Tittybangbang
Encyclopedia
Tittybangbang is a female-led television
sketch comedy
, performed by Lucy Montgomery
and Debbie Chazen
, which ran between 2005
and 2007
on BBC Three
. The show was largely written by Bob Mortimer
and Jill Parker and produced by their company Pett Productions
.
", Clark said in an interview, "it's rude, but in a comedy way".
The pilot aired on BBC Three
on 20 September 2005. The first series followed, heavily promoted by an advert in which the cast members danced and mimed to the Pussycat Dolls
' hit single "Don't Cha
." It ran from 10 January to 14 February 2006, and was a ratings success. After the series finished, BBC Three dedicated an evening to the show, airing each episode in succession.
The second series ran from 13 November to 25 December 2006. It had a new title sequence and theme tune, consisted of seven thirty minute episodes (including a Christmas
special) and matched the first series' success. Both the first and second series were shown on BBC Two
in a series of 'Best of' specials.
In March 2007, Tittybangbang was nominated for a Golden Rose international television award. The third and final series followed, with another new title sequence, and ran from 11 November to 16 December 2007, followed by the Christmas special, on 26 December.
Filming for the series took place mostly in and around Kent.
Press Office said that the pilot had "polarised critical response". First impressions of the show were good, with Radio Times
describing the show as 'Disturbingly funny', The Sun
calling it 'Laughs galore' and The Observer
describing it as 'Very funny, very horrid', the show also received negative criticism from certain critics, with The Times
describing it as 'Not very funny'.
In an interview with Lucy Montgomery, Digital Spy
said that the first series had been labelled "horrid and filthy, but funny", and Montgomery mentioned the necrophiliac pathologists specifically, saying "the necrophilia character, that's gone [from the second series] because public opinion was that that wasn't a good idea".
The BBC Comedy
review said "the sketches might not always work, but they're mostly short and to the point", and described it as "one of the best, and certainly the most varied of recent sketch formats", noting that whilst "not as huge as other formats" it had developed a "loyal and addicted following".
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
, performed by Lucy Montgomery
Lucy Montgomery (actor)
Lucy Montgomery is an English comedian, actress and writer, best known for her radio and television work.Montgomery is married to fellow comedian Rhys Thomas; they have two daughters – Polly and Rosie Rae – and live in London.-Career:While at Cambridge University, Montgomery was a member of...
and Debbie Chazen
Debbie Chazen
Debbie Chazen is an English actress. She is most famous for playing the roles of Annie in the BBC comedy The Smoking Room, Big Claire in Mine All Mine and various roles in the BBC sketch show Tittybangbang....
, which ran between 2005
2005 in television
The year 2005 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2005.For the American TV schedule, see: 2005–06 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:...
and 2007
2007 in television
2007 in television may refer to:*2007 in American television*2007 in Australian television*2007 in British television*2007 in Canadian television*2007 in Japanese television...
on BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
. The show was largely written by 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...
and Jill Parker and produced by their company Pett Productions
Pett Productions
Pett Productions is an independent production company, established by Bob Mortimer, Vic Reeves and Lisa Clark in 2001. The company is based at the Maidstone Studios in Maidstone, Kent and has produced several television shows in comedy, reality, documentary and internet format.-Productions:*The...
.
History
Bob Mortimer and Lisa Clark conceived the idea of Tittybangbang and involved Jill Parker. Mortimer came up with the show's name, wanting "a really memorable title like Desperate HousewivesDesperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
", Clark said in an interview, "it's rude, but in a comedy way".
The pilot aired on BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
on 20 September 2005. The first series followed, heavily promoted by an advert in which the cast members danced and mimed to the Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
' hit single "Don't Cha
Don't Cha
"Don't Cha" is the debut single by American R&B/pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls. The song was originally recorded by American recording artist Tori Alamaze, and was released as her debut single in March 2005, on Universal Records. After Universal Records dropped her from the label, Cee-Lo Green...
." It ran from 10 January to 14 February 2006, and was a ratings success. After the series finished, BBC Three dedicated an evening to the show, airing each episode in succession.
The second series ran from 13 November to 25 December 2006. It had a new title sequence and theme tune, consisted of seven thirty minute episodes (including a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
special) and matched the first series' success. Both the first and second series were shown 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...
in a series of 'Best of' specials.
In March 2007, Tittybangbang was nominated for a Golden Rose international television award. The third and final series followed, with another new title sequence, and ran from 11 November to 16 December 2007, followed by the Christmas special, on 26 December.
Filming for the series took place mostly in and around Kent.
Critical reception
Both critics and the general public formed mixed opinions, and in the press pack for the show's first series, BBCBBC
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...
Press Office said that the pilot had "polarised critical response". First impressions of the show were good, with Radio Times
Radio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
describing the show as 'Disturbingly funny', The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
calling it 'Laughs galore' and The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
describing it as 'Very funny, very horrid', the show also received negative criticism from certain critics, with The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
describing it as 'Not very funny'.
In an interview with Lucy Montgomery, Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
said that the first series had been labelled "horrid and filthy, but funny", and Montgomery mentioned the necrophiliac pathologists specifically, saying "the necrophilia character, that's gone [from the second series] because public opinion was that that wasn't a good idea".
The BBC Comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
review said "the sketches might not always work, but they're mostly short and to the point", and described it as "one of the best, and certainly the most varied of recent sketch formats", noting that whilst "not as huge as other formats" it had developed a "loyal and addicted following".
