Sir Humphrey Breaks In! | Yes, Prime Minister | BBC Comedy Greats

Locked out of Number 10, Sir Humphrey resorts to drastic measures to maintain his access to the PM. Subscribe: bit.ly/BBCComed...
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#Comedy #YesPrimeMinister

[@jasonyoung9226]

Humpty's speech at the end of the scene is his best ever. Even on the verge of mental breakdown he manages to state his case with the utmost eloquence. Priceless comedy.

[@ribbitgoesthedoglastnamehe4681]

Eloquence shmeloquence. The guy is so full of administrative jargon that he cant stop bull-sitting to save his life.

[@AthelstanEngland]

And sets up a fantastic one line response from Jim Hacker! Great writing.

[@johncresswell-plant2913]

Earlier we saw Bernard's ruthless and sadistic side

[@tm502010]

Verbose in the extreme!

[@lehlongwane]

Utmost eloquence, indeed.

[@mymartianhome]

And the police officer on the door represents the British Bobby at his finest, calm, respectful and totally immovable.

[@pondgazer1]

Sir Humphrey's exhaustive and overly complex plea at the end - only to be responded with "You mean you've lost your key?" 😂 Such delicious comedy.

[@patrickj.conaty5925]

2

[@GoldenSunAlex]

The Police Officer is the unsung hero in this scene. You can tell how much he's enjoying getting back at Humphrey.

[@Shadowdoc26]

I’m pretty sure anyone who’s ever worked with him would feel the same.

[@TomFynn]

"or lest Mr. Bernard Woolley gives permission." Talk about twisting the knife.

[@JGalt-em4xu]

Nothing like getting back at someone by doing your job well 😆

[@00bikeboy]

"Oh look, it's Humphrey!" I don't know why but that line always cracks me up.

[@MD-rd7bn]

Maybe it is the great discrepancy between the serious handling of government and Humphrey standing bereaved on the balcony

[@TomFynn]

The glee in his voice...

[@nygarmik]

"Bloody door" must be the strongest language we ever hear from Sir Humphrey.

[@jrd33]

He once calls a female colleague "dear lady" with a degree of insincerity and condescension which leaves the listener in no doubt what he really thinks of her.

[@thomassherwood5061]

Be once called the president of Buranda an enigma with hacker mishearing him

[@SWAMIJIist]

Called Bernard little runt.

[@cwjian90]

The new top security instruction was, in fact, Sir Humphrey's idea earlier in the episode.

[@THE_GUY_ONE]

Oh the irony.

[@edipires15]

What goes around, comes around 😂

[@malcolmabram2957]

In some ways this is my favourite episode in an outstanding series.

[@WildBikerBill]

Be careful what you wish for...

[@Delightfully_Bitchy]

You know, I've seen this episode several times, and I don't think that ever occurred to me. Good observation.

[@THE_GUY_ONE]

There were episodes, where Hacker bested Humphrey, but in this episode he utterly owned his ass, and it was delightful to watch.

[@tolep]

And then it's close to the elections, after which Humphrey is on top again.

[@dizzyology7514]

One of the very few moments in the whole series which uses physical humor. For the most part YM leaned entirely on verbal and intellectual wit, unlike other Britcoms (Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served, etc.) But in this scene we see Sir Humphrey reacting to the situation exactly as Basil Fawlty might do. A delight to see Sir Nigel display this side of his impressive acting skills.

[@TrenceA]

It also very much looks like a reuse of the Fawlty Towers set at the start.

[@242sighting]

That's true in a way but I feel like the norm in this show was a very specific kind of physical comedy surrounding the mannerisms of civil servants and government officials. They seldom deviated from that narrow path as you say but when they did it was usually for a brilliant scene like this.

[@miketemple876]

The rarity of it and how out of place it is makes it 100% funnier

[@zkhan0109]

.m. Oo

[@davididiart5934]

My god... if Basil Fawlty was in this show, there'd have been a nuclear explosion halfway through the first YPM episode!

[@howardgoy9568]

Probably my favourite episode of all. Nigel Hawthorne's portrayal of Sir Humphrey's panic, anger, and frustration is quite brilliant - and utterly hilarious.

