Extended Bottom episodes to get TV debut

Wednesday 3rd April 2024, 8:27pm

Bottom. Image shows from L to R: Eddie Hitler (Adrian Edmondson), Richie Richard (Rik Mayall). Copyright: BBC

Extended edits of two episodes of Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson's cult sitcom Bottom are to air on television for the first time.

Originally made as part of the comedy's second series, which aired in the autumn of 1992, longer versions of Digger and Holy will premiere on Gold on Friday 19th April in a double bill from 9pm.

The longer version of Holy, running to 34 minutes and 41 seconds, is included on the previous Series 2 DVD release, whilst the cut scenes from Digger and another episode, Gas, were originally released on the 1996 out-takes compilation VHS, Bottom: Fluff and have never been released in a reconstituted whole-episode form.

Digger features an extended scene at the start of the episode where Richie and Eddie talk and fill in an application form in the waiting area outside Lily Lineker's Dating Agency. The broadcast episode begins with Lily Lineker (Lisa Maxwell) coming out to greet them, but there is a significant amount of chat with Richie and Eddie beforehand. This scene runs to approximately 5 minutes 40 seconds of cut footage.

Meanwhile, Holy has two scenes cut from the original broadcast version. One sees Eddie receiving a self-portrait of Richie as a Christmas present (which is smashed over Richie's head); the other has Richie cooking Christmas dinner while Eddie sets the "Christmas tree" on fire when he turns on the lights. Together they run for approximately 3 minutes 10 seconds.

Each episode will air in a 50-minute timeslot to make way for Gold's advert breaks, and premiere the night after new documentary Bottom: Exposed, in which Edmondson will offer unique insight into the show's creation, and working with his late creative partner, Rik Mayall.

Bottom - The Complete Series 1-3

All the episodes from Series One, Two and Three of the anarchic, violent sitcom, following the fortunes of Richie Richard (Rik Mayall) and Eddie Hitler (Adrian Edmondson), two grotesque losers living in a squalid flat in London and trying to make sense of their pointless existence.

First released: Monday 3rd October 2005

  • Distributor: 2 Entertain
  • Region: 2 & 4
  • Discs: 3
  • Minutes: 515
  • Subtitles: English
  • Catalogue: BBCDVD1870

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