Former PM's memoirs - Yes, Prime Minister - BBC comedy

The former prime minister is writing some uncomfortable stories about Jim Hacker, the current incumbent! Hilarious political comedy from BBC Worldwide.
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[@NickJohnCoop]

Paul Eddington made this show. The amount of expression he could put in the smallest thing just utterly perfect.

[@willh2690]

The writers eventually put directions in the scripts that Paul didn't have to say the lines if he could do them with his face.

[@patrickhows1482]

Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds were all brilliant and played superbly off each other. They got on well with each other and no one's ego got in the way. In an interview Derek Fowlds said that filming each episode was like a masterclass in acting for him. Sad to think that they are all dead now, neither Paul Eddington nor Nigel Hawthorne living to a great age. Clever though 'In the Thick of It' was it can't compare to 'Yes Minister/Prime Minister', which at times was able to be quite cynical, but without lots of swearing, and being very funny.

[@suvonil_]

Yet no BAFTA 💔

[@gpcrawford8353]

Incredibly Paul Eddington was a distant relative of Arthur Stanley Eddington who in 1919 confirmed Einstein’s general theory of relativity by observing an eclipse of the sun. He became world famous because of this,but eventually shunned the limelight as it wasn’t to his taste,Einstein however took to it. When he settled in America in 1933 none other than Charlie Chaplin took him under his wing and guided him through celebrity status. When Eddington announced his observation a news reporter asked him if it was true that only 3 people in the world understood the theory Eddington paused then replied I'm trying to think of the other one.

[@viperswhip]

@@suvonil_ Hard to get such things when you are essentially pissing on all the people of power in the country. I don't know the relations between the BBC and the Bafta's but when you also piss on the networks, it probably hurt their chances.

[@spiros7m]

"Yeah" pause "and to make sure he's dead". I just stumbled upon this series but it's everything I find hilarious in British humour.

[@kamwrites]

"And to make sure he's dead."

[@allenjenkins7947]

Which is why Margaret Thatcher's funeral drew such a large crowd.

[@allenjenkins7947]

@Stuart Penman How true.

[@triciacallahan1680]

Paul Eddington’s facial expressions when he learns of his predecessor’s death is some of the best TV ever.

[@alanfairbairn3283]

I couldn't agree more. IMHO Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister was the best comedy series ever made, surpassing anything else done in the U.S. or Britain.

[@johnyricco1220]

Hacker’s reaction was literally two-faced

[@maxmagnus777]

He became it at the end. Politics... :) ... :[

[@malcolmabram2957]

Outstanding actor. Who could have played this role better?

[@TruckTaxiMoveIt]

I counted six

[@hairybjr]

You're the reason they no longer make shows like this. The humour just flies over the empty noggins of modern day audience like you.

[@lightyagami1752]

I like your non-literal use of the world "literal". And that, incidentally, is a quote from the novelisation of the series. One of those "editorial notes".

[@petermcgarry4286]

Above all, the greatest compliment that can be made to this programme is that they seemed to be friends, acting like they enjoyed each others' contribution, a rare thing with artists.

[@nottmjas]

I always got the impression that each one of the three realised that his individual performance depended on the performance of the others: they shined more brightly because of the brilliance of the other two.

[@xshayahyawzi3666]

hacker could easily have been cast as Palpatine

[@jasbarsoph]

That face that hacker put on when he heard the previous prime minister had died was brilliant.

[@TimberwolfC14]

Love this show all the actors brought that something special to their characters, I had to get all the DVD's.

[@emaavramov-atlas9564]

RIP ALL THREE.

[@lsd8497]

Paul Eddington was an absolutely fantastic actor. R. I. P.

[@vastariner]

"A Diplomatic Incident". For the state funeral the French tried to bring in a puppy to present to Her Majesty in breach of quarantine laws, as a bargaining chip over the Channel Tunnel ceremonies.

[@piotrd.4850]

... forty years later....

[@mikekemp9877]

somewhat prophetic and ahead of its time! as pauls brilliant expression on hearing the news flashed across his face he seemed to morph into tony blair!

