Love Thy Neighbour

This show was the antithesis of racist. Bright, fashionable black couple live next door to ignorant, brutish white man and win the upper hand in every episode. Most black characters at the time were laughed at whereas here we clearly are meant to laugh with him. The script was amusing rather than funny, but it makes for an enjoyable comedy of manners.

I absolutely loved this show when I was a kid in the early/mid 1970s and was interested to see it running on an Australian network several years ago. I imagined it would have dated badly and no longer seem funny, but no, it's still hilarious. The format of Love Thy neighbour was quite simple. It explores the culture clash and constant bickering between bigoted working-class trade unionist Eddie (Jack Smethurst) and his upwardly mobile Black neighbour played by Rudolph Walker. Their wives constantly act as both 'straight men' and referees in the battles between Bill and Eddie. Was it racist? That's the question everyone asks. I'm confident in saying, no. Eddie often refers to Bill as "sambo" or "nig-nog", but then Bill calls Eddie a "white honky" just as often. Either both sides are guilty, or neither, and I don't see anything nasty or 'dark' in these jibes. Eddie's not hostile to Bill because he's Black, he's hostile because he's JEALOUS of him and in 9 out of 10 episodes it's Eddie who comes off worse. I particularly loved the episode where Bill convinces Eddie he's the victim of a voodoo spell and has him dancing - naked - round a tree at midnight yelling "pinky ponky, me white honky". I grew up in a 99% White town and my abiding memory of Love Thy neighbour is how beautiful Nina Baden-Semper was. I had quite a 'crush' on her as a pimply youth. I don't know what became of this lovely talented lady or Jack Smethurst, but Kate Williams (Eddie's wife) and Rudolph Walker remain familiar faces on British TV. They both have current roles in 2 of our most popular 'soaps'. The humour in Love Thy Neighbour was always the stupidity of Bill and Eddie's prejudices, so I think it presents an ANTI-racist message. Sadly, that's not much of a defence in the Britain of 2004. BBC2 recently had a major show in several parts to find "Britain's Favourite Sit-com" and Love Thy Neighbour was completely airbrushed out. To quote the Amon Goeth character in Schindlers List: "It never happened". That's a shame because it was funny and extremely popular at the time. it also showed that Black British characters can be attractive, successful and get the upper hand. we take this for granted now, but it was a brave thing to portray 30 years ago. It's worth watching, IF you ever get the chance to see it.

A controversial, yet classic sitcom from the 70's. Based around the lives of Eddie (the proud British unionist), his wife Joan, Bill (the proud black ethnic tory)and his lovely wife Barbie. Often stereotyped by those who have never really watched the series as 'racist', Love Thy Neighbour was far removed from such a stereotype. Looking at the lighter side of the attitudes at the time, Eddie's and Bill's disagreements were perfectly balanced with friendship (who could forget the episode when Eddie drags Bill out on the town?!).

Eddie and Bill's characters are presented as equals, and both have different views on life (whether it'd be labour, tory, or black power!) but more often than not, when they argue and bicker, both come out looking as bad as each other.

Anybody faulting Love Thy Neigbhour for it's views should take a closer look at the series first. A show that positioned Bill (Rudolph Walker) in such a prominant powerful role, and presented him as such a strong upstanding character was way ahead of it's time (when other shows were still presenting ethnic minorities as 'comedy' characters).

Remembering this as a kid, I seem to recall finding it very funny with strong characters and a memorable them tune. From an age when situation comedy was far funnier than its modern counterparts.

Listening to people talking about it today, you would think it was racist - the main complaint that you laughed with Eddie Booth rather than at him. However, i always remember his black neighbour coming out on top most of the time. So I'm not so sure it really did reinforce those stereotypes. At least it was a depiction of how some white working class people felt at the time.

Maybe it was a little over the top and certainly wouldn't be shown in our present PC times. But you've got to take it as a period piece. For me it was very memorable and at least broke one mould for me in having the first black actress I fancied in the shape of Nina- Bade Semper - She was gorgeous.

It would be interesting to see a couple of episodes again to see if it really was that offensive and perhaps to gauge how we have moved on as regards to race relations.

This excellent, cleverly written sitcom was first aired when I was 6 & even as a child I adored it. Sadly it has been panned by accusations of racism, over the years, mostly by (I feel) people who have never really watched it or even understood it. Here we have Eddie (Jack Smethurst) who is a white British, progressive, socialist, he is bigoted & rather dim, & most of the comedy is from the stupidity of his character. Bill (Rudolph Walker) is an educated black conservative who moved next door with his beautiful wife Barbie, who Eddie actually lusts after. Eddie's long suffering wife is Joan puts up with him, however she is good friends with Barbie & between the three (Bill, Barbie & Joan) they often set Eddie up to expose his bigoted attitude & narrow mindedness, with some comedy gold situations. The thing I think people need to remember with this, it was quite ground breaking for it's time, (early 70's) when there were very few black people on British TV, yet this show has a surprizingly lovely level of diversity with many other black characters & Rudolph Walker went on to become one of Britian best loved character actors starring in TV & film, & he ha always defended his starring in "Love Thy Neighbour" saying... "These days we can't take the p**s out of each other & just have a laugh" (2003)

Yes there are racial slurrs on both sides, with sayings like "white honkey" & "sambo" but this IS a SITCOM, & not a detailed social study into critical race theory & white fragillity! & lets face it no one uses these words today & the whole point of this sitcom is just having a laugh at Bill & Eddies antics of one up-man-ship which always gives Bills character the upper hand. This funny series is certainly worth another look with eyes that are not clouded by cultural Marxism & though a lens of non discrimination & just enjoy. At the end of the first ever episode (not the pilot) we laugh at Eddie when he says he wants to move. Joan his wife asks why, is it because Bill is black, Eddie retorts "It's not that he is black. He's a BLOODY CONSERVATIVE!

I think with the previeling globalist socialist attitudes today which obviously lean left, they really don't like this series because the series pokes fun at white progressive "Eddie" who is a dim witted socialist, rather than being racist. This is the REAL reason.

This is a simply comedy from a more innocent time & it deserves to be enjoyed, again!