1973: Why KING EDWARD I Hated METRES | Nationwide | Weird and Wonderful | BBC Archive

[@OlafProt]

Adored Willie Rushton as a child. His voice, diction, delivery. So engaging

[@hilaryepstein6013]

I just love the humour in this. Brits railing against foreign interference. Love Willie Rushton too, another one we lost too soon.

[@sevenwatson5854]

Fantastic!! I loved Nationwide it should be given a reboot!

[@AriannaAyers]

What a wonderful lesson in history. I didn’t know anything about this, watching from my cozy rocker in New York, USA. I can’t wait to show this to my history loving little children. Thanks for posting. ❤

[@SimplySketchyGT]

The hilarious thing being that imperial measures were essentially the pre French Revolution measurements provided to us by the French. When they did their revolution Metric was born and the UK was going to adopt it in full in the early 1900s were it not for the First World War throwing a spanner in the works. Since the 20s Ordinance Survey has been making primarily Metric maps and converting them to Imperial.

[@TheUltimateBlooper]

I work in archviz and can confirm that EVERYTHING is done in metric...except for the last steps where potential customers are provided imperial measurements next to metric :D

[@petergivenbless900]

And yet the U.S., as antimonarchy as they would be, still cling to the Imperial standards!

[@TheUltimateBlooper]

The biggest measurement crime still remaining in this country is seen on the motorways... A sign says "XYZ in 0.5m" - and it's supposedly half a MILE instead of half a meter...yet it says "m" and not "mi"... That to me is just plain bonkers...

[@puddle_puddle]

Ah the voice of The Trap Door no less. Wonderful.

[@danyoutube7491]

Aha! I thought he sounded familiar.

[@AtheistOrphan]

1:24 - I wonder if that’s his Jag MK2 parked behind him? It’s just the sort of car I could imagine him driving!

[@davidtexmex1616]

What an era, so close yet so far away.

[@mahtism]

i could listen to willie rushton talk all day

[@Test-hw5fn]

Willie Rushton sadly missed.

[@heathstjohn6775]

If there was a metric word for what I should at the first opportunity do to the system, I should use it. I'm glad to see the re-emerging prevalence online of our own measures.

[@davidlong1459]

Willie Rushton was such a top satirist. A fun and jokey approach to this but I think he might groan about it now. I’m about the same age as those kids would be now, perfectly fine with metric, have further generations brought up with metric and so totally bamboozled by strange people backing expensive and impractical proposals to return to imperial only.

[@filbertthedilbert1]

Willie Rushton would be making a mint for Audible, if he was still alive.

[@kavorkaa]

I still use fathoms and guineas

[@leefinney592]

I wonder where location is with the tower next to the flats?

[@TotemoGaijin]

We fought a war for our independence from Britain...still kept the Imperial system, and still call 1 cent coins as pennies. America: In for a penny, in for a pound! lol

[@garryleeks4848]

0:42 what did he get in hospital 😬😬😬😬

[@AtheistOrphan]

‘Metrication’😂

[@garryleeks4848]

@@AtheistOrphan uuuu matron 🙄

[@momeara7482]

Oh dear.

[@danellis-jones1591]

I really can't understand getting all hot under the collar about units of measurement. I know Wille Ruston was joking, but plenty won't see the joke!

[@66PHILB]

0:00 "I knew it. Its those damn foreigners again." Extract from the Conservative Party General Election manifesto 2024!

[@kamandi1362]

If they actually thought that I’d vote for them.

[@dlafferty5809]

Quick take us back before it's too late 😔

[@NoosaHeads]

Do other people also find Willie Rushton's marbles-in-the-mouth accent a frivolous and annoying affectation?

[@kamandi1362]

I don’t think he was putting it on. It’s how he spoke.

[@chrisberry9017]

If you don’t like it, don’t watch - simples!

[@NoosaHeads]

@chrisberry9017 Stop being so sanctimonious, and self righteously indignant. You sound like a tragic, pompous twit. Stifling free speech, poking your nose in, where it's not wanted, and condescendingly championing other people's causes is your entire life's purpose, isn't it?