The Benny Hill Show
| The Benny Hill Show | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Sketch comedy |
| Written by |
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| Starring | Benny Hill |
| Theme music composer |
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| Ending theme | "Yakety Sax" |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series |
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| No. of episodes |
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| Production | |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 45–60 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC1 |
| Release | 15 January 1955 – 26 December 1968 |
| Network | ITV (ATV) |
| Release | 9 November 1957 – 28 May 1960 |
| Network | ITV (Thames) |
| Release | 16 November 1969 – 1 May 1989 |
The Benny Hill Show is a British comedy television show starring Benny Hill that aired on the BBC and ITV between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of sketches typified by slapstick, mime, parody, and double entendre.
At its peak, The Benny Hill Show was among the most-watched programmes in the UK, with the audience reaching more than 21 million viewers in 1971. In 1972, Hill received a BAFTA Television Award for Best Writer, and he was nominated for the BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance. In the late 1970s, the Thames Television edited version of the show gained a cult following in the United States, where it was broadcast in syndication until 1991. In 1980 and 1981, the show received Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Variety Series. In 1984, Hill received a Rose d'Or.
In 1989, Thames cancelled production of The Benny Hill Show in the face of declining ratings and increased production costs at £450,000 (equivalent to £1,400,000 in 2023) per show. In a 2015 UK poll, the show's theme song was voted number 1 on the ITV special The Sound of ITV – The Nation's Favourite Theme Tune.