Coughing Fast Show character cut over Covid upset fears

‘They said it’s disrespectful of anyone who had lost a relative because of the coughing, but I don’t know’

THE BBC blocked plans to bring back a cough-prone character from The Fast Show amid fears of upsetting Covid sufferers, it has been claimed.

The character of Bob Fleming, who had a persistent cough throughout sketches in the 1990s comedy show, did not appear in a Christmas special last year because of sensitivities around the pandemic.

Charlie Higson, who played the character, revealed that he had filmed a scene with his former The Fast Show costars for Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, in which Fleming stumbled across their fishing trip and could not stop coughing.

During an interview at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, Higson is reported to have said: “I actually went up to their Christmas special last year. I went up and we did a bit where they meet Bob Fleming on the riverbank fishing, and it was great fun but the BBC had to cut it out because of Covid.

“They said it’s disrespectful of anyone who had lost a relative because of the coughing, but I don’t know.”

A production source told the Mail on Sunday: “A decision was taken to drop the sketch. It is important to remember Covid was really rampant at the time.

“A lot of viewers would have found the sight of a man persistently coughing unfunny and upsetting. Consequently, both the production company and BBC decided not to go ahead with the sketch.

“It was very disappointing. But under the circumstances, it was the right decision.” The BBC did not respond to a request for comment last night. Steve Bennett, editor of the Chortle comedy news website, told the newspaper: “I’m sure more people would have liked to see Bob Fleming than would have been upset by someone coughing on TV.”