Simpsons to give C4's alternative message

The Simpsons are to give this year’s Alternative Christmas Message on Channel 4.

The Christmas Day special is another coup for the station, which recently snatched the rights to air the animated comedy from the BBC at a cost of almost £700,000 an episode.

In the festive special, designed as an alternative to the traditional Queen’s speech, Lisa will call for freedom for Cornwall.

News of the broadcast only emerged after producers contacted Cornish speakers to make sure she pronounced her war cry – “rydhsys rag Kernow lemmyn” – correctly.

A spokesman for the Cornish  Language Fellowship said: “According to the storyline, she will be taking up the cause for a while.

“The fellowship has also suggested she shouts 'Cornwall forever'  (Kernow bys vykken) as well as waving the Cornish flag.”

Press officer Matthew Clarke added: "We have a lot of requests from people about the Cornish language, but this has to be one of the coolest.

"Cultural issues can get a bit stale, so it's nice to have a global phenomenon like The Simpsons interested."

Published: 5 Jul 2004