The Benny Hill Show Wikia
in: Sketches, Fictional TV Shows, 1980 Sketches

Women's Lib Television

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Bio[]

Women's Lib Television is a British network which caters to women's interests and entertainment. Hosted by a female hostess (Helen Horton), the channel features several programs, including but not limited to:

  • Mrs. and Mr.
  • Woman Alive (episode about husband swapping)
  • Mistress Mine
  • Sale of the Century - Hosted by Nicola Parson (Benny Hill), the show features Helen Hornet (Helen Horton) from Baum, Sue Updyke (Sue Upton) and Ron Moore (Jackie Wright) from Stanford (briefly introduced as Stan Moore from Romford). From the start, Nicola is antagonistic to Stan, favoring the other contestants. The questions are answered with punchlines with Sue and Stan leading Helen. When Nicola selects Sue as the winner, Ron objects, and Nicola awards him with a wiper off the new car she tries to give Sue.
  • Women's Sports - Hosted by Debbie Davies (Benny), the show features women's hockey, women's golf (Bob Todd plays a lady golfer) and women's football. One of the star players on the green team is Hazel Nut (Benny), known for her defense tricks (like tying the opposing team's shoe laces together). She is subsequently presented the "Goalie of the Year" award.
  • Charlene's Angels
  • The Kitty Everett Show

On April 16, 1980, hostess Helen Horton introduces programming ("Love Spell") which includes Susan Daly and Sharon Haywoode with "sexy" male performers (Benny Hill, Bob Todd, Henry McGee, Roger Finch and Jackie Wright. The act is watched by two old ladies (Henry and Benny), one of whom skipped her husband's funeral to attend.

Trivia[]

  • The logo of Women's Lib Television is the same as that of London Weekend Television (LWT), which was the London ITV franchise from Friday evenings to Sunday nights, only with the order of the first two letters reversed.
  • "Sale of the Century" was an American television game show that ran on NBC from September 29, 1969 to July 13, 1973. A version of the show also ran on Australian TV under the name, "Great Temptation," under a new format which was replicated when the show was renewed on ABC, airing from January 3, 1983, to March 24, 1989.
  • Nicola Parsons is a female parody of former TBHS co-star Nicholas Parsons, who hosted the British version of the show from October 9, 1971 to November 6, 1983 on Anglia TV (ITV).
    • Anglia's name was parodied as "Angela" in this sketch.
  • The show models are played by Henry McGee, Bob Todd and Roger Finch.
    • Todd also plays the henpecked husband to Helen Horton in the vacuum cleaner showcase.
  • Benny's "Ron Moore/Stan Moore" error is a recurring gag that occurs frequently in the series, occurring as early as Is This Your Life on December 25, 1969.
  • Helen Horton and Sue Upton play contestants whose names are plays on their own (Helen Hornet and Sue Updyke, respectively)
  • The sportscasters behind Debbie are played by Henry McGee, Bob Todd and Roger Finch.
  • The women's football league features Ken Sedd, Debi Gaye (the coin goes down her top), Jackie Wright, Bob Todd (on the red team), Anne Easton, Leigh Miles, Julie Kirk(?) and Roger Finch (on the green team), but they keep switching teams through the sketch. Benny Hill, Cyril Cross and Anne Easton play various coaches and official from the side.
    • Benny, Cyril and Jackie play the red team members on the bench. Bob Todd brings the underwear from courtside.
  • The spectators are (possibly) Pat Ashton, Jackie Wright, Lisa Price, Vivienne Warman, Debi Gaye and Julie Kirk, but this is unconfirmed.
  • Hazel Nut's photographers are (possibly) Lisa Price and Vivienne Warman. She is joined by (possibly) Vivienne Warman, Pauline Crawford and Andee Cromarty at the goal.
  • Hazel's "Goalie of the Year" presenter is played by Jackie Wright. Henry McGee and Bob Todd play "bunnies."
  • Benny also plays a female football character named Tilly Tompkins, likely a play on Ginger Tompkins from 1969 on which this sketch might be based.
  • Debi Gaye doesn't wear a bra in the coin toss, likely so the coin passes easily through her clothing.
  • "The Kitty Everett Show" is a spoof of "The Kenny Everett Video Show," a British television comedy and music program that aired on Thames Television from July 3, 1978 to May 21, 1981. Benny had previously parodied the program on March 14, 1979, with Henry McGee as Everett - and leading up to the "Hot Gossamer" sketch.
  • Harry Whitehouse was a gender-reverse play on the name of Mary Whitehouse (1910-2001), a morality activist and head of the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association (NVALA), among whose members included Sir Cliff Richard; and was also a member of another morality group, Festival of Light. She led a long-standing campaign against the BBC in the 1960s as part of her campaign to "Clean Up TV," and after Benny moved to Thames, his show came under her radar, and thus multiple condemnations and complaints - as did "The Kenny Everett Video Show." She also campaigned against the spreading of what she called "permissive society."
  • Bob Todd sits behind the two commenting ladies in the Hill's Angels spoof. (The other audience members are unidentified.)

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