Mash and Peas
Encyclopedia
Mash and Peas was a parodic sketch show written by and starring Matt Lucas
& David Walliams
. Their first television work together, it originally aired on Paramount Comedy 1
and Channel 4
between 1996 and 1997. The episodes were repeated before the channel's relaunch in 1999. The programme is made up of parodies of various television genres, introduced by the childish and incompetent Danny Mash (Lucas) and Gareth Peas (Walliams). Edgar Wright
directed and long-standing collaborator Paul Putner
appeared throughout.
2. American Sitcoms
3. Sex Talk
4. Prime Time ITV
5. Late Night ITV
6. Boy Band Documentary
7. British On The Box
8. Strange Phenomenums
In addition to these, in 1997, four sketches very similar in tone to the American sitcoms edition (one of which was actually a remake of a A Puppet Lives In My House - with the only major difference being that Jessica Stevenson
's role was now taken by Rebecca Front
) were produced for a Sitcoms Night which was made in partnership between Paramount Comedy 1
and Channel 4
.
The remaining sketches were - the grotesquely camp My Gay Dads in which one typical American teenage girl is beset with three loud homosexual fathers, a US remake of Only Fools and Horses
entitled Only Jerks and Horses and a Seinfeld
parody I'm Bland (but my friends are krazy!). Also appearing in these sketches were Bob Mortimer
, Reece Shearsmith
, Steve Pemberton
, Mark Gatiss
and Simon Greenall.
Shortly before transmission, Lucas and Walliams appeared in-character to publicise the show on Dominik Diamond's Paramount chat show Night O'Plenty. Later, the pair also appeared as Mash and Peas in a number of music videos by Fat Les
, made between 1998 and 2000, including the famous 'Vindaloo'.
Soon after this Lucas & Walliams created Sir Bernard's Stately Homes
, before soon achieving recognition with UK Play's Rock Profile
and, their most successful work, Little Britain
.
Matt Lucas
Matthew Richard "Matt" Lucas is an English comedian, screenwriter and actor best known for his acclaimed work with David Walliams in the television show Little Britain; as well as for his portrayals of the scorekeeping baby George Dawes in the comedy panel game Shooting Stars, Tweedledee and...
& David Walliams
David Walliams
David Edward Walliams is an English comedian, writer and actor, known for his partnership with Matt Lucas on the TV sketch show Little Britain and its predecessor Rock Profile...
. Their first television work together, it originally aired on Paramount Comedy 1
Paramount Comedy 1
Comedy Central in the United Kingdom and Ireland is a localised version of Comedy Central which first began in the United States in the 1990s. The television channel is available through the Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk TV in the United Kingdom, Sky Ireland, UPC Ireland and Magnet Networks in the...
and Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
between 1996 and 1997. The episodes were repeated before the channel's relaunch in 1999. The programme is made up of parodies of various television genres, introduced by the childish and incompetent Danny Mash (Lucas) and Gareth Peas (Walliams). Edgar Wright
Edgar Wright
Edgar Howard Wright is an English film and television director and writer. He is most famous for his work with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost on the films Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, the TV series Spaced, and for directing the film Scott Pilgrim vs...
directed and long-standing collaborator Paul Putner
Paul Putner
-Life and career:He was born in East Grinstead. He studied at LAMDA where he won, amongst other prizes, the Kenneth More prize for comedy acting.His first significant TV role saw Putner as numerous characters in The Glam Metal Detectives shown on BBC2. His real break in comedy came after he set up...
appeared throughout.
Episode guide
1. Kids TV- Parodies of PlayawayPlayawayPlayaway is the name of a solid-state prerecorded audio player introduced in 2005 by Findaway World, LLC, based in Solon, Ohio. About the size of a deck of playing cards and weighing 2 ounces, it can store up to 80 hours of audio...
, Tony HartTony HartNorman Antony "Tony" Hart was an English artist and children's television presenter. He was famous for television shows such as Vision On, Playbox, Take Hart and Hartbeat.-Early life:...
, JackanoryJackanoryJackanory is a long-running BBC children's television series that was designed to stimulate an interest in reading. The show was first transmitted on 13 December 1965, the first story being the fairy-tale Cap o' Rushes read by Lee Montague. Jackanory continued to be broadcast until 24 March 1996,...
and Why Don't You...? specifically, each with a hidden agenda - such as oppressive Christianity or entrapment - or some surprising surrealism coming to the fore.
2. American Sitcoms
- Parodies of standard American sitcoms, both domestic and blue-collar.*
3. Sex Talk
- Simon GreenallSimon GreenallSimon Greenall is a British actor, writer and voice artist from Longtown in Cumbria. He has appeared in a wide variety of roles in television, film, radio and the theatre, and is probably best known for his role as Michael in the TV series I'm Alan Partridge and as the voice of headmaster Iqbal in...
acts as host for a parody of the type of supposedly dangerous late-night sexual discussion programs that were abound in the early nineties, featuring early Rock Profile-style interviews with married couples.
4. Prime Time ITV
- Parodies of Gay ByrneGay ByrneGabriel Mary "Gay" Byrne is a veteran Irish presenter of radio and television. His most notable role was first host of The Late Late Show over a 37-year period spanning 1962 until 1999...
's hosting of The Late Late ShowThe Late Late ShowThe Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
, Michael BarrymoreMichael BarrymoreMichael Kieron Parker , better known by his stage name Michael Barrymore, is a British comedian who appeared as a presenter of game shows and light entertainment programmes on British television in the 1980s and 1990s. These included Strike It Lucky, My Kind of People, My Kind of Music and Kids Say...
