Excuse My French (2006 TV series)
Encyclopedia
Excuse My French was an RDF
language
programme on the BBC
where three celebrities with varying levels of French had one month to learn enough of the language to be able to carry out a task related to their area of expertise in French
. They did this while staying in a villa
in Provence
. They were helped by three teachers (Thierry, Patricia and Christine) from the Institut Français. The series was screened on BBC Two
on Tuesday evenings at 9pm in July and August 2006, and consisted of four episodes.
It featured Esther Rantzen
, Marcus Brigstocke
and Ron Atkinson
. Esther had the best knowledge of French of the three celebrities, and at the end of the series her task was to interview a politician on a television show. Marcus had a basic knowledge of French to begin the show, but showed much improvement throughout the series, culminating in him performing a comedy sketch completely in French. Ron began the show with no knowledge of French (although he has a little knowledge of Spanish
), and faced the steepest learning curve so that at the end of the month he was able to give a short analysis of a football match on French radio.
The show was more light entertainment than educational, and was often not taken seriously by the contestants, which led to a number of entertaining confrontations between the students and their tutors, especially Ron with his teacher Christine. However, at the end of the series, all three of the celebrities managed to perform their task successfully.
There was some criticism over the programme, in particular over the area that the students were in, as the Provençal
have a strong regional accent
, an experience akin to learning English in Newcastle
. Plus, the attitude by some of the teachers was seen as being harsh and some of the tasks were seen as much too difficult, such as making deliveries to people but with something deliberately put wrong in their deliveries.
RDF Media
Zodiak Media is a Anglo-American television production company. It was formed in 2010 when RDF Media Group was acquired by, and merged with Zodiak Entertainment...
language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
programme on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
where three celebrities with varying levels of French had one month to learn enough of the language to be able to carry out a task related to their area of expertise in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. They did this while staying in a villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
. They were helped by three teachers (Thierry, Patricia and Christine) from the Institut Français. The series was screened on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
on Tuesday evenings at 9pm in July and August 2006, and consisted of four episodes.
It featured Esther Rantzen
Esther Rantzen
Esther Louise Rantzen CBE is an English journalist and television presenter who is best known for presenting the BBC television series That's Life!, and for her work in various charitable causes. She is founder of the child protection charity ChildLine, and also advocates the work of the Burma...
, Marcus Brigstocke
Marcus Brigstocke
Marcus Alexander Brigstocke is an English comedian, actor and satirist who has worked extensively in stand-up comedy, television, radio and in 2010-2011 musical theatre. He is particularly associated with the 6.30pm comedy slot on BBC Radio 4, having frequently appeared on several of its shows...
and Ron Atkinson
Ron Atkinson
Ronald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
. Esther had the best knowledge of French of the three celebrities, and at the end of the series her task was to interview a politician on a television show. Marcus had a basic knowledge of French to begin the show, but showed much improvement throughout the series, culminating in him performing a comedy sketch completely in French. Ron began the show with no knowledge of French (although he has a little knowledge of Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
), and faced the steepest learning curve so that at the end of the month he was able to give a short analysis of a football match on French radio.
The show was more light entertainment than educational, and was often not taken seriously by the contestants, which led to a number of entertaining confrontations between the students and their tutors, especially Ron with his teacher Christine. However, at the end of the series, all three of the celebrities managed to perform their task successfully.
There was some criticism over the programme, in particular over the area that the students were in, as the Provençal
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
have a strong regional accent
Accent (linguistics)
In linguistics, an accent is a manner of pronunciation peculiar to a particular individual, location, or nation.An accent may identify the locality in which its speakers reside , the socio-economic status of its speakers, their ethnicity, their caste or social class, their first language In...
, an experience akin to learning English in Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. Plus, the attitude by some of the teachers was seen as being harsh and some of the tasks were seen as much too difficult, such as making deliveries to people but with something deliberately put wrong in their deliveries.