[@cyberdan42]

An epic moment in an epic show. One of the things I most loved about Yes (Prime) Minister was the balance, neither Hacker, as the naïve, popularity focussed politician, nor Humphrey as the cynical, power focussed civil servant were totally without sympathy, pathos, poor decision making or cunning ploys. The show, often utilising the wonderfully down played Bernard, superbly navigated the line of sympathy and condemnation on both perspectives, of victories and defeats. It was perfectly crafted then, and remains superb and relevant now because of that.

[@mymartianhome]

Apart they were great, but on those rare occasions where their interests combined and they joined forces then the world (or at least the government) trembled.

[@engg84]

....You mean it's a good show?

[@hagamapama]

Even so though, this is a unique epsiode because in the end it's BERNARD, the third wheel, who actually wins and hands Sir Humphrey Appleby a rare defeat.

[@winternow2242]

Got to hand it to Humphrey. Even when he's falling apart, he can still talk in Humphr-ese.

[@pi4t651]

The more he's falling apart, the stronger the Humphr-ese becomes.

[@TheEgbon]

Why can't there be shows like this anymore? Even after all these years, it is the perfect show.

[@freebornjohn2687]

You need very talented script writers and they don't come along very often. YM / YPM was written by just two people who knew and were aided about the setting. UK producers could try the US approach and have teams of people writing and each one hoping to add the odd line in an episode. One big drawback of this is the expense, especially when they don't produce the goods.

[@Lomedae]

Because the people that pay don't think the audiences would want this. Look at the crass shallow US remake of House of Cards. Look at how there's never been anything like the West Wing. Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister were amazing,but sadly of their time in subject and quality.

[@lachyt5247]

@@Lomedae The US remake of house of cards was exceptional, at least for the first two seasons. Pretending otherwise is nonsense.

[@miketemple876]

"to what do we owe this pleasure"... im crying

[@barneyhoward1691]

Irrefutably the greatest British comedy series ever made.

[@bensmith6554]

Its this Blackadder and misfits as my top three. Oh wait ..I forgot "The Thick of it"

[@henrykeyter53]

Comedy? I am afraid that you are quite mistaken. This here is, as a matter of fact, a documentary.

[@garyf2636]

@@henrykeyter53 Exactly 🤣 timeless truth of politics

[@Orangutan_Stella]

Only fools and horses imo

[@chughes156]

Arguably the greatest punchline, too

[@fannycraddock99]

You mean you've lost your key! Such a great response to Sir Humphrey's protestations.

[@JohanHerrenberg]

Yes, classic stuff. The most concise encapsulation of one the most convoluted of Sir Humphrey's many verbose sentences.

[@mighty-roman]

And one of the rare times when Hacker doesn't ask him to explain things more simply.

[@TheNefastor]

I always lose it at that point. This is so hilarious, it never gets old 😄

[@rustafwa8519]

One of the best teachable moments is when sir humphrey didn't take his anger out on the police. He was just doing his job. Can't imagine Boris behaving like that

[@STho205]

But Boris would be in the #10 conference room chuckling and the Cabinet Secretary would be arguing outside.

[@michaelmuldowney8]

That’s actually Downing Street and No 10 - Thatcher was such a fan of the show that she was happy to allow filming outside her front door.

[@ThatGuyNicho]

Honestly, I think that speech and the response to it equals "Don't tell him, Pike" as the best line in British comedy. Seriously!

[@beertruk2429]

'Stupid boy.' Another classic.

[@leoamery]

Or 'What are you going to tell me about Wilson, that he's been made Archbishop of Canterbury?"

[@josemaria8177]

Not even the police can stop Sir Humphrey when he puts his mind to something

[@arturs2436]

Far i have read in other vid about this episode, the segment between 0:48 and 2:19 is the real Downing Street 10 facade. The then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (who was a great/big fan of the series) allowed that section to be tapped in the location.

[@flashstudiosguy]

It's funny to look at No. 10 now and think, in the late 80s,all that was stopping people from storming the place was a couple of flimsy steel gates you could easily open or climb over and a couple of uniforms who may or may not be carrying snub noses under their tunics..