's hosting in general, Victoria WoodVictoria WoodVictoria Wood CBE is a British comedienne, actress, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and director. Wood has written and starred in sketches, plays, films and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy act is interspersed with her own compositions, which she accompanies on piano...
's comedy and two old women talk over Wish You Were Here...?Wish You Were Here...?Wish You Were Here...? is a British television show that was first broadcast on 7th January 1974 on ITV. It was a series of 30 minute shows about travel and holidays. The show was broadcast during peak viewing hours and had gained a significant viewing audience in the UK...
.
5. Late Night ITV
- Parodies of contemporary presenter Gaz Top, late night video review shows, television producer Mike MansfieldMike MansfieldMichael Joseph Mansfield was an American Democratic politician and the longest-serving Majority Leader of the United States Senate, serving from 1961 to 1977. He also served as United States Ambassador to Japan for over ten years...
's contemporary music show and Richard LittlejohnRichard LittlejohnRichard William Littlejohn is an English author, broadcaster and journalist. He is noted for his Conservative views and currently writes a twice-weekly column for the Daily Mail....
's journalistic nature.
6. Boy Band Documentary
- Spoof documentary on a dim, up and coming, manufactured Take ThatTake ThatTake That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
style band.
7. British On The Box
- A full parody of Garry BushellGarry BushellGarry Bushell is an English newspaper columnist, rock music journalist, television presenter, author and political activist. Bushell also sings in the Oi! band The Gonads and manages the New York City Oi! band Maninblack. Bushell's recurring themes are comedy, country and class...
and the type of television and bigotry he inhabits.
8. Strange Phenomenums
- A take on the early 90's mystery science-fiction sensation, parodying cheap shows that sprang up in the wake of The X Files, including the likes of TV psychics and Michael Aspel's Strange But True. It is unclear as to whether videotape of this edition still exists.
In addition to these, in 1997, four sketches very similar in tone to the American sitcoms edition (one of which was actually a remake of a A Puppet Lives In My House - with the only major difference being that Jessica Stevenson
Jessica Stevenson
Jessica Hynes is an English actress and writer. She was known professionally as Jessica Stevenson until 2007.She is possibly best known as one of the creators, writers and stars of the British sitcom Spaced....
's role was now taken by Rebecca Front
Rebecca Front
Rebecca Front is a BAFTA Award–winning English comedian and actress best known for her performances in The Thick of It in the late 2000s, and series of critically acclaimed satirical comedies in the early 1990s: On The Hour, The Day Today and Knowing Me, Knowing You...with Alan Partridge...
) were produced for a Sitcoms Night which was made in partnership between Paramount Comedy 1
Paramount Comedy 1
Comedy Central in the United Kingdom and Ireland is a localised version of Comedy Central which first began in the United States in the 1990s. The television channel is available through the Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk TV in the United Kingdom, Sky Ireland, UPC Ireland and Magnet Networks in the...
and Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
The remaining sketches were - the grotesquely camp My Gay Dads in which one typical American teenage girl is beset with three loud homosexual fathers, a US remake of Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
entitled Only Jerks and Horses and a Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
parody I'm Bland (but my friends are krazy!). Also appearing in these sketches were Bob Mortimer
Bob Mortimer
Robert "Bob" Renwick Mortimer is an English comedian and actor, who is best known for his double act with Vic Reeves...
, Reece Shearsmith
Reece Shearsmith
Reeson "Reece" Shearsmith is an English actor and writer. He is most famous for his work as part of The League of Gentlemen along with fellow performers Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss and co-writer Jeremy Dyson.-Early life:...
, Steve Pemberton
Steve Pemberton
Steve James Pemberton is an English actor, comedian, writer and performer, most famous as a member of The League of Gentlemen along with fellow performers Reece Shearsmith, Mark Gatiss and co-writer Jeremy Dyson.-Early life:...
, Mark Gatiss
Mark Gatiss
Mark Gatiss is an English actor, screenwriter and novelist. He is best known as a member of the comedy team The League of Gentlemen, and has both written for and acted in the TV series Doctor Who and Sherlock....
and Simon Greenall.
Shortly before transmission, Lucas and Walliams appeared in-character to publicise the show on Dominik Diamond's Paramount chat show Night O'Plenty. Later, the pair also appeared as Mash and Peas in a number of music videos by Fat Les
Fat Les
Fat Les is a British band consisting of Alex James from Blur, actor Keith Allen and artist Damien Hirst. Vocals on their singles were provided by Keith Allen , Alex James , Lily Allen , Andy Kane , Lisa Moorish and Michael Barrymore .Fat Les created the...
, made between 1998 and 2000, including the famous 'Vindaloo'.
Soon after this Lucas & Walliams created Sir Bernard's Stately Homes
Sir Bernard's Stately Homes
Sir Bernard's Stately Homes was a series of British TV comedy series first shown in 1998 on BBC Two and later re-run on Play UK. Only six 10 minute programmes were produced, all written by and starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams. It bore many similarities to the more well-known Rock Profile...
, before soon achieving recognition with UK Play's Rock Profile
Rock Profile
Rock Profile is a British television comedy show written by and starring comedy partnership Matt Lucas and David Walliams, both now widely known for the sketch show Little Britain. Rock Profile first appeared on the channel UK Play in 1999, before moving to BBC Two in 2000...
and, their most successful work, Little Britain
Little Britain
Little Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
.