Sitcom legend slates modern comedy

Another veteran comedy performer has hit out at the state of modern sitcoms.

George and Mildred star Brian Murphy says comedy today is not funny, and relies too heavily on swearing.

The 72-year-old, who played henpecked George Roper to the late Yootha Joyce’s Mildred, said: ‘I find a lot of modern comedy offensive.

‘If I was in the same room as someone who spoke like that, I would leave/. Maybe swearing was funny once, but too often it becomes boring.

‘Old sitcoms weren’t afraid to be funny and they did not have to be offensive.

‘When I was in George and Mildred, I got fan mail from kids of three and four,’ he told the Daily Express’s Hickey column.

His comments come on the same day Ricky Gervais slammed British sitcoms for being unambitious.

George And Mildred, a spin-off from Man About The House, ran for five series between 1976 and 1979.

Published: 31 Oct 2005