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Bottom

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Bottom
Bottom Title Frame
Premiere September 17, 1991
Finale February 10, 1995
Creator Adrian Edmondson,
Rik Mayall
Network/Provider BBC Two
Style 30 minute comedy
Company BBC
Seasons 3
Episodes 18 (1 unaired)
Origin UK

Bottom is a BBC Two comedy starring Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson as Richard Richard (Richie) and Edward Hitler (Eddie). Unashamedly immature, the show's comedy revolves around innuendo, slapstick and stupidity, pulled off successfully largely due to the strength of the "double act" of Rik and Adrian (whose roles in their standup routine and preceding BBC comedy The Young Ones revolved around a similar thing) and otherwise just because it was all written to be completely over the top - smashing people's faces into saucepans of mashed potato, throwing darts that attach people's hands to rocks, blows to the head that leave the recipient spitting out their teeth for minutes afterward, etc etc.

Despite their complete emotional incompatibility and tendency to physically assault each other at the first opportunity, Richie and Eddie's codependency is obvious; Eddie's alcoholism among other things assures he'd never be able to secure accommodation, whereas Richie's almost astoundingly arrogant, annoying personality makes sure Eddie will remain his only friend (though why they got together in the first place is a mystery).

Contents

Cast

Actor Character Duration
Main Cast 1 2 3
Rik Mayall Richard "Richie" Richard * * *
Adrian Edmondson Edward "Eddie" Hitler * * *
Steve O'Donnell Spudgun * * *
Christopher Ryan Dave Hedgehog * * *
Lee Cornes Dick Head * * *
Roger Sloman Mr. Harrison * * *

Seasons

Season  Premiere Finale #
BBC Two
Season One September 17, 1991 October 26, 1991 6
Season Two October 1, 1992 October 29, 1992 6
Season Three January 6, 1995 February 10, 1995 6

Live Shows

After the end of the show's run there have been a string of live shows based off the Bottom format starring the two main characters; considering a lot of the TV writing was centered around Richie and Eddie interacting in a very limited set (in the most extreme case, they were both confined to a single Ferris wheel cart for the entire half hour), the translation from screen to stage was difficult to notice.

  • Live: The Stage Show
  • The Number 2 Tour
  • Hooligan's Island
  • Live: 2001
  • Weapons-Grade Y-Fronts Tour

Guest House Paradiso

Guest House Paradiso is the movie "spinoff" of Bottom, featuring Richie and Eddie as the owners of what was planned by the writers to be the most unpleasant hotel in the world - which, for some reason, is visited by glamourous Italian film star Gina Carbonara. Inbetween spying on, cheating and generally mistreating his guests, Richie (named "Mr Twat" in the film; apparently pronounced similar to "thwaite") attempts to seduce Ms. Carbonara, not knowing her belligerent husband is following her...

DVD Releases

Title Release Date #
Season Sets
Series 1 August 18, 2003 1


Series 2 August 30, 2004 1

purchase

Series 3 August 8, 2005 1


Complete Series
Series 1 to 3 October 3, 2005 3


Live Shows
Hooligan's Island December 6, 1999 1


Live 2001 November 19, 2001 1


Special Collections
Mindless Violence November 22, 2004 1


Movie
Guest House Paradiso November 13, 2000 1


External Sites