Freddie Starr's Variety Madhouse (ITV, 1st December 1979)

This is, unbelievably, what used to pass for prime-time comedy entertainment in the supposed "golden age of television".
I put it here not for amusement, but as a sobering reminder.

[@charlesforeman9438]

I just loved those days so much in my life. The entertainment in those days was much better quality programmes on those 3 or 4 channels than all of today's crap that's on tv these days. Freddie Star was my absolute favourite for nighttime entertainment.

[@user-ud3co5sj9i]

One amazing guy very funny used to love watching him when I was growing up Plus boy could he sing he had a fantastic voice

[@faithland7874]

RIP Freddie.. You made many generations laugh.. Your singing voice was amazing too..

[@paulbuswell6566]

I'd take this over strictly celebrity talent xfactor ANY day

[@irishbuachaill9821]

Its shows like this that help us escape the shitty world we live in today...RIP Freddie!

[@philsam4913]

Exactly,the 80's was & ALWAYS WILL BE the best decade to have lived for both adults & kids,it was down to earth people everywhere,happyness & enthusiasm was in the air,great music 🎶 disco's,barn dances(if you lived rural,like I did),in the Scottish highlands,even Police were good,if facing about in our cars,he'd just give a boot up the backside(Scottish for a sarcastic,light hearted warning !! lol,unless you were extremely unlucky or a tragedy happened then you'll know the atmosphere of the 80's I am talking about,ANYBODY who says it was crap,or even that remark about Freddy Staff's Hitler or Max Wall routine NOT BEING FUNNY,is one of those new PC correct,millennial save space seeking moron,wouldn't know how to have fun or how to even go about organising having fun !! lmao. If you weren't there,then that other person above or below I forget,DON'T PUT DOWN WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW,BECAUSE YOU'RE 2 brain cells couldn't handle the comedy of the 80's !!

[@kamandi1362]

From one year later in 2020. If you thought the World was shitty then... ☹️

[@gbwildlifeuk8269]

How could this help us escape the shitty world we live in today, when this was decades before today?

[@philipbonner6486]

When watching telly was worth a laugh and worth watching, Thanks for the laughs and Rest in Peace Freddie x

[@meganbyrne436]

When comedy was real ... and no swearing, just genuine comedic talent ... hilarious 😂😂😂

[@ProtectorofChrist]

This has to be brilliant as these were real comedies and will outlast time especially Freddie Starr he was brilliant and that was what we grew up with god bless Freddie

[@dawngilmour6961]

They knew how to entertain us back then. Quality tv with fantastic stars.... xx

[@alimantado373]

Bella Emberg, Russ Abbot, Freddie Star so many Emmys , so many accolades🤡🤡

[@apocalypsenow321..]

Truly mad cap comedy, harmless fun! RIP Mr Starr!

[@mandypreece2636]

Apocalypse Now come and join us for our comedy facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@matthewdinsdale4782]

Sobering reminder of good clean fun. Lucky to of been part of it !

[@Ironlord2015]

To "have" been part of it, not "to of" :/

[@mandypreece2636]

Come join us for our comedy legend facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@anthonybailey1966]

@@Ironlord2015 it must be a demanding job,being part of the grammar police....!

[@DarrenHarrison7160]

@@Ironlord2015 Awwww do you need a tissue.....

[@elissaschornstein9399]

I absolutely adore Freddie Starr. Brilliant. 💖💖💖

[@harrolldthebarroll]

Its just good old fashioned Comedy which beat todays Comedians any day of the week 🤣🤣🤣

[@just-ice7369]

I loved Freddie variety mad house, very sad to hear of his passing , he was a great comedian ,God Bless and keep you .R.I.P Freddie

[@catkendall5680]

That last dance with Russ Abbott as the old piano player....the times I've watched that is countless and has me in stitches every time. That dance and the beads swinging around his next is awesome. 😂😂😂😂

[@jayrox40]

Still better than the crap which passes for prime-time comedy today.

[@rebeccahooper7968]

another one bites the dust! rest in peace freddie honey xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[@richardcotton8676]

So sad to hear Freddie Starr died in Spain this morning,R.I.P FREDDIE STARR,LEGEND!!

[@micknorthall9615]

Roy oOrbesson

[@mandypreece2636]

Come and join us for our comedy facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@sharonellis8776]

This was great. Best bits with Freddie, of course. Russ Abbott dancing is hilarious and bonkers ! xx

[@phil3380]

Oh god!!!!! I broke some ribs last month!! And I’m crying in pain and laughter... Freddie was superb and that last sketch with Russ dancing nearly killed me

[@mandypreece2636]

phil3380 come join us for our comedy facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@PiggyWiggyO]

RIP FREDDIE STARR You were a great comedian and will be sadly missed.

