List of Comedic Catchphrases
- "I'm sorry, I'll read that again". A frequent interruption to mock news broadcasts on the show - the line often reads "Here is the news. I'm sorry, I'll read that again: Here are the news."
- "Lady Constance!" The cue for the arrival of Tim Brooke-Taylor's dessicated dowager character of Lady Constance de Coverlet. Lady Constance's over-ripe upper class accent was always greeted thunderously by the studio audience, even when she had no bearing on the plot. Lady Constance is once invited to sit down "Anywhere...or in your case...everywhere."
- "Rhubarb Tart?" A delicacy much loved by all the cast members and often used as a bribe during sketches. David Hatch famously leaves the University of the Air after Bill Oddie's flip remarks, only to be coaxed back with offers of rhubarb tart. It is also Angus Prune's favourite dish.
- The Tillingbourne Folk and Madrigal Society. A recurring parody of English acapella folk music (madrigal), the Society perform a range of songs from a medley of football chants through to the neverending folk song "There was a Ship that put to Sea all in the Month of May".
- The Angus Prune Tune. Written and performed by Bill Oddie (often with considerable audience involvement), this was the sign-off song for the series. The full text runs as follows
My name is Angus Prune
and I always listen to I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again
(You Don't!)
My name is Angus Prune
and I never miss I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again
(Go Away!)
I sit in my bath
And I have a good laugh
Cause the station is named after me
(Tell us yer name!)
My name is Angus Prune
And this is my tune
It goes I-S-I-R-T-A
I'm Sorry I'll Read That AGAIN!
- Beethoven's Fifth. The famous opening bars of this piece of music are constantly used in the series, usually in inappropriate settings. David Hatch once begins the show with "As we sally forth (music) or Beethoven's Fifth..."
- "Arnold Totteridge?" Another famous recurring character, Arnold Totteridge is a doddering old man who gets lost in the middle of his sentences. His most famous moment is in the 25th Anniversary Episode, where he has been appointed "The Dynamic new-de-oo-do-de-oo-do-de-oo Head of Radio-do-do-de-do Comedy"
- "The Ferret Song". John Cleese has an obsession with ferrets throughout the show, including his famous performance of The Ferret Song. This song begins with the line "I've got a ferret sticking up my nose" and promptly gets worse.
- The Silly Roll Call. During many of the longer adventures, the cast engage in the Silly Roll Call, where a series of words appropriate to their adventure are turned into people's names. The "Jack The Ripper" story involves criminals such as "Mr and Mrs Ree...and their son...Robby Ree...and his Arabic half-brother Ahmed Robby Ree" and "Mr And Mrs Sittingforimmoralpurposes...and their son...Solly Sittingforimmoralpurposes". "Jorrocks"' Hunt Ball features appearances by Lord and Lady V'syuyeahyeahyeah and their daughter Sheila V'syuyeahyeahyeah as well as Lord and Lady Umeeroffen and their son Duke Umerroffen. Even the Ancient Greek world of Oedipus is not sacred - Socrates appears with Knobblyknees, Euripides with Iripidoes and the treble of Aristophanes, Hoiteetoitees and Afternoontes.
- Grimbling. Voiced by Bill Oddie, Grimbling is a "dirty old man" who often appears as a groundskeeper or in a similar profession. Due to the limitations of an audio-only medium, the true nature of Grimbling is never revealed, however he is greeted with universal repulsion by all bar the audience. He memorably introduces himself "I am Grimbling, but don't worry, I'll clean it up later." In another story, David Hatch asks him "Aren't you a little past it, old man?", only to have Grimbling respond, "No, I'm a little dirty old man".
- The Gibbon. Whenever a generic animal is required for a sketch, the team always use a gibbon. This is often expanded to ludicrous lengths, such as a "Gibbon-Fanciers' Club". As expected, Edward Gibbon's famous "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is rendered as "Decline and Fall of the Roman Gibbon, by Edward Empire".
- Bill Oddie's accent. Having a very thick Yorkshire accent made Bill the butt of many jokes, as well as giving him many roles in sketches where someone was required to speak incomprehensibly.
- "BASIL!" Sybil's constant cry of exasperation at her husband (John Cleese) and his latest misadventure. Basil's reply would usually be "Coming, my little ...", with the final word being an unlikely term of endearment such as "Venus Flytrap". The final episode, "Basil The Rat", features the twist that Manuel's pet "Siberian hamster" is also called Basil. In this episode, there is even confusion with the herb of the same name - as evidenced by Manuel's shocked line of "He put BASIL in the ratatouille?"
- Barcelona. Manuel's home town is the source of considerable amusement. Basil and Sybil are at great pains to reassure guests that "he's from Barcelona", whenever Manuel's language difficulties get in the way. In the episode "Communication Difficulties", Manuel's only response to Basil's frequent entreaties is "I know nothing. I come from Bartelona" (the difference in pronunciation is due to Andrew Sachs' Catalan accent adopted for the role).
- The Spanish Language. Manuel's mother tongue is also used for maximum comic effect. Basil's attempt at telling Manuel "There is too much butter on those trays" first causes the problem that the word "burro" means "donkey" and not "butter". Subsequently, Manuel informs Basil that "Is not 'on those trays'. Is 'uno dos tres'." Another line involves Manuel being asked where his boss - Basil - is (he is on vacation). The tradesman's question is "Where's your real boss, the Generalissimo?", to which Manuel immediately responds "In Madrid!"
- "Que?" Manuel's signature line, the Spanish for "What?", is an institution unto itself. Particularly by the second series, the studio audience greets his puzzled look and question with rapturous applause. In his memorable exchange with the hard-of-hearing guest in "Communication Difficulties", he proudly announces "Si. 'Que' 'What?'", a statement promptly misinterpreted to mean that the manager's name is CK What.