[@studiobencivengamarcusbenc5272]

More intel in this scene than in any production nowadays

[@CM1032]

I don't think the fact that Thatcher liked takes anything from the show, she was merely the PM at the time and her liking it was naturally going to become a well known and trumpeted fact. Politicians across party lines liked the show, we could have easily been writing jow about the relevance of a Labour PM liking this show, but history dictated otherwise.

[@giovanniacuto2688]

You have to remember that Sir Anthony Jay, one of the scriptwriters was also a speech writer for Margaret Thatcher

[@ackbarfan5556]

Giovanni Acuto But, remember, Jonathan Lynn has stayed he was the opposite, ie not a Tory.

[@Sizdothyx]

She also wrote a self insert fanfic with herself in the show. If that's not a sign of a fan I don't know what is.

[@waylander1978]

@@ackbarfan5556 The fact that it had both a left and right leaning writer was part of what made it work. In fact it's never quite clear if Hacker is supposed to be a Tory or Labour PM. He could quite easily be either.

[@ackbarfan5556]

@@waylander1978 Yeah, they said that themselves; they more or less just wanted to make fun of the general idea of British government and the civil service and not really influence either side. 'The Party' that Hacker is a part of, is sort of a mixing of both Labour and Tory ideas, a 'centralist' party if you think about it. Of course, the two of them went out of their way not to try to do anything divisive.

[@fasthracing]

SUPERB acting.

[@leftcoaster67]

Complains that he called him two-faced. Lol.

[@saltspringrailway3683]

Cruel humour done brilliantly.

[@Asocialite__]

It is a shame, there are some small scenes that suggest the PM and Jim, at least professionally, got along in YM. Those memoirs must have been really scathing.

[@mekonnenweldetsadike1346]

Always see the bright side of your life

[@azr786]

paul eddington is da best!!! R.I.P man bare love

[@kevinnolan2374]

A PM so described in this clip could not happen in reality, could it.!!

[@winternow2242]

I would have expected Humphrey to get the joke about why people needed to attend the funeral.

[@theshadowling1]

Nah, Humphrey knew the joke, but he's already writing the press statement and memos in his head, and also, someone needed to do the set up.

[@RJSRdg]

And it would be improper for Humphrey as an impartial Civil Servant to make a derogatory remark about a former PM.

[@ahcokris]

Make him a Garter knight. He is dead after all

[@thetooginator153]

What about Trump’s memoirs? I’m sure he has some eloquent, pithy and insightful things to say about his illustrious time in office!

[@davidgraham8299]

Just when we're having a good time, someone had to bring Trump's name into it. 🤨

[@PulkitAgrawal1999]

It actually could be for bestseller.

[@davidchanakira1202]

Tragic...👏👏👏😆

[@lyrandar01]

"What lies?"

[@AMRPK]

@shakeypitt yes but do we really need to know.

[@hunglianglee6313]

@Fumio Kishida

[@lovemetu]

Many a true word is said in jest !! Reminds me of all the straght faced lies that are told to us when they are in office eg Gordon Brown and Tony Blair for one instance, then when they leave office all the money spinning books come out ,how they detested one another !!

[@snapdragon9300]

I wonder how many mourned Margret Thatchers passing away? Didnt she go mad prior?

[@silvasilvasilva]

She had a form of dementia.

[@mohammedsaad3945]

😂

[@cymruisrael]

So that's where Frankie Boyle got his joke about Margaret Thatcher's funeral!

[@GreatMan_from_East]

1:15

[@nigelgreenwood9010]

Unfortunately these are the last of "character actors". Not sure there's anybody around who carry these types of characters off. They've tried to put different actors in n their place and it hasn't worked.

[@camerondickson8947]

The busy property cytopathologically desert because step-son sadly level a a electric tanzania. charming, gray greasy great ferryboat

[@stevebagnall7621]

The writers actually inserted Paul can act this with his face if he prefers and cut the dialogue. He did, often. This was a prime example.

[@levongevorgyan6789]

I'm betting so was his reaction in the scene when he was learning that his daughter was gonna be in the nude badger protest.

