Heroes of Comedy: Benny Hill

Political Correctness is actually cultural oppression and I despise it and all those who spout the nonsense - Benny Hill, the British comedian who remains hugely popular across the world, was a martyr in the fight against political correctness. The Benny Hill Show was broadcast from 1955 until 1991, when he was pulled from the air following a decade in which a new wave of British comedians kicked against the working class comedy that Hill did so well. One of his best known detractors was Ben Elton who famously said Hill's comedy was responsible for rape - Elton later said his comments were misunderstood but what he should have said was that Hill was far funnier that any of Elton's so called Marxist comedians.

Hill lived for his work, and following his axing he grew depressed, became something of a hermit and was found dead in his flat in 1992. In his unopened mail was a contract for a new television show.

It's a sad end to a man who gave joy to so many with his harmless brands of saucy seaside humour and slapstick. I recently picked up an old LP record of Hill's comedy songs and I was reminded of just how good he was. Yeah, his jokes are corny but they raise a smile and some of the songs on this album are absolutely wonderful.

Legends - SID JAMES

Sid James had that face - the complexion of a prune left out too long in the sun. He also had that lascivious laugh. He was also one of Britain's most successful comedians and to this day remains a cult figure. He was the quintessential working class Englishman and yet he was actually born in South Africa.

Real name Soloman Joel Cohen, he worked in various jobs before becoming an actor - diamond cutter, hairdresser and a boxer were just some of his varied jobs. After the war - he took up acting while in the army - he came to the UK, changed his name to Sid James - and started looking for acting work. After a couple of minor roles in serious dramas he was cast in The Lavender Hill Mob. The actor appeared in several more films over the following years and in 1954 Sid began working with Tony Hancock on the Hancock radio show.

This was where things really took off - Sid's wide-boy persona sparked off Hancock's everyman and Sid became a regular character in the hugely popular radio show. When the radio show transferred to television Sid's part was greatly extended and the British public started to regard Hancock and James as a double act. However Hancock began to consider James a threat to his own popularity and the final television series saw James dropped from the show.

The Carry On films came next - still the series for which the actor is best remembered - he did 19 of the film in all and received top billing in 17 of them - even today Sid James is the face most people see when asked about the Carry On films.

Sid always played that dirty old man but it was harmless seaside postcard fun. It was never distasteful when Sid lusted over women a quarter of his age. And together with a large cast of British character actors, he kept the Carry On films making big money at the box office. And after they had run their course on the big screen they became mainstays of the Television screen and remain so to this day.

There was a strange coolness to Sid's middle aged and yet young-at-heart character - he played variations of the same character in various TV sitcoms, George and the Dragon, Bless this House, Taxi and Two in Clover. More often than not the character he was playing would be named Sid - Sidney Bliss, Sidney Abbot, Sidney Boggle, Sid Carter - he was always one Sid or another.

Sid James died on stage - while performing in The Mating Season he collapsed and the audience roared, thinking it was part of the show but Sid was rushed into hospital where he was pronounced dead . His ghost is said to haunt his old dressing room at the Sunderland Empire Theatre - after one show at the theatre, in which he occupied James' dressing room, the comedian Les Dawson rushed out of the theatre and refused to play the venue again. He never revealed why and would not talk on the subject