Former PM's memoirs - Yes, Prime Minister - BBC comedy

[Makashi11]

Current incumbent? Oh dear BBC...

[shakeypitt]

I was being sarcastic; it's none of our busines.

[mattwho81]

"What lies? Oh yes" :D

[MusicPredominates]

... three pathetic guys who could be chatting in a .

[AnnikaTory]

I really love this program.

[tvc18]

There's something wrong with a political satire that is best known for being the only thing Thatcher found funny. Does that not suggest that they were just reflecting her own prejudices about the 'establishment'?

[eddieoxford]

@tvc18 Thatcher DID make the idea of Yes Minister she used it as "propaganda" to show her opinions about the civil service. She made it funny and relative to people in Britain because of people hating how the civil service, the beaurocracy and how the Labour government operated at the time.

Yes Minister was hilarious and still bears great relevance today :) Thatcher loved Yes Minister and she put the idea forward for Hawthorne to be Knighted, he died with AIDS aged 76 ( contracted from gay sex)

[bookeater]

@eddieoxford His cause of death was from a heart attack.

[AMRPK]

@shakeypitt yes but do we really need to know.

[lovemetu]

Many a true word is said in jest !!

Reminds me of all the straght faced lies that are told to us when they are in office eg Gordon Brown and Tony Blair for one instance, then when they leave office all the money spinning books come out ,how they detested one another !!

[evernetherall]

haha lol: "...he's treacherous, malevolent, and ... VILE!"

[slimes23]

At moments his eyes look like David Cameron's.

[cymruisrael]

So that's where Frankie Boyle got his joke about Margaret Thatcher's funeral!

[tomenicus]

I wonder if many people come to the public funerals to make sure someone is dead? They're some VIPs I'd definitely go on their funeral and try to prevent myself from dancing on their graves...

[TheYou0Tuber]

Best tv clip ever!!

[drveejay]

@ladykimtudor "Paul Eddington's facial contortions at the news is priceless" - yes, the 2 faces of Jim Hacker...

[appleeye2009]

classic sitcom, i got interest in English literature after seeing this sitcom and black adder....

[YodatheJedi12]

I want this back on TV (in Australia!)

[daanishbambery]

@YodatheJedi12

dear sir this is what made television great i think they should stop producing new shows and just do reruns of old classics that were actually funny. And i mean this for the entire world.

[CymruAlteran]

imagin if he was told that in public and his face went like that

[igotnoideawhattoput]

i wish we have this kind of comedy shows in Aust~~~ ppl in aust watch idiotic things like everyone loves raymond and friend~~~

[twinturbine]

igotnoideawhattoput: Look on the bright side, there's always SBS and the ABC... Love SBS

[flemeister]

Classic facial expressions!!!

[callumkn]

what is the piaf website ?

[7prcntcocaine]

which ep is this one? I'm laughing my head off!!!

[vastariner]

"A Diplomatic Incident". For the state funeral the French tried to bring in a puppy to present to Her Majesty in breach of quarantine laws, as a bargaining chip over the Channel Tunnel ceremonies.

[paulostroff99]

Very funny! TY.

[dizygotegemini]

Indeed. I can´t believe this is from the 80ties.

[CalumK1982]

Oh his face when he's told about the former PM - you can easily forget they're actors!

[ladykimtudor]

Paul Eddington's facial contortions at the news is priceless!

[pieries]

@ladykimtudor

that's what you called a MIXED FEELING…lol

[Starwithnoname]

This show will still be relevent in 1000 years!  The writing is indeed brilliant!!

[babydux2003]

I simply can't get tired of this show. Brilliant.

[MALOSINZ]

This is one of the rare scenes where Paul Eddington plays the devil to Hawthorne's osetnsibly 'honourable' angel. THIS IS THE BEST COMEDY SHOW I'VE EVER WATCHED! 32.5 years here and nothing's come close to knocking it off. :)

[Brendinater]

Hacker's reaction at 1:17 - 1:25 is one of the best pieces of acting I have ever seen.

[Tuneman1984]

That was so brilliant...never stop finding it funny!

[oasisboy1]

Classic comedy - one of the best shows ever. They even show it on the History Channel, presumably as an example of how wonderfully subtle yet hilarious comedies can be. Even the scripts could be considered as stand-alone classics. And the facial expressions - what talented actors! RIP Paul Eddington and Sir Nigel Hawthorne.

[54spiritedwill54]

Brilliant stuff. Beautifully written and too accurate by far.

[EdenEchoes]

I love Yes (Prime) Minister so much! :) This is really intelligent comedy, you find nothing similar nowadays.

[bollyking2000]

i saw a heartbreaking interview with paul eddington in his last days...his skin was all red and he was almost unrecognisiable...you couldnt see it and not cry

[azr786]

paul eddington is da best!!!

R.I.P man

bare love

[NGS712]

TheDay: There in a MUCH better place than we are, that's for sure ;)

[LampreyMoose]

Prove it, or else it's not "for sure".

[NGS712]

Lamprey: What?

[lyrandar01]

"What lies?"

[butchlaw2000]

I love this Show, Seattle

[jackpotatlasdotcom]

Just like brian Molruny!

[sllabnkcoc]

spot on, and he stole Dracula's hair piece too, lol

[boatyboi]

I forgot to rate it. just like government!

[boatyboi]

some things never change, even in australia!

[bobzilla211]

Topical!

[strawmonkey22]

HAHAHAHAHAHA... the facial expressions at 1.18 and the ppl laughing in the background!!! sensational scene

[BlairSupporter]

Brilliant stuff. Beautifully written and too accurate by far. Or at least it was then. Hacker's reaction on hearing his predecessor has died ... priceless. Makes you think, doesn't it?

[NGS712]

1:18, pure comedic gold.

[KANGKAI1980]

That face, priceless

[BuddyEatsGanymeade]

One of the finest sitcoms of all time.

[neam88]

almost fell asleep..... *snore*

[94070]

then you have no sense of humour beyond slapstick.

[professor2442]

Don't worry, little one. You'll be ready for big people's humour when you get past middle school.

[neam88]

Hahah now THAT'S funny...

[muscularteeth]

funnily enough i have all 3 books as well.

written by jonathen lynn and antony jay.

it should be compulsary reading for all people - just to get them to understand how govts work

[nokiagaming]

Yeah, Yes (Prime) Minister is very educational, and it's brilliantly even-handed too. It makes fun of everything and everyone involved with government, and explains very complicated problems in a simple and entertaining way.

Should definitely be shown in schools, twenty years later the politics and issues aren't dated at all. Some of the topics it raised (eg. banning smoking in public places) have actually come true!

[deligthelf]

I live in the US but if I were in government I would require all government classes show at least 10 episodes of this show to show how government is really won.

[DaniMajor]

Can you tell me where did you get the books, or whether I can order them because I dont live in England?

[guitarmarama]

best of the great 70s bbc sitcoms in my opinion, oh and some mothers do ave em, both brilliant!

[Appreciationsociety]

Peerless and legendary. Beautifully crafted.

[maviscrow]

...to make sure he's dead...classic line.

[Panadawn]

priceless reaction!