[@callandick429]

@@flashstudiosguy In the late 60s my dad took me, as a 12 year old, to London for a sightseeing trip. There weren't even gates then and you could walk up Downing Street and pose on the steps of No 10. Same applied to Parliament. It was not sitting but my MP had written a letter to permit us access to see the place, and I even sat on the Woolsack in the Lords.

[@markbunn4376]

One of the greatest one liners from Hacker "you mean you have lost your key"!!!

[@scottleary8468]

Nigel Hawthorne was such a brilliantly entertaining actor.

[@susannamarker2582]

I remember the first time we saw this scene back in the 80s. We laughed out loud. Now, 35 years later, it's still as funny. Timeless comedy.

[@harishnunkoo509]

Jim sums up everything Sir Humphrey said in just 4 words "You've lost your key". Comedy gold

[@jessiejames7492]

'PM: sir humphrey, to what do we owe this pleasure ?'brilliant calm, caustic british humour. ! :)

[@philledwith8307]

To deliver a monologue like that while also appearing to be on the verge of hysteria and have the whole thing be believable requires a _lot_ of work, and a really talented actor. Well done.

[@billd01rfc]

Sir Humphrey's speech, and Jim's response are classic . . . one of the grestest lines in comedy.

[@Hammern28]

" .... you mean, you lost your key? " lol

[@TheLivingHeiromartyr]

Humphrey’s barely concealed rage when Bernard becomes his gatekeeper.

[@BillinHungary]

Yes - during the Yes Minister years, Humphrey could cause Bernard to quake in fear, spill his guts, and change his mine, just by alluding to the fact that he was Bernard's boss in the Civil service hierarchy. Now as the principal private secretary to the PM, Bernard had the upper hand, and was loving it!

[@moeenuddin6467]

@@BillinHungary in civil service hierarchy Sir Humphrey still has the upper hand. In reality a principal secretary would never go against head of civil service like that. He would try to escalate the situation by explaining his position to Sir Humphrey

[@jordanread5829]

@@moeenuddin6467 While true, Bernard is only in the position he is in because of Hacker. As Hacker requested Bernard stayed as his private secretary after becoming PM. So Bernard also has to appease Hacker, otherwise he loses a career defining role. This is why Bernard is my favourite character and this is my favourite episode. A real struggle for the conflict of loyalties he has. Either way, he will lose favour with one of his bosses.

[@DarkPriestess1]

Dorothy's shit-eating grin is everything.

[@yvonneblake2]

U mean you've lost your key?🗝️🗝️😂😂😂😂

[@nettaglover8183]

It doesn’t matter how often I watch this. It is sheer heaven every time.

[@helenheeney2284]

Simply outstanding gosh nothing like that on our screens today how did he get to the end of that sentence amazing

[@albertjester]

I cannot stress enough my considerable enjoyment for the truely elequent delivery by Mr Hacker upon his discovery of Sir Humphrey's unexpected appearance outside the window of the cabinet office, as if the ingress of number 10 via its balcony by senior members of the civil service is an utterly mundane occurence, completely undeserving of surprise or alarm, and indeed, no more unusual than encountering an old colleague in a public establishment.

[@cliftonrose3076]

More often than not Humphrey would get the better of Hacker in their psychological battles, but in this one the tables were definitely turned. Hilarious episode with brilliant acting by all.

[@johnbanks4761]

No sound i can hear the voices..hear the complete and utter hilarity..one of the best shows of all time on any continent

[@danielbowdren5082]

You

[@johnbanks4761]

@@danielbowdren5082 i just live the fact he is almost having a breakdown..and the others are just calm as you like haha

[@jessiejames7492]

I love this episode. The PM showed his triumph over Sir Humphrey. Funny

[@clickrick]

This was almost compulsory viewing back when I worked in the Civil Service.

[@lorewalkermaohao4602]

I don't know which is better... Humphrey on the verge of a mental breakdown, Hacker's response, or the guy in the audience absolutely losing it when hearing said response.

[@Krieky]

I watched this episode decades ago and still remember it so well! The other great scene was the PM’s advisor strongly arguing why she needed her office to be next to the men’s loo!