[@PointyTailofSatan]

Peter Sellers was famous for this. In a lot of his movies, the best bits of dialog were often adlibed by Sellers. For example, the "Mein Fuhrer! I can walk!" scene in Dr. Strangelove he made up on the spot, and had the other actors in the scene laughing in fits.

[@JORIS1234HOTMAIL]

Nice to know 😊

[@liuomardaley6932]

Tragedy when the former PM was saying terrible and unpleasant things about Hacker. The PM's facial expressions and delivery of "tragedy" is just priceless and perfect.

[@johncronin9540]

Liu Omar Daley That was my first thought also. Paul Eddington was great with his facial expressions alone.

[@nfzed]

I‘ve heard that the writers new of this and had whole lines in thenscript with the remark, paul may do this with facial expression.

[@delancyj67]

Paul's (the PM) ability to convey ideas through facial expression was a great talent. I loved this show.

[@ArcaneAzmadi]

It was literally written into the scripts; sometimes writer Jonathan Lynn would annotate a line in the margins with "Paul doesn't have to say this this line if he doesn't want to" because he had such an amazing ability to perfect convey the _meaning_ of a line without even having to say it, solely through the use of his face.

[@2e1r3s2]

In the programme about the making of yes prime minister,one of the writers says that he wrote words for Paul eddington to say when hearing the former pm was dead but Paul suggested that he would say the words by facial expression and reaction. I think it was good decision and makes the clip even funnier.

[@TheLewistownTrainspotter8102]

It got to a point that they were writing notes in the script of "Eddington doesn't have to say this line if he doesn't want to."

[@TheClearSummer]

Watching all these snippets and scenes... .... I can't handle it anymore. I must get my hands on the complete DVDs!

[@odysseusrex5908]

The complete episodes are available right here on KZbin.

[@chadhaire1711]

@@odysseusrex5908 no they are not.....only a few

[@odysseusrex5908]

@@chadhaire1711 Maybe they aren't all available for free. I haven't counted but a fair number of them are. Either way though, they are all available for purchase for $1.99 each. Search for Yes Minister Full Episodes, or Yes Minister Season 1 and look at the right hand side of the screen.

[@leondarcy7367]

I bought them on Amazon, one of the best investments of my life. Especially since they are cheap.

[@suvonil_]

Its streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

[@douglasolsen1208]

Eddington’s range of expressions on hearing the news is hilarious. Perhaps even comedic genius to be able to pull it off.

[@olefredrikskjegstad5972]

Hacker's predecessor was very ungenerous when he called Hacker "two-faced", I counted at least four.

[@johnkochen7264]

I read somewhere that Paul Eddington initially had to react to the death with more dialogue but he said he could play it without saying a word. He was right.

[@Anglomachian]

Him trying to scrunch his face out of delight into feigned horror made me inhale my tea.

[@jesseberg3271]

Why did't they laugh at, "Until I read the first *seven* chapters of his book, I thought he was a friend." It struck me as one of the three funniest lines in the clip.

[@Twmpa]

Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds, one of the best trios ever assembled for a sitcom. They don't write them like this anymore.

[@escarfangorn]

Paul Eddington was a master. He deserved truckload of BAFTAs.

[@kevinnolan2374]

The emotions on the face of the PM when the good news quote unquote, is revealed, is beyond any spoken word. Classic acting and so relevent, even 30 odd years later.

[@edinscot56789]

"That was very wrong" - Bernard with his burns

[@oasisboy1]

Classic comedy - one of the best shows ever. They even show it on the History Channel, presumably as an example of how wonderfully subtle yet hilarious comedies can be. Even the scripts could be considered as stand-alone classics. And the facial expressions - what talented actors! RIP Paul Eddington and Sir Nigel Hawthorne.

[@12348477]

And Derek Fowlds

[@mattwho81]

"What lies? Oh yes" :D

[@BillinHungary]

We mustn't forget Bernard's answer to Hacker's question "Bad news?" "Yes, and no..." :)

[@Priyo866]

1:17 This right here is some masterpiece level of acting.

[@TheNefastor]

I think I've never seen any actor control his face so well. That truly was masterful 😁

[@jaypandya7441]

Bernard has got no chill 🤣🤣

[@tiberivsflavivsleo7198]

0:31 Sir Bernard's daily tips to get yourself fired...

