A TV series broadcast by the BBC between 1979 - 82 starring Rowan Atkinson, Gryff Rhys Jones, Mel Smith and Pamela Stevenson. It was an alternative and humorous review of current issues and news, hence the title as it was the complete opposite of the BBC's evening news programme The Nine O'Clock News.
See Interesting Links: British Humour: Not the nine 0'clock news- New Job
In the 1970's there were various new pieces of legislation relating to employment. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Race Relations Act 1976 were two important pieces of legislation designed to encourage the employment and equal treatment of women and people from ethnic minority groups. This sketch is based on these two Acts and, of course, taken to the extreme when the owner of the company is looking to recruit a new man..... woman.
Other examples of surreal British humour are Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969 - 74) with John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Graham Chapman.
More recent comedy series include 'The Office' with Ricky Gervais, first broadcast in 2001 and later recreated in other European countries and the USA (with Steve Carrell). Based in an office in Slough, the vain and pompous General Manager, David Brent (Gervais) and his co-workers reflect real life work situations.....
