Blackadder and The Young Ones writer Ben Elton has confessed he can see “the flaws” in his old shows.
The television writer revealed he hasn’t watched the iconic comedy shows since they first aired decades ago. Despite “the flaws”, Ben said he has never released anything he didn’t think “was brilliant”.
Speaking to Chris Moyles on Radio X, Ben, 64, admitted: “I don’t watch my shows. I haven’t watched Auntie or an Adder or a Young Ones or anything, really, since they came out.”
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He went on: “I love that other people like to watch. But all I can see is the flaws.
“I’ve thought, ‘I remember the fight over that line, and ‘we were right’ and all you ever do – and I’m sure it’s the same as anyone who looks back at a piece of work they’ve done – all they can think of is the bit that they weren’t happy with. And that’s the same still after 40 years.”
Chris pointed out that Ben is only in The Young Ones “for 10 seconds or whatever” – but Ben still wasn’t keen. “I’m the writer,” he said.
“What concerns me is the words. I mean, firstly, I would never watch myself perform.
(Image: Getty Images)
“I think I should, I think I’d be a better comic if I did. Because occasionally I catch a glimpse – someone plays a clip – ‘oh God, I’m so shouty,’ and so, you know, you’re gurning away and I wish I just calm the hell down. But I can’t bear it.”
He went on: “All I’m thinking about is the writing and ‘we made that edit wrong’ or ‘I never thought that joke was perfect’ or whatever, you know?”
(Image: BBC)
Ben added: “Everything I’ve ever done I thought was brilliant. I sometimes get told otherwise, the morning after it comes out in no uncertain terms on what we used to call the reviews, not it’s ‘old media’.”
He finished: “I certainly don’t dwell on my prior work. I’ve never re-read one of my novels or anything like that.
“Although occasionally I might see a page and think, ‘oh, actually that’s alright.’ I mean, I definitely thought it was good when I did it. I’ve never put anything before the public that I didn’t think was brilliant.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
