Sir Antony Jay, who has died aged 86, was a writer, broadcaster and director, and co-author, with Jonathan Lynn, of Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, the political comedies which kept the nation laughing through the Thatcherite 1980s.
The guiding principle of Yes, Minister, which first aired on BBC2 in 1981, was a gentle satire on a governing system in which elected politicians are outmanoeuvred by their more worldly, unelected officials. The series starred Paul Eddington as Jim Hacker, the hapless, publicity-hungry but risk-averse minister for administrative affairs engaged in constant wrangles with the Civil Service in the form of his Machiavellian permanent secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne). The minister was aided and abetted (sometimes) by his private secretary, Bernard Woolley, played by Derek Fowlds.
With such gems as Sir Humphrey’s alarmed response to Hacker’s suggestion of an official enquiry: “A basic rule of government, minister, is never set up an enquiry unless you know in advance what its findings will be,” and Hacker’s perennial aversion to “courageous” decisions, the series became compulsive viewing, not least for the politicians and bureaucrats it satirised, including Margaret Thatcher herself.
Despite not being renowned for her sense of humour, the Prime Minister claimed that Yes, Minister was her favourite programme and once turned up at the BBC studios with her own script. The stars of the show, no admirers, had to be cajoled into acting out a slightly awkward scene, broadcast on the evening news bulletins, in which Mrs Thatcher was seen ordering Hacker and Sir Humphrey to '’abolish economists’’ as a first step toward cutting the budget. '
40 years later, I still LMAO watching those shows on cable. I may have emailed you that I recently watched an episode (perhaps from the 1980's?) where the PM was going to cancel the contract for new Trident nuclear missiles & bugger me, the next day on the actual BBC News there was a report that the then Cameron Govt had decided to renew a Trident contract! Talk about being ahead of their time!
Posted by: Bill Thompson | Wednesday, 24 August 2016 at 05:04 PM
Thanks for presenting this, Michael!
I saw the stage production in Melbourne, where Sir Humphrey exposed the mendacity of the Global Warming/Climate Change scam.
My regret over the years was that the show hardly ever exposed the real consequences for real people who are the needy victims of moral and political corruption of authority.
May succeeding generations receive similar education and entertainment, rather than the wholesale lies currently force-fed via unscrupulous scribblers.
Posted by: Gerard Flood | Wednesday, 24 August 2016 at 06:08 PM
Indeed
Posted by: Mycroft | Wednesday, 24 August 2016 at 07:30 PM
Australians will BREXIT in the next election.
Posted by: PM RAMADAN TURNBULLSHIT | Wednesday, 24 August 2016 at 09:36 PM
Still brilliant
"Is there anyone who knows what goes on in the Foreign Office?"
"Yes, Prime Minister. Only the Kremlin!"
Posted by: ZK2A | Wednesday, 24 August 2016 at 10:33 PM
If you have a little time watch this, you won't see it on our sanitised news, all Trump haters.
Full Event: Donald Trump Holds HUGE Rally in Austin, TX 8/23/16
https://youtu.be/64zgSMlcFHs
Posted by: Madeira | Wednesday, 24 August 2016 at 11:16 PM
sorry to go off topic ( again )
I found this and wondered why it was not on the MSM
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-23/tasmania-to-host-first-national-transgender-camp/7776410
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followed by
Hello! There's something we need to clarify.
The BDSM/Kink101 discussion/presentation will be 18+ and will be held well away from any minors.
Posted by: LKP | Thursday, 25 August 2016 at 12:36 AM
Aussies are lucky as we don't need actors to get the same laugh (or cry) We have overpaid real ones
Posted by: TFPBOB | Thursday, 25 August 2016 at 07:18 AM
Agree 100% Michael.
They don't produce TV shows like that anymore unfortunately!!!
Posted by: Julie of Geelong | Thursday, 25 August 2016 at 10:18 AM
I saw the stage production in Perth - Brilliant, and as witty as ever.
Posted by: ZK2A | Thursday, 25 August 2016 at 10:38 AM
'Mr. Brexit' Nigel Farage Speaks at Donald Trump Rally in Jackson, MS
https://youtu.be/oj4K9fr_WgY
Posted by: BREXIT & AMEXIT | Thursday, 25 August 2016 at 01:44 PM
Some people still have a sense of humour...
http://static.infowars.com/politicalsidebarimage/obama-la1_large.jpg
Posted by: underminder | Thursday, 25 August 2016 at 04:23 PM
Hurro! 4.30pm Thur 25 August,2016...anyone???
Posted by: shillo | Thursday, 25 August 2016 at 04:31 PM
Safe binding? Scrum techniques for rugger buggers?
Posted by: Old Rooster 📢🐓 | Friday, 26 August 2016 at 03:03 AM
I'm sure this isn't a send off that Antony Jay would have but I can just imagine the spirit above looking down at his relatives having the greatest laugh, it was what he wanted to lighten the mood I guess at his funeral what a way to go..
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/man-orders-strippers-
funeral-give-8532675#ICID=sharebar_facebook
RIP Antony Jay thank you for your service in the entertainment field you brought much joy to many as you fulfilled your life purpose.. Artists and writers are very close to spirit with their work as it comes from the inner soul to create for others though some things that pass off as art these days are questionable about where the ideas came from some are ego based and all about the $$ value not so much about fulfilling passions.. love and light "Yes Prime Minister" over and out but never forgotten as we can see the work of a master in his field as it remains forever in the archives of history as Antony Jay has left his mark as we all do in our own way.. xx
Posted by: Michelle Two | Friday, 26 August 2016 at 09:26 AM
Goes to show doesn't it - they knew what was going on
before the online world where people can leak this
stuff anonymously and hence rest of us find out.
Perhaps in a way, programs like that were meant to
warn us.
They're gracing youtube now so we got left with more
than just the memories.
Posted by: TazSpinZone | Friday, 26 August 2016 at 12:06 PM
The Truth About Hillary's 'Alt-Right' Speech
https://youtu.be/ufkHt8dgG8I
Posted by: Macca | Friday, 26 August 2016 at 04:54 PM
I wish that Alex Jones comes to Australia and sorts out our corrupt politicians.
Alex Jones' Message To Hillary Clinton
https://youtu.be/GaYWWI4zMJY
Posted by: Tomo C. | Friday, 26 August 2016 at 05:15 PM