Pushing Up Daisies/Coming Next

Pushing Up Daisies/Coming Next, 1984

Pushing Up Daisies was a late night alternative TV comedy sketch show that ran for 1 series in 1984 of 7 episodes before changing it’s name to Coming Next and running for a further 6 episodes in 1985.

The show seems to have been largely forgotten in these days of multi channel repeats but it introduced us to Hale and Pace and launched Chris Barrie from vocal talent/impressionist particularly noted for his work on Spitting Image to comedy actor.

Summary

Late night sketch comedy.  The humour was clever, cynical and often crude, with a definite left-of-centre lean, it left no target safe.

Among the memorable moments were:  Chris Barrie’s impression of Ronald Reagan promoting anti-Mexican holiday Wop a Wop in 84, or you could have WestEnders, set in the Schitz Cocktail Bar, a ruthless spoof of EastEnders where the original Made in Chelsea mob flaunt their wealth.

Of course Hale and Pace made their comic debut with their iconic characters The Two Rons (“We put the fun in funeral).  There were also numerous sketches where the entire cast would partake in film spoofs which even take aim at script directions.

Clips

 

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Cast

Chris Barrie
Carla Mendonca
Gareth Hale
Norman Pace
Ronnie Golden

Details

Channel: Channel 4
Written By: Various
Produced By: Paul Jackson
Original Transmission Dates: 3rd November – 15th December 1984 (Pushing Up daisies) , 14th September – 19th October 1985 (Coming Next)