BBC snubbed new series of Goodnight Sweetheart as writer slams 'too safe' comedy

dailystar.co.uk:

BBC chiefs turned down a new series of Nicholas Lyndhurst’s sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart. The show’s writer Laurence Marks was up for penning a new batch of episodes to make viewers giggle and offered it to execs.But he was snubbed and told the corporation wanted to focus on new ideas.Laurence told the Daily Star Sunday: “We could have done another series of Goodnight Sweetheart, but the BBC pulled back from that.“They got frightened that they were putting on too many old shows — shows that had already been seen.

So instead they put on shows that nobody wanted to watch. And that’s their choice.”Goodnight Sweetheart, which starred Nicholas as Gary Sparrow, pulled in 13million viewers at its peak.The Beeb also turned down a new series of Are You Being Served?

despite it being a hit with viewers.Instead, exes used licence fee cash to commission flop sitcoms including Holding The Sunset, Warren and Semi-Detached.Laurence fears BBC comedy is too safe these days.He said: “You can’t be vicious to people anymore.

Everyone has to be nice. And everyone has to be spoon-fed by the hand to safe places.“You can’t talk about the things that you find funny because of what I believe is called cancel culture.