The Comic Strip Presents: A 41st Anniversary Celebration | BFI Q&A

The Comic Strip founder Peter Richardson, alongside stars Alexei Sayle, Nigel Planer, Gary Beadle and Julie T. Wallace, visit the BFI Southbank to take us on a nostalgic trip through the comedy troupe’s finest moments.
The Comic Strip Presents... was a series of self-contained films featuring an ensemble of the most talented comic performers from the 1980s and 1990s. Here Peter Richardson, the man behind the show, talks about the genesis of the show, alongside some of its regular performers.
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[@lemonbade]

The Comic Strip changed my life aged 15 and made me want to make comedy films. Peter Richardson came to see my stage version of Five Go Mad in 1985!

[@_Ben4810]

I love the comments here about Alexei... He still manages to divide opinion after all these years...😄😄😄 (PS...He really is a lovely guy & remains quite humble about his achievements)

[@Mick-T]

Peter is such an underrated genius ❤

[@brocktranz]

Probably the most underrated of all time! Stella street is absolutely amazing!

[@shaunlodwig]

i would love so much for Peter to be able to make a few more comic strips, his writing is one of a kind, so funny along with perfect comedy acting and casting. Love the whole Comic Strip team! Thanks for the escapism.

[@controloz3310]

It’s funny watching them all talk. The egos start to come out again, which is actually wonderful because it was the egos that gave us so much wonderful television.

[@zolfodor4835]

Would loved to have gone to this,the comic strips are fucking brilliant.

[@punkinmimi]

Wonderful to see them all again. Thank you so much BFI for filming and sharing for those of us across the pond who would have loved to been there. One question I always wanted to ask was about their relationship with Steve Martin, as I believe I once heard them say he was the inspiration behind Lenny Henry's character in Oxford. Unfortunate that they didn't speak more on Rik and Robbie, but I gather this isn't the easiest bunch to interview! Still, so nice to see them all, especially the ever-so enigmatic Peter Richardson.

[@zolfodor4835]

Yeah I would love to have heard them all saying a bit more about Rik & Robbie.

[@shaunlodwig]

if only i knew this was happening i would of loved to have gone, it's a shame it's so hard to keep up with where they are going to be, Comic Strip is the best

[@zolfodor4835]

Would liked to have seen Ade Edmondson & Keith Allen there .

[@ianbird6997]

Great to watch these guys again I grew up with the comic strips and still watch them to this day 😆👍

[@JonTeriini]

Great to see!

[@PatriotsVideos]

Thanks for uploading this from Peter's American fan!

[@rogerdavidson6236]

Hey! I'm his Canadian fan!

[@talesfromtinpanalley-thedo6198]

Really great to see this here as i missed the night at the BFI

[@rickplant36]

Fantastic xxxx

[@tenpc1751]

so good !!!

[@halfabeet]

37:45 How strange, I literally just watched the Stephen Fry defence of Peter Cook yesterday

[@halfabeet]

@@JJONNYREPP I meant he defended Cook against sniping journalists who said he had squandered his potential

[@gerrykenyon6642]

😊😅😅😮

[@colinmck175]

and BFI can't even spell his name correctly in this video...

[@punkinmimi]

Peter: "It's just not good television" (i.e. people having to tune in every week to watch a different story). Nigel: "It's commercial suicide" Black Mirror would like a word.

[@russell22w]

The new Severin blu ray of the series has just come out.

[@kevjq2435]

It says sausages...where's my other sausage?

[@ricardoViolencia]

I made this comment only today on a Facebook post :)

[@zolfodor4835]

" Your lucky I don't knock your fucking head in" 😅😅

[@davidwhiting5630]

Eat the rich is a brilliant film

[@jeanette606]

Where is adrian ?

[@Smoshy16]

Alexei Sayle talking about being funny is hilarious. Talk about riding the coat tails!

[@pigknickers2975]

Alexei really got away with murder imo. Just a shouter.

[@gargantuk]

Not fair at all - he was a great asset in The Young Ones, his own 'Stuff' show had lots of great moments...very PAIRSONAL though, innit eh?

[@geoffreyplow7255]

@@pigknickers2975Absolutely. And very keen on himself. If you believe what he says, he invented modern comedy.

[@pigknickers2975]

@@geoffreyplow7255 I heard him talk on Radio4, so up himself and cementing the legend all the time, quite nauseating really.

[@StonefieldJim4]

Sayle has spent most of his career telling anyone who'll listen how brilliant he is, and how everyone he's ever worked with him owes their careers to him.

[@TheGodParticle]

Where is ade,???

[@Fcutdlady]

I'm surprised Alexi Sale consented to be interviewed because i didn't think he got on with Peter Richardson for the reason he mentioned here that the comic strip was felt to be the Peter Richardson show .

[@deletebilderberg]

Well Alexi made THIS The Alexi Sayle show.

[@hanniffydinn6019]

Sad really…british comedy is now dead! 🤯🤯🤯🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🥹

[@billythedog-309]

Ooh, another version of 'comedy was funny in those days before political correctness'.

[@Smudgie]

@@billythedog-309 He's right though.

[@billythedog-309]

@@Smudgie Of course - no British production will ever be funny from now until the end of time.

[@hanniffydinn6019]

@@billythedog-309 you clearly haven’t watched comic strip, the comedy is very PC! It’s situational comedy like Red Dwarf, Yes Minister….it’s all about the characters & situations with satire of events! You just don’t see stuff like this anymore…the U.K. were world leaders in this well written type of satire comedy…now it’s gone! 🤯🤯🤯

[@billythedog-309]

@@hanniffydinn6019 You clearly don't know that l did watch the comic strip and it was very hit and miss.

[@lewis7515]

Typical Alexei Sayle: highjack the introductions and make it all about him - then the three boys club gits have a private discussion for 10 minutes, and they and host have their own little chat. 10 minutes! I don't know how the other two didn't just walk off.

[@jontydenton1201]

A few laughs…but basically forgettable

[@deletebilderberg]

Alexi Sayle's career?