mdfd (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Apparently that's not true.Matthews and Linehan had created a brilliant sitcom so they went to a TV channel with a track record in making/screening brilliant sitcoms.They never approached RTE with it and thank Christ they didn't.RTE would have ruined it,packed it out with RTE lackeys and neutered it to suit the religious and political sensitivities of the day.

SeanOBriain (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Maybe this will explain why.Thornton: "What was it like working with Colin? 'Cos he is just so hot in the UK right now..."Jackson: "He's pretty hot in the US, too!"Thornton: "Yeah, but he is one of our own."Jackson: "Isn't he from Ireland?"Thornton: "Yeah, but we can claim him, 'cos Ireland is beside us."Jackson: "You see, that's your problem right there. You British keep claiming people that don't belong to you. We had that problem here in America too. It was called slavery."

Nikon05 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

here im irish, and im not too offended by that considering rte turned down the program so channel 4 had to take it, and they filmed almost all the stuff in england, which evidently made it seem like a british comedy.

Elevationary (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

well it was "Channel Four" that funded the film father ted,although "a hat trick productions"were behind the filming,i do not know if they are Irish.When i first saw father ted,i thought that it was a political satire against Catholics,for protestants,at the time.I wrote a script once called "Minister Lyle"it was a Satire about a Minister living on Rathlin Island,off the coast of Ballycastle in Northern Ireland,but it was turned down because it was too politically charged.but ill keep trying.

katieszoo (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

it doesnt matter really does it?! Most of it is filmed in London anyway! All the indoor stuff (which is alot of the shows) was filmed in front of a live audience in London and only the outside stuff like outside the house was filmed in Ireland. Anyway, maybe it was a mistake saying it's British but the main thing is it's getting publicity in the US i didnt realise until i saw this vid that it ever went over to the US!

SiMags (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Yeah, it was produced and distributed by Channel 4 so even tho its set in Ireland, filmed in Ireland with an Irish cast and writing team it is technically British...but its a bit silly for the presenter to call it an outright British Comedy.I'm glad Ardal pointed out the Irishness of the series at the very start of the interview.

richiecork (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Rte wouldnt take it on because it was too controversial. thats the only reason channel 4 got it. its irish

Magellanicloud13 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I was a bit shocked too when the presenter called it a British comedy, but were all of you not paying attention when Ardal explains that it actually WAS produced in Britain, yet for all intents and purposes is Irish? The writers probably just looked up the production notes, stupid mistake, but not unfounded.

richieakasopp (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

''im irish'' yea and u live in da uk!!course it matters its da best fuckin comedy 2 come out of ireland and their caling it british! un-fuckin-beliveable.

relphydotcom (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Does it really matter THAT much? You know he's Irish and that's all that matters.I'm Irish and if someone was to call me Welsh or Belgian then I'd just take a look at them and laugh.