Tittybangbang

Tittybangbang

Cover of Second Series DVD
Created by Bob Mortimer and Jill Parker
Directed by Angela De Chastelai Smith (series 1 & 2), Bob Mortimer (series 3)
Starring Lucy Montgomery
Debbie Chazen
Tony Way
Shelley Longworth
Lorraine Cheshire
Velile Tshabalala
Di Botcher
Katy Brand
Esther Coles
Steve Oram
Stephen Burge
Rhys Thomas
Opening theme One Horse Town by The Thrills (series 2 & 3)
Country of origin United Kingdom
No. of series 3
No. of episodes 21 (including pilot)
Production
Executive producer(s) Bob Mortimer and Lisa Clark
Camera setup Multiple-camera
Running time 30 mins
Release
Original network BBC Three
Original release 20 September 2005 (pilot), 10 January 2006 (series) – 26 December 2007
External links
Website

Tittybangbang is a female-led television sketch comedy, performed by Lucy Montgomery and Debbie Chazen, which ran between 2005 and 2007 on BBC Three. The show was largely written by Bob Mortimer and Jill Parker and produced by their company Pett Productions.

History

Bob Mortimer and Lisa Clark conceived the idea of Tittybangbang and involved Jill Parker.[1] Mortimer came up with the show's name, wanting "a really memorable title like Desperate Housewives", Clark said in an interview, "it's rude, but in a comedy way".[2]

The pilot aired on BBC Three on 20 September 2005. The first series followed, heavily promoted by an advert in which the cast members danced and mimed to the Pussycat Dolls' hit single "Don't Cha." It ran from 10 January to 14 February 2006, and was a ratings success.[3] After the series finished, BBC Three dedicated an evening to the show, airing each episode in succession.

The second series ran from 13 November to 25 December 2006. It had a new title sequence and theme tune, consisted of seven thirty-minute episodes (including a Christmas special) and matched the first series' success.[4] Both the first and second series were shown on BBC Two in a series of 'Best of' specials.

In March 2007, Tittybangbang was nominated for a Golden Rose international television award.[5] The third and final series followed, with another new title sequence, and ran from 11 November to 16 December 2007, followed by the Christmas special, on 26 December.

Filming for the series took place mostly in and around Kent.[6]

Critical reception

Both critics and the general public formed mixed opinions, and in the press pack for the show's first series, BBC Press Office said that the pilot had "polarised critical response".[7] First impressions of the show were good, with Radio Times describing the show as 'Disturbingly funny', The Sun calling it 'Laughs galore' and The Observer describing it as 'Very funny, very horrid', the show also received negative criticism from certain critics, with The Times describing it as 'Not very funny'.

In an interview with Lucy Montgomery, Digital Spy said that the first series had been labelled "horrid and filthy, but funny", and Montgomery mentioned the necrophiliac pathologists specifically, saying "the necrophilia character, that's gone [from the second series] because public opinion was that that wasn't a good idea".[8]

The BBC Comedy review said "the sketches might not always work, but they're mostly short and to the point", and described it as "one of the best, and certainly the most varied of recent sketch formats", noting that whilst "not as huge as other formats" it had developed a "loyal and addicted following".[9]

Main characters

Below is a selection of some of the main characters in the series.[10]

The Italian Lady is the trademark character of the series

DVD releases

Title Release Date
Region 1 Region 2
Complete first series - 20 November 2006
Complete second series - 31 March 2008
Complete third series - -

References

  1. "Interview with Jill Parker" PixelSurgeon Retrieved 9 May 2008.
  2. "Interview with Lisa Clark" Female First Retrieved 9 May 2008.
  3. "Viewing figures for January 15, 2006" BARB Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  4. "Viewing figures for December 19, 2006" BARB Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  5. "Tittybangbang up for a Golden Rose" Chortle Retrieved 22 April 2008.
  6. "Tittybangbang3 at the Kent Film Office" Kent Film Office Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  7. "Press Pack for the first series" BBC Press Office Retrieved 24 April 2008.
  8. "Interview with Lucy Montgomery" Digital Spy Retrieved 24 April 2008.
  9. "Article on Tittybangbang from the BBC Comedy Guide" BBC Comedy Guide Retrieved 24 April 2008.
  10. "Characters in Tittybangbang series 1 and 2" BBC Press Office Retrieved 22 April 2008.
  11. "Interview with Debbie Chazen" Something Jewish Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  12. "Interview with Lisa Clark" Female First Retrieved 9 May 2008.

External links

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