Curry And Chips - The Complete Series (DVD)

Written by Johnny Speight, creator of Till Death Us Do Part , and based on an idea by Spike Milligan, Curry & Chips proved to be one of the most controversial situation comedies ever made. Originally screened in 1969, the series featured Milligan as Kevin O'Grady, a man of mixed Asian and Irish descent who has just started his new job at Lillicrap Ltd, manufacturer of cheap novelty items and seaside souvenirs. Inevitably, he soon becomes the butt of jokes from his resoundingly intolerant workmates. Speight's determined attempt at confronting racism with its own conventions polarised critical opinion, although it was extremely popular with the viewing public and ended up in the ITV Top Ten. Co-starring with Milligan was long-term friend, writing partner and comedy legend Eric Sykes as shop foreman Arthur Blenkinsop. Kenny Lynch, Norman Rossington and Geoffrey Hughes played their narrow-minded workmates. Reflecting the widespread and overt prejudices of its time, Curry & Chips attempted to confront bigotry in daily life by caricaturing it. Exploring similar territory to Johnny Speight's earlier and highly successful Till Death Us Do Part, Curry & Chips will inevitably shock modern audiences in its language and single-minded focus on race. Forty years after its initial screening, the series is made available for the first time in DVD format.

Saturday Night Theatre: The Salesman
A one-off play by Speight from 1970, starring Ian Holm