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Bo' Selecta!

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7.1/10
TV

Starring
  
No. of series
  
5

First episode date
  
6 September 2002

Program creator
  
Spin-off
  
A Bear's Tail

6.9/10
IMDb

Created by
  
Leigh Francis

Country of origin
  
United Kingdom

No. of episodes
  
45

Final episode date
  
25 November 2006

Network
  
Leigh Francis impersonates Mel B., with a grumpy face while Patsy Kensit is smiling. Leigh wearing a curly wig and animal printed top while Patsy wearing a purple coat in a scene from Bo' Selecta!, a British television sketch show.

Developed by
  
Leigh FrancisBen Palmer

Cast
  
Leigh Francis, Patsy Kensit, Craig Phillips, Ozzy Rezat

Similar
  
Celebrity Juice, The Keith Lemon Sketch S, Keith Lemon's Very Brilli, Smack the Pony, Bremner - Bird and Fortune

Bo selecta series 1 episode 1


Bo' Selecta! was a British adult sketch show written and performed by Leigh Francis, that lampooned popular culture and was known for its often surreal, abstract toilet humour.

Contents

Leigh Francis impersonates Trisha Goddard on the set of Bo' Selecta!, with a dice near his neck, with a swollen face, red hair, wearing eyeglasses, and a denim shirt on the set of Bo' Selecta!, a British television sketch show.

Craig david meets michael jackson on his uk tour in bo selecta series 2


Background

Leigh Francis impersonates Craig David on the set of Bo' Selecta! while doing a loser hand sign, with curly hair, wearing headphones, eyeglasses, and a denim polo shirt over a white shirt.

Bo' Selecta! was broadcast on Channel 4 and ran for three series between 2002 and 2004, spawning several spin-offs. Francis played central character Avid Merrion, a dangerously insane stalker, who is obsessed with celebrities and tracks them down. The show consists of sketches involving various celebrities, portrayed by Francis in a latex mask. The most popular sketches involve entertainers such as Elton John, David Blaine, Kelly Osbourne, Michael Jackson, Mel B and central character Craig David. Avid Merrion would appear in his own sketches placed throughout each episode. Another recurring character on the show played by Francis is "the Bear", a perverted teddy bear who interviews (real, as opposed to portrayed) celebrity guests, where he will make them read a bedtime story to him. Each story starts off the same way and ends with the celebrity (usually female) performing a sexual act, causing the Bear to have an erection.

Leigh Francis impersonates Mel B. on the set of Bo' Selecta! while riding on a swing, with a grumpy face, wearing a curly blonde wig, eyeglasses and animal printed top.

The series title is based on the title of the Artful Dodger and Craig David song "Re-Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta)". Craig David is one of the main characters and speaks in catchphrases such as "proper bo I tell thee" and "can I get a reeewind". Much of the show's humour is derived from the deliberate ineptitude of each impersonation and general incongruity; famous scenes include Avid slapping Justin Timberlake with slices of cold meat, and trying to seduce Patsy Kensit while in character as Mel B.

Leigh Francis impersonates Mel B. on the set of Bo' Selecta!, with a grumpy face, wearing a curly blonde wig, eyeglasses and animal printed top.

Despite a loyal following and some strong reviews, the show has been criticized for allegedly promoting narrow-mindedness and puerile behaviour. Nevertheless, it was ranked 19th in Channel 4's 30 Greatest Comedy Shows as part of its 30th anniversary. The show was re-broadcast by 4Music. Two Christmas singles were released under the Bo' Selecta! banner, entitled "Proper Crimbo" and the double A-side "I Got You Babe / Soda Pop". "Proper Crimbo" was released at Christmas 2003, peaking at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. "I Got You Babe / Soda Pop" was released at Christmas 2004, peaking at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart.

Characters

Leigh Francis impersonates Craig David on the set of Bo' Selecta!, with curly hair, wearing headphones, eyeglasses, a denim polo shirt over a white shirt.

Although many celebrities lampooned in the series appreciated the joke, and even appeared in the series, the series' most prominently mocked target did not enjoy the attention. Speaking to The Sunday Times in 2007, Craig David confessed that "Inside it was absolutely pissing me off and hurtful beyond belief. There were times when I thought I just want to knock this guy out." Although David made an appearance himself in the programme, he regretted it even as he was making it: "I didn’t want people to think, ‘Craig’s reacting to it,’ because then they would think, ‘How can we get up Craig’s nose even more?’ So, I did it, but I wasn’t happy about it." However, in 2015, David dismissed his disappointment with his caricature, explaining that his PR team insisted that he "play hurt" and had since "made peace" with Francis.

Episodes

Nearly all of the episodes of the series have been released on DVD. The six main episodes from series one were released under the banner "Bo' Selecta!: Vol 1". The eight main episodes from series two were released under the banner "Bo' Selecta!: Vol 2". The nine main episodes of series three were released under the banner "Bo' Selecta!: Vol 3". All seven episodes from series four were released under the banner of "A Bear's Tail". All seven episodes from series five were released under the banner of "Bo! in the USA". The two Christmas specials from series two were issued under the banner of "Ho! Ho! Selecta!", "Cha'mone Mo Fo Selecta" was issued under the same title as a separate volume, and "Avid Merrion's Christmas Premiere" was issued on the DVD wingle of his 2004 Christmas single, I Got You Babe / Soda Pop. This leaves only the pilot episode, both parts of "Proper Bo' Selecta!" and "The Bear's Chrimbo Top 20" unreleased.

Cancellation

On 24 September 2009, in an interview with the BBC, Leigh Francis said that Bo' Selecta! might return, claiming he became "excited" whilst making the Michael Jackson tribute episode. Francis admitted on Twitter that plans for the series were on hold as he was working on a script for a possible movie for another project, and has since written numerous times, when asked by other Twitter users about the show, Bo' Selecta! would not be returning.

References

Bo' Selecta! Wikipedia