It’s Alf . . . what a silly moo

ACTOR Warren Mitchell, who died last week, came to loathe his character Alf Garnett, even though it made his career and bought him a house close to London’s Billionaire’s row — Bishops Avenue, Hampstead.

The BBC refuses to repeat episodes of Till Death Us Do Part because of its comedy bigotry and casual racism. Mitchell hated it when people told him that they agreed with Alf. But doesn’t Al Murray’s much garlanded Pub Landlord appeal to the same kind of audience? Listen to the cheers when his character launches into another rabid rant about gays and immigrants. Are they laughing at him — or with him?

So instead of Alf, let’s remember Warren in another of his celebrated roles, as a bent parking attendant who has to drag-up to escape regan and Carter in — what else? — The Sweeney!