Martin Clunes has publicly criticized comedian David Walliams for being "very rude" about him during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show. Walliams's comments stemmed from their collaboration on the controversial mockumentary series Come Fly With Me, which faced significant backlash for racial stereotyping after its removal from streaming services.
The 2010 BBC series, created by Walliams and his longtime collaborator Matt Lucas, depicted life at an airport with the duo taking on various characters. One particularly criticized sketch featured them dressing up as Japanese schoolgirls who were portrayed as overly excited fans of Clunes, best known for his role as Doc Martin. Clunes revealed during his interview with The Sunday Times, he was initially supposed to be included in the sketch, sharing: "Actually, I’m pretty big in Japan." Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, he had to decline the opportunity, leaving him to contend with the aftermath of the segment without any involvement.
The sketch, which parodied the Japanese language, included questionable humor elements and even led to Clunes referring to it as "a pain-in-the-arse song" available online. Reflecting on his mixed feelings about the skits, Clunes lamented having been complimented initially about the way he was chosen for the sketch—only to later feel insulted by Walliams’s comments on The Graham Norton Show, where he remarked, "We thought, ‘Who’s the most unlikely person? We thought of Martin Clunes.’" Clunes’s response was blunt: "Well, there you have it."
Interestingly, Walliams and Lucas publicly apologized for their past use of blackface during the show Little Britain, which was also heavily criticized and removed from streaming platforms like BBC iPlayer and Netflix following the global movement against racial injustices ignited by the murder of George Floyd. Regrettably, Clunes feels the stain of casual racism still lingers from the sketches, which are not just humorous, but rooted in troubling stereotypes.
Following the backlash, the BBC stated at the time of removal, “There’s a lot of historical programming available on BBC iPlayer, which we regularly review. Times have changed since Little Britain first aired so it is not currently available on BBC iPlayer.” This acknowledgment showcases the network’s intent to align its content with contemporary standards of representation.
Lucas, reflecting on the consequences of their comedic choices, admitted, “If I could go back and do Little Britain again, I wouldn’t make those jokes about transvestites. I wouldn’t play Black characters. Basically, I wouldn’t make the show now. It would upset people.” His comments highlight the shift within both the entertainment industry and societal expectations over acceptable representations.
Clunes is not shying away from his upcoming project either; he is set to feature in his new ITV show, Out There, which is scheduled to air later this month, potentially marking his shift away from contentious productions to more aligned narratives.
Meanwhile, Walliams and Lucas have been working on new material, which Lucas mentioned would see them appearing as themselves, rather than relying on characters historically known for racial caricatures. This new direction hints at their attempt to rectify previous missteps and adapt to the current climate where inclusivity and sensitivity are increasingly prioritized.
The conversation surrounding these two comedians—one embroiled in criticism and the other aiming for redemption—raises important discussions about humor, intent, and the lasting impacts of portrayal within comedy.