[@mandypreece2636]

PiggyWiggyO come on and join us for our comedy facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@william69ification]

I remember this; It was a 'B' rated comedy show which I watched occasionally. Good simple humour and looking at it now, hell of a lot better than "Kill whitey" and all the current woke rubbish faux comedy programmes.

[@DanceySteveYNWA]

Kill whitey? I think that was the title of the second in the Zulu Trilogy. 😂 This is a show I assume? Never heard of it.

[@Twinkling-Lights]

I love this Freddie Starr is brilliant singer and comedian

[@herbieshine1312]

Sandra Watterson I agree except for his comedy and singing. his complete lack of an original idea for 40 years. his one singing routine has been I wish I was Elvis his comedy routine has been Nazi, fall over. 40 years of Nazi and fall over. how is that funny

[@sasitorndisrapong2170]

@@herbieshine1312 hi by M by CT bub

[@herbieshine1312]

@@sasitorndisrapong2170 sorry I don't understand what you're saying

[@djangiebaby]

so sad to hear freddie passed away .. r.i.p freddie :(

[@djangiebaby]

@A Room From The Past im pretty sure everyone knows whom i meant

[@djangiebaby]

@A Room From The Past en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Starr

[@simonnock5019]

What a talent! Nothing like this nowadays... too much PC

[@mikeabbertto7207]

Surprised how many times I laughed out loud to this, good comedy never dies! Long live Freddie's memory

[@mandypreece2636]

Come join us for our comedy facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@pavelkratochvila6157]

Great entertainer and singer, it´s very nice. RIP Freddie Starr..

[@johnhepworth1531]

Soon after this LWT decided not to employ Starr any longer and it became Russ Abbot's Madhouse. The supporting cast included Les Dennis, Dustin Gee and Michael Barrymore.

[@Arcticwolf1964]

RIP Freddie Starr

[@michealhaynes7834]

Rip in peace you were a fantastic singer I will never forget how much you were able to get audience totally entertain ed

[@paulakhurst2670]

You was a legend

[@mandypreece2636]

Come join us for our comedy facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@eric-ff9fc]

1979 Tiswas on Saturday morning, Freddie Starr on Saturday evening ! couldn't be better

[@carolwilkins7286]

For some strange reason I couldn't stop watching this

[@DerekLyons]

This is so,so ,so so funny ! LOL! Brilliant! Derek

[@mandypreece2636]

Derek Lyons come and join us for our comedy facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@catherinetelford847]

Best show in the world you got a great laugh

[@kevanlemmon7080]

U will never see anything like this again such a sad world now

[@melgrant7404]

The legend that is freddie❤❤❤

[@mandypreece2636]

mel grant come and join us for our comedy facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@elijahvincent985]

Still more watchable and entertaining than 99% of today's programming.

[@lynneb45]

bloody brilliant what more can i say.

[@mandycowey7635]

A blast from the past, those were the days

[@hanmaria87]

People obviously don't have a sense of humour with the type of comments on here... This is hilarious love it! They were all fab! 😂😂

[@peterfuidge1718]

There is no swearing so they don't understand it.

[@davidsomerset]

Are you insane? This is bloody awful!!

[@johnhughes8466]

@@davidsomerset Talkin shit again are you!

[@johnhughes8466]

@@davidsomerset What do you think is funny then you elitist twat!

[@robertdavidjones8424]

U are so right x

[@edd2615]

Toni Palmer was fantastic. I only watched it because of her. This particular show didn't show her at her best!!!

[@christopherdrennan3511]

Then Russ Abbot had his own show after this.

[@PhilofBristol]

Russ Abbot always made me laugh. I don't think I saw this show, but I rarely missed his later BBC shows.

[@paperchain1239]

Love you Freddie. Saw him at the Hemel Hempstead pavilion in the nineties. Side splitting. Love the glorious gorgeous non P. C content.

[@mandypreece2636]

paperchain 123 come and join us for our comedy facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@wendyarmstrong5564]

Great it makes me smile and laugh 😂

[@97channel]

Once a week, during the 80's, I'd have to endure the pure agony of the Des O'Connor show. Always Shirley Bassey, often Freddie Starr. Sweet lord, have mercy. God as my witness, I once had a tooth extracted whilst not properly under the anaesthetic and felt the entire procedure. It was comparatively a fairly enjoyable experience which I have fond memories of.

[@ysthafellgynghori8423]

I'd rather this than the dross we get now, such as Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Stinkaway.

[@stevegasparutti8341]

1979 for god sake I was 13. Those were the days. I wasnt really funny, but better than Xfactor, Voice and BGT.