[@milnez]

Glorious eloquence and impeccable timing... hallmarks of a timeless classic that remains relevant today :)

[@Jim-cj7pj]

Love "Yes Minster" and "Yes, Prime Minister". This is without a doubt my favorite episode of both series.

[@streamsofconsciousness8651]

This was, without doubt, the best scene of the best episode in all of the Minister series

[@lizarddronedude3617]

ABSOLUTELY

[@ProperLogicalDebate]

With little effort the Number 10 door guard reminds me of the Sargent at Rookes Drift in the movie Zulu.

[@AudieHolland]

Even though I have seen that movie only once, I got the same impression from the guard looking like a tough veteran, his appearance giving the same message: you'll get in over my dead body.

[@ErikDB6]

Perhaps the most perfectly crafted comedy scene of all time. Simply brilliant.

[@michaelscott6022]

My office door is always open!...Except, of course, when it is closed.

[@MD-rd7bn]

These are my favorite scenes of Yes Minister. Priceless!!!

[@Eoin933]

I'll never know how one person could do that RIP - Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne

[@BrianCuthbertson]

Brilliant cameo by the cop.

[@paulagrimoldi9699]

He is adorable!

[@chintamannagar2045]

This is probably one of the best.

[@mickeycz]

one of the best scenes from the series... LMAO

[@julianaylor4351]

I love this, it's one of the best Yes Prime Minister stories. 😆

[@billkeaveney1526]

Sir Humphrey was magnificent

[@CONNELL19511216]

Brilliant acting, brilliant script, brilliant direction.

[@leecharles8981]

No wonder Nigel Hawthorne won the BAFTA every year for his performance as Sir Humphrey!

[@atzuras]

maybe the single one shoot in which Humphy walks down the street with the commoners and the peasants.

[@panther7748]

In the episode about the scottish military base, he is shown using the tube.

[@beckyenglish4783]

Best comedy series EVER made.

[@colinweir5807]

This is best episode and ends with the best speach from Sir Humphrey.

[@CarrionCrow993]

My favourite part of my favourite episode (so far - haven't finished the series).

[@ndaku11]

Power and control are like explosive diarrhea 🤣🤣🤣🤣 poor Sir Humphrey. He's walking like he's got the runs 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@LeedsUnitedJohn]

The Copper in this is brilliant.

[@BillinHungary]

I agree - while acting in a completely professional manner, his facial expressions and elocution convey the fact that he is thoroughly enjoying saying 'No' to Sir Humphrey. And the more Sir Humphrey gets upset, the more he is enjoying it.

[@ImranSahir1]

I 💛 Sir Humphrey.

[@nettaglover8183]

How perfectly divine. How I loved this character.

[@PaulCashman]

One of the finest moments in a terrific show. 100/10 would recommend.

[@taffman1]

Did similar with a gobby Major when I was on guard duty in the army, he didn't have his ID, demanded I and my fellows let him in the barracks, we said no as he didn't have a pass, demanded to know whose orders we were following, we said his, said we could contact the Colonel, who strangely for a Friday night was the duty officer and get him to sign him in, he went back to his gf to get his pass. We still reported him, as we didn't like him 😄

[@di6083]

My favourite memory of this show - such verbosity with a simple retort in reply.

[@matthewbason]

Nigel Hawthorne - legend. Superb actor

[@Bondek1996]

Always love this. The mounting anger and desperation.

[@bozm9961]

I've watched this so many times and still laugh all the time.

[@Teddyclaws]

I love it when the security alarm goes off.

[@myleschilton3473]

Love the way PM steadily became more than a match for Humpy.

[@sporkfindus4777]

The acting and writing was exceptional, as were some of the suits

[@kills26]

I was actually just thinking Humphrey has a nice suit and thinking about how it will be fine with dry cleaning. I dno why I am thinking that, but I was.

[@javeediqbal3971]

My politics teacher made us watch episodes of this in class. Brilliant stuff.

[@michaelbootes4822]

My grandma introduced me to Yes Minister back in the day. She’d recorded most of the episodes off the Telly. When we got to this episode she told me it was her favorite. 30 years later I don’t have her anymore b it I still think of her whenever I’m laughing at this episode.

