Fun fact - Back in the mid 2000s, Channel 4 used to show trailers where they'd ask a bunch of questions to celebrities who were in Channel 4 shows. One question they asked was what their favourite swear word was. Richard Whitely replied "sloblock".
Stephen Fry has said for decades one of his guilty TV pleasures was watching Countdown on Channel 4, so no surprise come series three of Fry and Laurie they were spoofing it.
We had a TV show TLN in ex Yugoslavia that had a sketch inspired by our own version of Countdown. It was same curse word type but it was like Bosnian slang for sex. TLN aired until war started in 1991. and this episode of 'Fry and Laurie' aired on February 6, 1992. Also, TLN had a sketch about European Peace Stopping Mission where two of the 'missioners' search for a Serbian and a Muslim (Bosniak) guy in Sarajevo just to set them against each other (while they are really childhood friends playing pool in a bar). Coincidence? :)))))
I'd recently watched a lot of Whose Line when I saw this years ago, yet I only just recognized Steve Steen! What a terrific impression of Gyles Brandreth.
@stilicho2 Oh, is there an aspect of it that I missed? Please fill me in, I think I've got some kind of grip on Countdown and the english language but if there are more jokes in this I really want to know. God knows there are already enough references I don't get, I wouldn't like there to be some I don't even notice I'm missing.
@MartinTheReader The humour is based on the obvious presence of the word Bollocks (a slightly impolite word meaning rubbish). Rather than saying the show is absolute rubbish, they make up the word Sloblock, which everyone knows isn't actually a word. Thus they can completely insult the show without saying a word against it. It's typical back-handed British humour.
Of course, being a random person on the internet, rather than a celebrity, I can be far far sadder and complain that a) There are 9 letters in a round of Countdown, not 8 and b) You must choose at least three each of vowels and consonants.
The pregnant pause before “….right” is sublime comic timing.
I can’t get enough. It’s right up my street. 😅
Fun fact - Back in the mid 2000s, Channel 4 used to show trailers where they'd ask a bunch of questions to celebrities who were in Channel 4 shows. One question they asked was what their favourite swear word was. Richard Whitely replied "sloblock".
Did he?! Good lad.
Did he in fact say, having just been asked the question, "right, so, and er right so, "Sloblock," so, right, so and er right...." ?
Yes! Used to love those ads.
Yes then haha you're totally right - ua-cam.com/video/MYJjEF_yW7c/v-deo.html
That's the greatest thing I've ever heard
Fun fact - Carol Vorderman named her house 'Sloblock Hall' after this sketch too. I love that they both clearly found it as funny as the rest of us.
Stephen Fry has said for decades one of his guilty TV pleasures was watching Countdown on Channel 4, so no surprise come series three of Fry and Laurie they were spoofing it.
Right!..... Well that was... right...
Stephen never fails to make me laugh in this sketch.
This isn't parody. It's a straight-faced and highly successful attempt to reproduce Whiteley-era Countdown as accurately as possible.
Any idea of the name of the actor who played the impossibly camp guest in dictionary corner?
@RICHY-J He knows. It was a joke.
We had a TV show TLN in ex Yugoslavia that had a sketch inspired by our own version of Countdown. It was same curse word type but it was like Bosnian slang for sex. TLN aired until war started in 1991. and this episode of 'Fry and Laurie' aired on February 6, 1992. Also, TLN had a sketch about European Peace Stopping Mission where two of the 'missioners' search for a Serbian and a Muslim (Bosniak) guy in Sarajevo just to set them against each other (while they are really childhood friends playing pool in a bar). Coincidence? :)))))
ua-cam.com/video/fUWTyeqqvj4/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/3_loP4wHfZg/v-deo.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_lista_nadrealista
The lady picking up the letters and putting them on the board should have been a blonde called Cathy and not a brunette called Carol.
Why am I splitting my sides at Stephen Fry's impersonation of Richard Whiteley? 🤣🤣🤣🤣
"...in our scrrrrrrrrrotums..."
I remember this when it first aired, I absolutely howled at the Richard Whiteley take off....so damn accurate.
The bit with the clock makes this sketch worthwhile.
