Lenny Henry or Jim Davidson

[edwhoisdave]

Who came up with the saying "oooookaaay",Lenny Henry or Jim Davidson???

[Maxley]

It was indeed Lenny Henry. As catchphrases go, it lacks something in the witty poignancy department, but it was certainly popular.

[tubeway]

Lenny Henry did say it - but I remember Jim Davidson doing it much earlier - he did it as part of a very racist act in the 1970s when he was taking the micky of a black character called Chalky White - this was his "nick nick" days when he was on new faces

[kempie]

Jim Davidson broke into TV as part of 'New Faces' in 1976. His first starring vehicle 'The Jim Davidson Show' aired in Jan 1979.

Lenny Henry (another 'New Faces' winner) premiered his 'TISWAS' character Algernon Winston Spencer Castlereagh Razzmatazz (with his love of condensed milk sandwiches) in Nov 1978.

Coincidentally Jim Davidson was a part-time presenter of 'TISWAS', first appearing in Feb 1977, and it is claimed that he donned the black costume to become the first Phantom Flan Flinger.

[tubeway]

I was on TISWAS in the late 70s - one of my mates wrote in to ask if we could be put into the cage - it was a great (and very wet) day

THIS IS WHAT WE WANT