Main characters
Below is a selection of some of the main characters in the series.- The Italian Lady, an exhibitionist who does outlandish things for attention, whilst proclaiming "Don't look at me, I'm shy!". (Montgomery, series 1-3)
- Maxine Bendix, an Eastern-European topless model, and later pop star, who has had a grotesque amount of cheap plastic surgeryPlastic surgeryPlastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
, which is prone to "just a little bit of seepage". (Montgomery, series 1-3) - Paula, Ann and Diane, goofy ladettes who play darts; however, Paula, plagued by severe twitching and anxietyAnxietyAnxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
, and her jealousy of club compere Tony's romantic interest in Ann, shouts "Right there!" and promptly misses the board. Paula is Chazen's favourite character to perform. (Chazen, Montgomery, Cheshire and Way, series 1-3) - Don Peacock, a bald, WearsideWearsideWearside is an area of north east England, centred on the continuous urban area formed by Sunderland, Seaham and other settlements by the River Wear. Mackems is a nickname used for the people of Wearside....
man whose fantasy is to have a "waz", a "widdle" or "a little pee pee" (urolagniaUrolagniaUrolagnia is a paraphilia in which sexual excitement is associated with the sight or thought of urine or urination. The term has origins in the Greek Language .Those who enjoy urolagnia may enjoy urinating on another person or persons, or being urinated upon...
) on women. (Montgomery, series 1-2) - Ruth Baxter, an upper classUpper classIn social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
old aged pensionerPensionerIn common parlance, a pensioner is a person who has retired, and now collects a pension. This is a term typically used in the United Kingdom and Australia where someone of pensionable age may also be referred to as an 'old age pensioner', or OAP. In the United States, the term retiree is more...
who likes to fight people, using ridiculously silly methods. (Montgomery, series 1-2) - Duck and Chip Family, a dysfunctional familyDysfunctional familyA dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehavior, and often abuse on the part of individual members occur continually and regularly, leading other members to accommodate such actions. Children sometimes grow up in such families with the understanding that such an arrangement is...
whose lives revolve around their love of "quack", or "donald", and chips. (Way, Botcher, Chazen and Montgomery, series 1-3) - Carol Booth, a stay-at-home mum who, despite protests from her daughter and partner, and competition from neighbour Michelle, resorts to desperate measures to be on televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, particularly running from people screaming "(S)he's got a kniiife!" (Chazen, Tshabalala, Way and Montgomery, series 1-3) - Pete Wade, a spa salesman, and later estate agent, who hardly listens to anyone, interspersing their words with "yeah" and "uh huh", and tries to hit on female customers. (Montgomery, series 1-2)
- Colleen, Nathalie and Melanie, a trio of TV-addicted chavettes who, regardless of their homeland, all speak in thick JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n dialects, and get into lengthy, barely comprehensible conversations about the "likkle battams" of famous faces such as BonoBonoPaul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
or Simon CowellSimon CowellSimon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
. (Montgomery, Chazen and Tshabalala, series 1-3) - Parker and Harris, necrophiliac pathologists who "can't resist a stiffy" and abandon investigatory work to sexually assault the deceased. Susan Parker was loosely based upon Helen MirrenHelen MirrenDame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
's character in Prime Suspect. (Montgomery and Chazen, series 1) - Jackie and Nikki, two Geordie friends, but Jackie exploits Nikki's naivete to trick her out of money in return for teaching her how to do completely nonsensical things, such as floating in mid-air. (Chazen and Montgomery, series 2-3)
- Magwash, a revered, wise man who tells tales to the regulars of a storm-blasted coastal pub in the Scottish HighlandsScottish HighlandsThe Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
, but forever slips, using the wrong (and inappropriate) words, and when interrupted, bellows a thunderclap-punctuated "SILENCE!" (Chazen, series 2) - The Vampire Slayers, suburban housewives who hunt down people they suspect to be vampireVampireVampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
s, all the while shouting "Death to vampires!" and "Vampire, vampire, fookin' vampire!". (Montgomery, Chazen and Coles, series 2-3) - Tom CruiseTom CruiseThomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
, whose tour of England and desperation to try out some traditionally English experiences is ruined by his arguing bodyguard's squabbles. (Montgomery, series 2-3) - Veronica Cooper, an aristocratic, horselike woman, who finds pleasure in spying on overweight, working class and somewhat dumb men with her equally posh, toothy friend Christina, who is apparently "not supposed to be here!". (Chazen and Montgomery, series 2-3)
- Raul, a camp, androgynous and childish hairdresserHairdresserHairdresser is a term referring to anyone whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques...
who never appears to pick up a pair of scissors, and complains endlessly about his "sore balls". (Montgomery, series 3) - Irene, who appears in potentially controversial situations, and proceeds to let the subjects know just how much she approves of them ("good for you!"). (Chazen, series 3)
- Idi AminIdi AminIdi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
, the ex-president of UgandaUgandaUganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
lives on a housing estate, refers to himself as "the king" and spends his time lying in bed watching television, shouting "Emergency, emergency!" to summon his downtrodden wife. (Way and Montgomery, series 3)
DVD releases
| Title | | Release Date | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Region 2 | |||||
| Complete first series | - | 20 November 2006 | ||||
| Complete second series | - | 31 March 2008 | ||||
| Complete third series | - | - | ||||