[@ChanduKale]

Terrific!! Even under this distress Sir Humphrey has to explain his predicament in the officialese blabber.

[@timwhale9434]

Superb use of ingress and egress ❤️ "It's only Sir Humphrey" 😉👌

[@dubey_ji]

I'm impressed with the copper in front of the #10 gate

[@johnking5174]

That was the real Number 10 Downing Street they used. Margaret Thatcher gave them permission to film there.

[@dubey_ji]

@@johnking5174 that's so cool ! They deserved it though 😬 especially actors who portrayed Sir Humphrey , Bernard and Jim

[@narend6572]

,,, and Northern Ireland. Loved it. Kudos to the writer.

[@BillinHungary]

Agreed - Amidst Humphrey's outrage and pomposity, he still is able to remember the government's proper name, which adds even more hilarity to the speech.

[@GeoffMorrisdrive]

Simply the BEST !

[@MLaak86]

While I think the addition of this raging temper to Humphrey was out of the established character, can't deny this was funny as hell to watch.

[@ThatGuyNicho]

It makes sense that someone so accustomed to getting their own way would be extremely irate when they don't get it for once! Haha.

[@MLaak86]

@@ThatGuyNicho Yeah but it was displayed a couple of times and seemed to emerge from relatively nowhere in Yes Prime Minister, alongside the emergence of Dorothy Wainwright.

[@jrd33]

@@MLaak86 I think that suddenly Sir Humphrey starts to feel he's losing control and that Hacker is listening to other people rather than him. Highly stressful to someone who is used to being the master of every situation (at least in his own mind).

[@PMMagro]

One must love this man!

[@RoarLou]

I have only recently finished these series - wasn't something I was watching when I was younger unfortunately but this episode is my indeed my favourite. The whole getting back at Humphrey for overstepping the boundaries especially when Bernard was not sure how to uphold Hacker's instructions to not allow Humphrey inside without calling first and then proceeds to this marvolous instruments of comedy from everyone where Humphrey is a bumbling at Hacker's mercy and Hacker's delight with the 'Are you trying to say you have lost you key' is so equiste and I am glad this show existed for many centuries as its top tier comedy!

[@bahma810]

My favourite episode. The smug patronising Humphrey Appleby brought down a peg or two.

[@EmaadSidiki]

He is like an intruder. LOL

[@mayoite160]

hot damn Humphrey's facial expressions equal Hacker's most memorable ones here

[@thomasjames6680]

As Bernard later says in the book of the series, himself the Sir Humphrey of the fictional day the "memoirs" of Jim Hacker is published in; this episode was an important lesson in the nature of power, and who wields it.

[@vikashbaid526]

Just amazing...i watch this serial endlessly just for the english

[@viviennepopek]

Absolutely PRICELESS! 👍💞👏💖👏💞👍 Thank you for uploading 💗

[@michaelholmes5687]

"Is that a yes...? Sir"

[@passengerplanetearth]

"Prime Minister, I must protest in the strongest possible terms my profound opposition to a newly instituted practice which imposes severe and intolerable restrictions upon the ingress and egress of senior members of the hierarchy, and which will in all probability should the current deplorable innovation be perpetuated, precipitate a constriction of the channels of communication, and culminate in a condition of organisational atrophy and administrative paralysis which will render effectively impossible the coherent and coordinated discharge of the function of government within her majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland."

[@xaraphiel]

You mean you've lost your key?

[@donpcmartin]

You know you’re here reading the comments hoping someone will post Humphrey’s ending monologue.

[@alberto2287]

I wonder if the policeman at the front door was afterwards transferred to a remote island 🙊

[@ohpurpled]

Death in Paradise origin story?

[@lagkillsgames9705]

This is probably the only video on KZbin that doesn't have dislikes

[@anglosaxon5874]

"You mean you've lost your key" 🤣🤣😂😂

[@MonkeyspankO]

A truly beaten man.

[@christempleton6348]

Got to love Humphrey's pomposity. What a great actor never seen his like ever

[@andreashaynes3346]

PERFECT!!! 😂🌟

[@marionbayley1351]

One of the greatest come backs ever - you mean you’ve lost your key!

[@passengerplanetearth]

how we all longed for this moment... :-)