[@HSMiyamoto]

Letting Paul show at least a dozen expressions is made funnier by the indignation he just expressed at being called "two-faced." I'd say the late former P.M. undercounted drastically.

[@SpectatorAlius]

I love that very last line! I am sure that is the real reason so many came to Stalin's funeral too!

[@matthewfender6373]

Chrissy Wager Erm, anyone who believes that the purges and famines were made up by the West are slightly nuts and wholly incorrect. You, my friend, seem to have a screw loose.

[@TheMonolith20001]

Yeah Stalin was a swell guy. Just ask the Ukrainians. Or his son!

[@KingOfTheInterWebs]

Chrissy Wager I agree with you about Thatcher and I do get annoyed when people are hounded just for being socialist or communist but Stalin was a lot worse than Thatcher by far. He had people executed and purged from photographs, he had people sent off to prisons, he was ruthless and the only time he was seen to smile in public was when a reporter fell over. He's really not that hard done by, he deserves most of his criticism.

[@SpectatorAlius]

KingOfTheInterWebs Stalin did far worse than executions. He executed millions without even a show trial. He did it not because there was any reason to think they were guilty but to terrorize the whole country into obedience.

[@Isleofskye]

By The Way Labour Re-Introduced Free Milk...and then ALSO abolished it soon after. Presumably that does not suit your beliefs. Good Old Labour..FRIEND of the people ! Brought in Roulette machines which have ruined endless working class families' lives in the most impoverished areas, removed Grammar Schools so the Working Class are denied a REAL opportunity to get on ( while MOST send their OWN children to Grammar or Private Schools like Shami and Diane and Harriet etc.. Brought over MILLIONS of unskilled and semi-skilled workers who are DELIGHTED to earn the minimum wage as that is the equivalent of 2/3 salaries in Eastern Europe so The BRITISH working-class can not compete. Big Business LOVE pating the new lower rate per hour ! I was from a solid Inner London Labour area ( their National HQ was in my High St.)..a bunch of Anti-British self-serving hypocrits it would be harder to find. Labour Motto: UP THE WORKERS ! Yes RIGHT UP THEM !!

[@timwhale9434]

"...and to make sure he's dead" 🤣

[@Outspoken.Humanist]

Paul Eddington was underrated as an actor. His ability to convey emotions and thoughts through facial expression was sublime and his performances were always subtle and underplayed.

[@RandallFlaggNY]

Sorely missed....

[@fasthracing]

One of the singular best comedy scenes of all time. Majestic acting.

[@fawltyoldboybasil.2178]

It really is a benchmark for comic writing and wonderful acting - the facial contortions Eddington's character does upon hearing of the death of the ex-PM speak better than words. I watched some review of Paul Eddingtons career work here on YT yesterday and found out that Eddington had been just diagnosed with skin cancer (I believe) and yet did that whole season.

[@leftcoaster67]

1:10 to 1:28 is absolutely priceless!

[@BlairSupporter]

Brilliant stuff. Beautifully written and too accurate by far. Or at least it was then. Hacker's reaction on hearing his predecessor has died ... priceless. Makes you think, doesn't it?

[@ianlacey6588]

One of the first Prussian spy masters was accorded this honour. I think that is the first instance of ‘making sure he was dead’ that I heard of.

[@deesplaylists6941]

This scene still cracks me up. Lmao.

[@Tuneman1984]

That was so brilliant...never stop finding it funny!

[@davididiart5934]

You could teach a class on Paul Eddington's face alone.

[@TruckTaxiMoveIt]

1:15 - 1:30 I counted six faces

[@TheNefastor]

Yes, indeed calling him "two-faced" is insulting : he's capable of so much more :-D

[@kevinnolan1617]

I laughed out loud. Paul Eddington's face on hearing of his predecessors dimese, priceless, Face acting at its most brillient.

[@twilightsuzuka6252]

If a show like this were made today making fun of Trump or Boris then right wing trolls would attack it mercilessly and there’d be tonnes of essays on how comedy is entertainment and shouldn’t be political, etc.