I still use the term sloblock even now.
same
Never Mind The Sloblock
Two thumbs up for the Gyles Brandreth impression. I have no idea who the comedian was, but he nailed it.
Steve Steen I think is who impersonated him
Yes Steve Steen, spoke to him, nice guy
I would think that Gyles is honoured by this more than offended
I'd recently watched a lot of Whose Line when I saw this years ago, yet I only just recognized Steve Steen! What a terrific impression of Gyles Brandreth.
Watching this in the ad break of the real countdown!
BBC4 is currently showing series 1 of A Bit Of Fry And Laurie on Saturday evenings. I hope they show further series sometime soon.
So... right.. yes.. and eh.. so, right..
... right
@@pix_d20 So erm your choice I think! 😁😁
What a nice jumper Steve Steen is wearing! :)
Stephen is more than mildly ominous in that look.
Georg M stop talking sloblock please
@@timwalker-taylor6010 Well he is!
Makes me miss Richard Whiteley's puns.
Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett Hello General
I haven't seen the program they parodying, but I am very certain it's spot on😂
100% spot on of the original Countdown of the 80s and 90s
The things we keep in our scrrrrrotums.
Right, so, uh...
Right.
That Richard Whiteley impression is uncanny.
A classic
He nailed Whiteley and they nailed Countdown
so good
Brillant
An eight? Eight. So eight... Well that’s umm... well eight...
Lobs.
Meaning, er, lobs, I suppose
Right.
Why did they get the real Richard Whiteley in and not Carol?
Right love Stephen fry in this so so funny 😂
Words With Friends of the nineties
1:08 this is how fast the clock feels it goes.
Although Stephen’s now become a great public speaker/debater/author I do miss him as a comic actor in which he was brilliant at.
Man Stephen’s Whitely is spot on.
B-O-L-L-O-C-S-K.....
Now what could that be?
So.....an eight? An eight, that's an......eight. so what's your eight?
I got a 8 letter word but it's not appropriate. Bollocks I wanna share it so badly too but I'll have to keep it to myself
Right!
who plays Gyles Brandreth in this sketch? . it's spot on
Good "four each" of you
They performed in front of a live audience.
Right.
Jo "Mrs Chris Morris" Unwin as Carol
@nonindividual or, y'know, the general shape that buttons of that type are.
Stevens face @ 1:00.....
Right...
@stilicho2 Oh, is there an aspect of it that I missed? Please fill me in, I think I've got some kind of grip on Countdown and the english language but if there are more jokes in this I really want to know. God knows there are already enough references I don't get, I wouldn't like there to be some I don't even notice I'm missing.
Does anyone know who is playing the Carol Vorderman role?
Also, where can I get one of those jumpers?
I'm almost certain it's Rebecca Saire.
@@terratec1001 Here for this too, but I don't think it is... I think it's maybe Jo Unwin?
@MartinTheReader The humour is based on the obvious presence of the word Bollocks (a slightly impolite word meaning rubbish). Rather than saying the show is absolute rubbish, they make up the word Sloblock, which everyone knows isn't actually a word. Thus they can completely insult the show without saying a word against it. It's typical back-handed British humour.
Stephen loved Countdown
They weren't offended by this, it just meant that it was popular enough to warrant a parody
at 1:40 Stephen says "42" :D
Who is playing Carol?
@gossieuk ahah love the jumper indeed
Q I prototype.
too true
How come they didn't have the classic countdown bong?
Matthew Worswick For copyright reasons I would think.
Of course, being a random person on the internet, rather than a celebrity, I can be far far sadder and complain that a) There are 9 letters in a round of Countdown, not 8 and b) You must choose at least three each of vowels and consonants.
omg that is hilarious!
ive got a 7 bollock
That dictionary guy annoyed me >.>
He's supposed to; his Gyles Brandreth impression is just perfect.
You could say he was a load of sloblock
Yeah, what a twat!
@@ajmeyers5661 I loved it, and I'm a fan of Gyles. His podcast with Susie Dent ("Something Rhymes With Purple") is great.
The laugh track ruins this.
WalterLiddy it's live audience........
I believe this sketch is stolen from: youtu . be / fUWTyeqqvj4
reljicb ... it's stolen from the TV show A Bit Of Fry And Laurie nobhead.