[@geoffdundee]

Steve Gasparutti ......i was 14.............isnt it amazing how things have changed.................seems like were not allowed to laugh these days

[@dunebasher1971]

The only difference these days is that the casual racism and sexism that was everywhere in TV comedy has been removed, and thankfully so. So are you saying that you find it impossible to laugh at comedy unless it's being racist or sexist?

[@colestarr9107]

We need another freddy starr

[@commandingjudgedredd1841]

I'm afraid with legends like Freddie, we get them only once.

[@dianeanderson6733]

There's only one Starr and that's. Freddie.r.i.p.

[@mandypreece2636]

Diane Anderson come and join us for our comedy facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@ysthafellgynghori8423]

It was indeed a golden age of television, but this programme was not typical of what was around then. Critics and the public hated it, Freddie quit after one series, and Russ Abbot did a much better version of the show. You don't have to go back to 1979 to find crap comedy. Our television screens are awash with it these days.

[@nasskhan4543]

I remember liking it. It gave Russ Abbott an opportunity.

[@billcobbett9259]

Ruined by poor material

[@buzzing8365]

How I long for the good old days

[@justinodowd4182]

Brilliant stuff from a better time.

[@Madmen604]

That generation of English entertainers and viewers went through the blitz and other traumas of ww2. That's what I always think about.

[@dunebasher1971]

Starr didn't, not really. He was born after the Blitz and was still only two years old when the war ended. Russ Abbot was born in 1947.

[@Madmen604]

@@dunebasher1971 oh, well during recovery then, very funny guys...

[@alanashore9570]

Brilliant man who suffered with Depression. RIP ❤ ❌️❌️❌️❌️❌️❌️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@gremlinuk1968]

how did i miss this on tv, back then,,? was a 11 year old,

[@armyofmoths]

Watching 40 years to the day....

[@christinemanson3419]

loved him

[@joannegray5138]

Worth it just to see Norman Collier do the broken mike routine :)

[@OfflineSetup]

Joanne Gray did Norman Collier have any other routine?

[@OfflineSetup]

@@Trev359 I knew about the "chicken" but not the rest. There is no need to go on, I was being unfair in my original comment. A great entertainer who entertained a great many people including myself and my family.

[@OfflineSetup]

@@Trev359 Actually I was sort of "having a go" because I was "trying" to be funny, which upon reflect was disrespectful to his memory and totally undeserved. Thank you for allowing me (a year later) to correct my message and be able to show respect he deserved. In future I will leave the "funny" to people with 10% of the skills (and above) that Norman had.

[@mrvenum8741]

brilliant

[@MrNaKillshots]

I don't remember this show, but what a lineup! Russ Abbot, Norman Collier and the inimitable Freddie. His Freddie Starr Hitler made me laugh.

[@ianlacey11]

Don't all take it that LWT simply decided that the show didn't suit Freddie Starr and simply handed it over to Russ Abbot ,I have read Freddie's autobiography and he tells a different story to what is being implied - there were internal issues at work that led to him walking out during the production and LWT did subsequently relaunch the show with Russ Abbot and a slightly different cast.

[@Noactualdirection]

Crikey, this is hard work

[@johnhughes8466]

No you are probably hard work! Dickhead!

[@Noactualdirection]

Classy. I comment on a video, you get personal.

[@OfflineSetup]

@@Noactualdirection "hard work" was being generous.

[@cameronwaddel4072]

This is actually Episode 2, broadcast on 10/11/1979, not Episode 6, broadcast on 1/12/1979, as per the list from the Official UK Freddie Starr Fan Club, which can be found here on KZbin and also on Facebook.

[@jgvgjv2980]

This is gloriously mad!

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I loved this show - completely un PC as it was, the Hitler character was hilarious!

[@thecjhortonpage]

Hi there do you have anymore complete episodes of this as I'm a mega Freddie Starr fan. Thanks

[@cameronwaddel4072]

Have a look at the Freddie Starr - Official UK Fan Club here on KZbin, they have the first 5 of the 6 episodes of this show, of which, this is the 2nd.

[@MudSluggerBP]

That WhoDunnit sketch had me in stitches 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@DanceySteveYNWA]

19:05 Never see this on X Factor. Comedy Gold

[@dirkbogarde44]

I laughed my head off at the YMCA song..........god knows they couldn't do that now.

[@robertsmalley8138]

Why not ? Please explain .

[@robertsmalley8138]

@Nosaveddata I would be the last person to complain

[@robertsmalley8138]

@Nosaveddata sorry but that is a load of these days comedy is much bolder such as Ricky Gervais no limit with him .

[@robertsmalley8138]

@Nosaveddata The stand up shows made in the USA and UK really are hilarious you gotta see them .

