Very little Britons

Kids of 4 hooked on comedy

Children as young as four are watching Little Britain, even though it is screened after the 9pm watershed.

Research published in today’s Radio Times estimates that more than 86,000 four- to nine-year-olds watched the last series, as well as around 280,000 10-15-year-olds.

Some schools have asked parents to prevent their children from watching the show because of its adult themes.

David Walliams admitted: ‘Little Britain is not designed for children, it's not meant for them. But it's great that they love it.’

‘When I was at school I was watching The Young Ones. I was probably about 12 and The Young Ones wasn't meant for 12-year-olds, but there's always that element in kids where they want to watch the naughty comedy that's not for them.’

Matt Lucas added that the young son of comedian Bob Mortimer was recently sent home with a letter from his head teacher asking parents to ban their children from watching the show.

‘Watching Little Britain was affecting how the kids behaved in school,’ Lucas said. ‘They were doing the catchphrases and coming out with rude jokes.’

But Tim Benson of the National Association of Head Teachers told the magazine the show had its uses.

‘I use Vicky Pollard in my own school. If you've seen a child do something and they go straight into denial, I say to them sometimes, “Yeah but no but yeah”. They look at me, grin and say:, “OK sir, yeah, it was me."'

The Radio Times survey of 2,000 children showed Little Britain is second only to the Simpsons in a poll of children's favourite comedies, while Ant and Dec topped the list of funniest TV stars.

Top five children's comedies: