Bo' Selecta!

Bo Selecta is brilliant. If davideo even watched this show he would know that in the 2nd series the michael jackson character carries around blanket and is always followed by Martin Bashir. Secondly the fact that the characters based on famous people don't actually sound like them makes Bo selecta even more fresh and funny. (Check out Britney, David Beckham and the hilarious Mel B). It is true i do find it hard some times to watch Avid Merrion's transilvanian stalker but he is still very funny.

So Schamone Mother F***er

only read this if u are 18+

this is on of the funniest programmes i have see for a while. i remember leigh francis in his early days with some short comedy on the paramount channel he was good then.

His Michael Jackson character is most amusing. for example there was a short sketch of him picking up his fictional MTV award from Ms Spears

Michael: I'd like to thank god, my parent, lenny henry (aoooorah), mr t (i ain't getting on no plane i'aint getting on no plane i pity the fool), all the cast of different strokes even the white guy, dr trueman from eastenders even his no good brother. one love peace out.

also craig david decribing where his got his bird kes from.

Craig David: He's a peraguin falcon, I brought him of a man from huddersfield with a dog with one leg

it is a very funny tv programme

This series is not for the faint hearted. And nor is it for those with a "refined" comedic palate. In short, it's definitely not for everyone.

But, for me, it is the funniest show on television. I simply adore the Michael Jackson caricature. To portray him as a foul-mouthed, jive-talkin' brother with his spangly glove, sweatband and Thriller outfit is nothing short of genius. Creator/actor Leigh Francis has MJ followed around by 'Martay' Bashir, is distinctly careless with the baby Blanket and puts a surreal twist on the obsessions of the real-life Wacko (i.e., the fantastic Petay Pan parachute jump). Like Ali G, MJ has quickly gone down in modern comedy folklore.

Craig David, another highlight, has bladder problems, carries around his peregrin falcon Kes and hails from Leeds. David Blaine is sex obsessed and uses his street magic only to fondle the ladies. Mel B (Jim Bowen in a wig) is fabulous, Britney Spears is a drunk and Christina Aguilera a Scouse whore. And all of these celebrities, and many more besides, are wearing ridiculous masks and oversized NHS specs. Totally bizarre yet, when on top form, utterly brilliant.

Having said that, the show is far from perfect. It can get repetitive (especially the now-tiresome Bear), can resort to the overly crude and there are some characters such as Marilyn Manson and Jonathan Ross ("wibble"???) who don't deserve the time of day. Even the host Avid fails to raise a smile on many occasions.

But it is highly quotable (although not always a good thing when a cult show goes mainstream), consistently funny and like nothing you've seen before, or will probably see again.

Sha'mone.

Is there any sense in asking why Michael Jackson has been reincarnated as a profane version of his eighties self or why Southampton-born Craig David has a Yorkshire accent or why Michael Douglas sounds like Woody Allen? Is there any point even in pondering why the Transylvanian born Avid sounds Portugese? Of course not, the point of Bo' Selecta is not accurate impressions but of twisting celebrities into grotesques of themselves. That said some of the voices are brilliant, especially Kelly Osbournes oscillating mid-Atlantic accent. Fun also is Avid's obsession with the D-list micro-celebrities that clutter the small screen (the Big Brother contestant being the most perfect example). If there is something wrong with this series is that it's a bit reliant on the scatological content to pad out moment's of surreal genius. Michael Jackson sky-diving dressed as Peter Pan while Martin Bashir ran about on the ground fretting about feeding his baby was a particular highlight.

Bo Selecta is a Channel 4 comedy classic that has never ceased to make me laugh. It's great fun for fans of absurdist comedy, if you like stuff such as Reeves and Mortimer then I'd imagine you'll like this too. Much of the humour is derived from the deliberately absurd and over-the-top impressions of celebs, though some are spot on like the impressions of Ant and Dec. Leigh Francis did a brilliant job here and he can be proud after all these years. Series 3 is still very funny but a bit weaker than the other two as the format change meant the guests were in on the joke. In the first two Avid Merrion meets real celebrities who believe he is a real stalker, the part where he interviews Meatloaf is hilarious! Well worth a watch even all these years later.