Mitchell and Webb have a recurring spoof sitcom sketch in which Robert Webb is a nervous bungling Robin Askwith type character in a 1960s/70s office comedy environment with David Mitchell as the pompous boss.

Does anyone know if this a direct reference to any characters or sitcom or just a generic spoof?

Generic spoof, I would think. Of the convuluted storylines you'd get in sitcoms of a certain period. (Terry and June and the boss coming round and all that).