part, was brilliant.

[@marvinc9994]

@@stephenmuirhead2615 Glad I'm not the only one to have appreciated that wonderful little cameo (the perfect partner to Beryl Reid's flawless 'Connie Sachs'): poor old Roddy, slightly camp, and now rather lonely in his days of retirement from the Service. Always a delight to see a true craftsman at work.

[@shezh9597]

Sir Humphrey and the minister toghether were unstoppable :)

[@icytadbull]

3:13 "The time is unripe, the climate is unsuitable, the atmosphere is unfavorable"

[@Gengar094]

0:45, boom mic visible on top of frame

[@gdon12987]

That wasn't a boom mic, that was a light fixture that LOOKS like a boom mic. You see that light fixture popping up on BBC TV series all the time.

[@Gengar094]

@@gdon12987 Do the light fixtures often fall into frame? And then the camera has to pan down?

[@harrybjr]

If they didn't pan down, I'd totally think it's some window accessories etc.

[@gdon12987]

I thought I was being funny. :( I am sorry.

[@landerbennewith6169]

@@gdon12987 The :P emoji is your friend when making jokes.

[@SturmerSS]

This is most relevant show till this day.... and I do think it will remain relevant in years to come.

[@sands7779]

Loved when they connived together.

[@torbjornbrunzell5060]

The best british comedy ever!

[@owenmorgan4703]

Fantastic ! Apparently a high level politician saw the programme and said it was so near the truth that it was scary !

[@TheToomykins]

0:45 mic in the shot

[@Hr-sd5sd]

Brilliant as always.

[@ackbarfan5556]

Safe to assume with how Sir Mark was acting there at 2:40 that he was the leaker at Number 10. XD

[@amanofmanyparts9120]

A classic case of art imitating real life.

[@TheRichardSpearman]

... for decades afterwards... and for decades previously, as it has now emerged.

[@williamdrijver4141]

Very reassuring to know that in the end Sir Arnold will always have the last laugh 🙂

[@ivandovranic5834]

Whoa. Jim Hacker owns sir Humphrey, sir Arnold and Marks Spencer. Astounding.

[@petermacleod5710]

The scriptwriters were brilliant. Never forget that

[@birreboi]

Nothing like a government inquiry, is there? Brilliant as usual and so applicable these days to most governments of our precious world.

[@jm15xy]

Zero IS the only "round" figure.

[@Dougie2945c]

So prophetic

[@SyrEmilon]

Watching this in May of 2022, can’t stop thinking about that leak from the United States Supreme Court.

[@HSMiyamoto]

This is from that episode where Hacker is named "Transport Czar", so he can be pushed out of office when the new policy is announced.

[@RahulKumar-ng2gh]

Mam, You too love this show, I have seen your comments on many of its videos

[@HSMiyamoto]

@@RahulKumar-ng2gh Thanks. To be true, I know the radio series better because of BBC iPlayer.

[@ThomasDanielsen1000]

I think the civil service vernacular is "Transport Muggins"

[@MrSniperfox29]

It wasn't they were targeting Hacker personally, he was just next on the list to try and the only idiot to actually agree to it.

[@nicholashylton6857]

"Transport Supremo" I think.

[@Bamdira]

One of Hacker’s finest moments😂

[@ianlong3761]

all people who work for government get told to go home and watch yes minister programs and idolise sir humphrey's to get the job and the others, I like that show...

[@clickrick]

It's basically part of their training programme, or was back in the 80s when I was working in central government anyway.

[@A-Viking]

LOL Leaks

[@Al_xve]

Awesome

[@markemerson8399]

hahahaha, so funny!

[@AaronHahnStudios]

Ooops! Microphone slip @ 0:46 😜

[@acqua61]

Buona giornata a tutti voi! Bravi!

[@DatCameraMON]

Huh, just noticed the boom mic that drifts into the scene.

[@bazza945]

A radio controlled moth, spying for the "Other Side"?

[@Silverdragon98]

Is this a restored version?

[@coam3708]

Arnold is ultimate mandarin

[@DipanDas]

Microphone at 0:46 😃

[@aesma2522]

This is happening right now in the UK...

[@xr6lad]

Dan Andrews of Victoria and his approach to Government Enquiries.

[@nigelrg1]

Occasionally the whole "team" functions as a unit!

[@Calzaki]

I wonder how Humphreys would have handled Boris/Carrie/Dom

[@kylenetherwood8734]

In much the same way. Nothing really ever changes.

[@bhaskyOld]

I am scared of Arnold

[@SamvedIyer]

Indeed, he is _the_ genius. Even Sir Humphrey has solicited his advice on occasion.

[@Shehbaz666]

Rockstar right now.

[@williamewing5509]

I have got a movie DVD of Paul Uddingston with Christopher Lee Charles Gray and Patrick Mower in The Devil Rides Out and I am dedicating this movie DVD to my old school friends who are both sisters as I hope to see them both again very soon to Chris and Hester from Billyxxxxx

[@TheRichardSpearman]

John Nettleton has had the "pleasure" of watching, in the Johnson adminsitration fighting the pandemic,, and Brexit, a re-run of so many of the episodes of the TV series. Just a fortnight ago there was almost a "sausage war" with the EU, which was certainly featured in the Hacker administrations struggles......

[@luvhart]

I would love to rewatch this in its entirety. Are there any streaming platforms available to Ireland/UK that has them (apart from BBC iplayer as its geoblocked in Ireland)?

[@carrot1151]

I believe it may be on netflix depending on the country

[@celiajones6811]

I believe they're on Britbox, but I'm not sure if that's geoblocked

[@luvhart]

@RandomWarThunder Much appreciated, thank you

[@Dickykutty]

I have them on my Amazon prime too in India

[@dhvanitdesai1044]

Dailymotion has this full episode

[@Htheorphanarian]

no way any of the modern set of hapless actors could remember 5% of these lines never mind deliver them with such authority of their profession.

[@amitgokhale6578]

how this is still relevant is just amazing

[@hidayatsatari1315]

Happy new year and eid Mubarak, love from Vike and family.

[@petyrkowalski9887]

Get Sue Grey to head it up.

[@Uniongamers]

Look at the top right and you'll see the boom mic drop into shot at 0:45

[@SgtShella]

what kind of leak? leak of information or Plumbing? XD

[@johnking5174]

Information

[@knicol46]

How do you know when an MP is lying? Their lips are moving.

[@votemonty1815]

So many ways this could have gone wrong. Admit it, Hacker got lucky.

[@stephenphillip5656]

Hacker knew *exactly* where he was going with this. After all, he had Sir Humphrey covering his back for once. A Real Partnership...

[@ivaneames4354]

@@stephenphillip5656 Humphrey annoyed the hell out of Hacker so many times but when they did work together, no one else stood the slightest chance no matter how much power or influence they had. When the two of them teamed up you might as well just give up.

[@alex7435]

Not really. This is one of the areas where he’s got an edge on Humphrey - he knows which leaks are coming where from in number 10, so he just has to make sure they know he knows. Mutually assured destruction.

[@johnwoods7650]

I have to admit you have me at a loss.

[@CuriousEarthMan]

This show is brilliantly written and carried off, in my view.

[@amaladiguna8873]

Did they.. beat Arnold?

[@ricardoguisadosanchez-tera8823]

Does anyone know the episode?

[@pedanticradiator1491]

It's from series 3 and called The Bed of Nails