The Real McCoy on iPlayer
July 29, 2020
Every episode of influential sketch comedy show The Real McCoy is now available on BBC iPlayer- the first time many fans will have been able to watch the show since it was originally on the air. The iconic series was originally broadcast between 1991 and 1996, and was one of the first TV sketch shows to feature a primarily black and Asian cast.
The Real McCoy provided an early platform for comedy stars such as Robbie Gee, Llewella Gideon, Curtis Walker, and Eddie Nestor, as well as Meera Syal, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Kulvinder Ghir, who went on to star in another sketch show Goodness Gracious Me, which was a spinoff of The Real McCoy.
Shane Allen, controller of comedy commissioning at the BBC, commented: “This seminal sketch show broke down barriers and gave diverse comedy a crucial mainstream platform in the early 90s. It laid the foundations for inclusiveness and representation that we’re continuing to build on today.”
Dan McGolpin, controller of BBC iPlayer, added: “We continue to expand the choice available on BBC iPlayer and I’m thrilled that we can now add The Real McCoy to our fabulous collection of current and classic comedy series. From Citizen Khan to The Young Offenders, from Gavin and Stacey to Famalam, iPlayer is home to many of the nation’s funniest favourites.”