[@shooterdownunder]

We're bombarded with shows like that all the time. The difference is that it doesn't have anywhere near the class that is presented here today just comes from a place of pure bitterness.

[@NGS712]

1:18, pure comedic gold.

[@philjamieson5572]

This cast always seem to make TV acting look so easy. I think it's because they were just excellent. So were the scripts.

[@johnking5174]

It took a lot of work. I have the scripts here at my home, and they fill pages and pages of dialogue.

[@WildBikerBill]

The mark of a real professional is making it look easy.

[@x--.]

Could watch him do that reaction-take all day. Such restraint to hold back from milking that bit even more. Those faces.

[@TheNefastor]

They should make a GIF out of it. With the subtitles "he's dead" at the first second and "tragic !" at the last second.

[@Shelsight]

@@TheNefastor i had that look on reading about Rush Limbaugh. And if/when Trump goes, it will have a second outing. I wouldn't celebrate any death but there are some evil people whose departure i certainly won't mourn...

[@TheNefastor]

@@Shelsight completely understandable.

[@michaelvidal1971]

These clips should come with a Health warning not too watch while drinking hot liquids.

[@luiseviktoria7893]

Kishida Fumio: that was accurate ngl

[@alocassia]

You know how to tell if the audience is real? They laugh until they choke and cough 😂

[@StakkerHumanoid84]

Sardonic wry humour and they taught us all about politics and politicians. May the three of them Rest In Peace but mind you, they're up there in heaven arguing legislation and taking the piss at today's politicians and having god laughing up his sleeve

[@sarcasticstartrek7719]

That was very wrong. [deadpan].

[@bilalbaig8586]

Anybody here after seeing Trump's reaction to RBG's death?

[@xalahuj]

1:01 - "To shreds, you say."

[@irix5093]

"to make sure he's dead" Isn't that the reason why people attended Thatcher's funeral

[@2charliep]

@eddieoxford Nigel died of a heart attack after a course of chemotherapy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, and he was 72 not 76. Also, the series Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister ran from 1980 - 1984 and 1986 - 1988 respectively, throughout which time the Country had a Conservative Government, not that it mattered because the writing was strictly non party political and the series was funny due to sharp writing and great acting, not because of anything Margaret Thatcher did.

[@RJSRdg]

The first series of YM was actually written and recorded under a Labour government but broadcast was delayed owing to the 1979 General Election. Even subsequent series tended to refer to incidents that predated the Thatcher Government, as a lot of unnamed MPs and officials who were no longer in Government were able to tell Jay and Lynn about things that had happened during their time in office, in a way that still-serving MPs and officials were unable to. For example, the "communications room" happened under the Callaghan government.

[@54spiritedwill54]

Brilliant stuff. Beautifully written and too accurate by far.

[@prvz_k]

Paul Eddington was in a class of his own. I watched Yes Minister/Prime Minister many years ago, and this was the only scene I never forgot. Genius.

[@KANGKAI1980]

That face, priceless

[@leontam221]

He nearly become a former prime ministers too lol.

[@tomaszyarlett8681]

"Unforgivably Indiscreet"

[@MonaMarMag]

Jeśli tak właśnie wygląda polityka w co niektórych krajach to nie zadziwia mnie fakt bałaganu jaki tu panuje . Wierzę jednak głęboko , że tak jak wszystko ma gdzieś swój początek ma również swój koniec .

[@jasonkendrick681]

Eddingtons greatest scene.

[@khemchanpersaud6739]

Too funny, too classy, too well written and too well acted...

[@kezblu]

Every line in this scene is so well written. Gold!

[@Forscythe80]

"And to make sure he's dead." Even then they practically used Margaret Thatcher('s funeral) for inspiration.

[@minnie5301]

Maggie Thatcher wasn't dead then

[@gilbertleopold2411]

Oh no! Anyway......

[@gerardjagroo]

1:17 The things he does with his face!

[@dawadsonsurong834]

Unparalleled acting and scripts

[@louiepetersupan6162]

i like british comedy

[@MatthewPlato91]

Classic stuff! Always a pleasure to watch?