I recently watched the TV documentary ‘The Cancellation Of Benny Hill’, which shocked me – but not in the way the producers intended.
I was well aware Thames Television cancelled Benny’s contract in a cruelly perfunctory manner in 1989 after 20 years, which was a major blow to his career and health. He died three years later.
His style of comedy may appear old-fashioned to some, but he was one of the few British comedians to find success in America, where his shows earned £27 million for Thames TV.
He lived a quiet life and was a prolific writer of sketches, monologues, limericks and lyrics . . . and didn’t commit any crimes!
So, who suddenly decided the man himself should be ‘cancelled’?
The programme followed the usual tired format of comedians, most of whom weren’t born when Benny was at his peak, ‘reacting in horror’ at excerpts from some of Benny’s  shows, muttering “How did he get away with it?”
But, were the clips they saw the same ones we did? I wondered if TV jiggery-pokery was involved?
I also wondered if the people taking part were qualified to pass judgment on a man who was a star for almost 40 years.
That they didn’t appreciate Benny’s saucy humour may have something to do with the report that people born between the late 1990s and early 2010s – known as Gen Z – were unfamiliar with the expressions ‘Rumpy Pumpy’, ‘Slap And Tickle’, ‘Nookie’ and ‘A Bit Of How’s Your Father’!
For them to have never heard those expressions, they must have avoided every TV screening of a ‘Carry On’ film since they were born.
As ITV 3 shows back-to-back ‘Carry Ons’ every Bank Holiday weekend, that’s nothing short of miraculous.
I was also surprised that ‘Hanky Panky’ was another expression Gen Z hadn’t heard of, because Madonna recorded a song with that title.
My surprise vanished when I found out it peaked at No10 in 1990*.
If a week’s a long time in politics, 36 years in the pop business is an eternity.
*Benny Hill’s “Ernie” was No1 for four weeks in 1971.