[@redeemerl5212]

No you are right, they couldnt do that now some of them are dead

[@themagman1]

Uncalled nasty comments from you. This was funny with excellent performers!

[@peterfranks6243]

Real Saturday night entertainment, no Ant and fucking Dec, no ponsy Simon Cowell, no reality tv competitions just great television shows

[@tholmes572]

That is why its called VARIETY .

[@davidjones6470]

Great great entertainment 😊 fantastic ! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@gerryburns9090]

the good old days, when you could laugh at things! take me back .

[@dunebasher1971]

Yes, because nobody laughs any more, do they? Literally nobody.

[@pyconsable]

great comedy very very funny

[@OofusTwillip]

Strangely, there's a "Devised By" credit, but no writer credits.

[@AyebeeMk2]

Did anybody take offence at that ? Sheer brilliant lunacy! very funny to boot.

[@RobertLocksley385]

Whilst enjoying this, please take a minute to remember the hamster.

[@kellyturner9004]

What has happened to comedy this was so funny couldn’t stop laughing Freddie star is the best and russ about and the rest of the cast we will never have anything like this again thank you all

[@vacysmotuzas4267]

Great comedy, very funny ...

[@chilli-soup]

Thinking back now i remember the Russ Abbott show it must of been after this. I was in the Cubs the Owl pack about this time,we would sing that ging gang gooly song also dib dib dib dob dob dob just sit down n shut your gob. I think Abbott might of sang it on TOTP's.

[@digitalmediafan]

Broadcast quality, was this a Betamax recording or ?...

[@josephinepeery6938]

How I miss this kind of entertainment, so funny if sometimes a little not up to silly pc standards these days 🙄 Good clean fun 😂👏

[@dunebasher1971]

You mean you prefer the old racist, homophobic comedy?

[@steveoutdoorsuk1788]

Good night Freddie. R.I.P.

[@mandypreece2636]

steve outdoors uk come join us for our comedy facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@JMoruzzi]

The whistling bit was good, or could have been good at any rate. I think they were going for the Spike Milligan 'Q' sort of thing but they mistook incompetence for anarchism.

[@sylivakeeling1499]

He's a good laugh

[@keenan1972]

it was mint got about 4 good belly laughs out of that show

[@brhodes0]

Not sure the uploader was expecting all the positive comments on this. Russ was funny. No it wasn't sophiticated and the interesting thing to me is not that audiences did laugh at this stuff but that they COULD laugh at it. Audiences and times are different. What have we had in the last 20 years. Endless scripted panel-show s***e with the dregs of Oxbridge being witty. That woman with cerebral palsy who takes an age to get the (crap) punchline out. Lenny Henry and his massive chip. The only guy I have time for now is S Lee. Incidentally the last time I saw Russ Abbot was about 5 years ago at Gulliver's World near Warrington. He was sitting on a plastic mouse riding around on a little train track. I left him to it. Nice bloke.

[@mattstevensms60]

Miss freddy

[@gremlinuk1968]

Back when tv was way better back then the crap that's on today,! And we only had 3 channels back then,!

[@Iwan64Mat]

More!

[@CornedBeefSurprise]

That might be the worst title sequence I've ever seen. It's like a warning.

[@davidlegg1034]

Better than the shit on tv today.

[@kieron63]

Some alt comedy, PRE alt comedy in this 🤫

[@DRAINPIPE57]

Absolutely brilliant crazy madhouse show So near the knuckle with the hitler sketch but Freddie was a one off Russ abbott continue this trend of comedy

[@mandypreece2636]

DAVID MICHAEL PYPER come to join us for our comedy facebook.com/groups/Freddiestarrworldwidefanclub/?ref=share

[@leeenglandland2978]

Still better than the crap on tv now. Just look at ITV Saturday night so-called entertainment, Ant and Dec !! The ultimate in cringe tv.

[@Gambit771]

Where was Bella?

[@sensiblename295]

Oh, they don't them like that anymore. Too much of this namby-pamby touchy feely nonsense nowadays. Why don't we see more of Frederick Starr on the telly along with his amusing Hitler impersonation?

[@Dim4323]

choking horror and eating hamsters

[@stevepepperday1798]

Used to love these shows Better than all the political correctness and shite today

[@dunebasher1971]

Prefer your comedy casually racist and sexist, then?

[@stevepepperday1798]

dunebasher1971 in the days before political correctness... people now are miserable do as they are told robots So called comedians today arent funny

[@dunebasher1971]

So just to clarify, by "in the days before political correctness" you mean "the days when it was still OK to be casually racist and sexist"?

[@leneynon6268]

Bloody awesome

[@philipbonner6486]

So funny.