Yes Minister Writer Sir Antony Jay Dies At 86

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37167744

Responsible for some of the best TV comedy writing ever !

I seem to recall that Jay was related to James Callaghan, but Wiki doesn't seem agree....can anybody shed some light please ?

[mikey4444]

Just seen my mistake....Callaghan's daughter married Pete Jay....a totally different Jay apparently !

[Hopkirk]

A sad loss.

The two Jim Hacker comedies were absolutely brilliant.

[andy-hughes]

Sad - it was, and is a wonderful set of comedies, still pertinent today.

It's so clever how Sir Humphrey was a 'spin doctor' before anyone knew what that meant!

Jonathan Lynn was on Radio Four this morning, and the first question asked was 'Did you have any idea when you were writing the series, that we would still be talking about it and playing clips from it all these years later?'

Mr Lynn's response was a bemused 'No ....' which is a succinct and accurate answer to a ludicrously stupid question!

[Hopkirk]

This superb sketch shows how the humour is still relevant.

Brilliant comedy writing.

.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyJh3qKjSMk

[andy-hughes]

I am astounded - not only that The Inbetweeners did not make the Top Ten, but that Count Arthur Strong is at Number Four! It wouldn't have been funny in the 1950's, where it's roots clearly are, but the notion that it is funny now seems unbelieveable.

[andy-hughes]

Sorry - wrong thread!

[Quizmonster]

Sad news, indeed. The two series have provided, literally, decades of fun and - even now - it still appears on 'strange' channels occasionally. It's actually being broadcast this very evening between 8.35 and 9.55 on the Yesterday channel (Freeview 19/Freesat 159). Strangely, we still seem to find one programme that we've never seen before!

[marval]

That is sad to hear, RIP Sir Anthony.

[thugulike]

As someone who worked with politicians it was doubly funny. I have to books with the original scripts and they are brilliant. Sad loss