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Culture

Watch: The hilarious Max Boyce clip going viral thanks to US comic

By David Owens
Max Boyce / Reginald D Hunter

When much loved comedy High Hopes hit our TV screens in Wales back in 2002 it became an instant hit.

The sitcom created by Boyd Clack, was set in a fictional area of the South Wales Valleys called Cwm-Pen-Ôl (Welsh for 'Backside Valley') and starred the late Gavin & Stacey star Margaret John as widow Elsie Hepplewhite, the head of a dysfunctional family, which included her rogue son Richard, played by Robert Blythe.

The series, which ran for six episodes until 2008, also starred such Welsh acting notables as Steve Spears, Steve Men, Di Botcher and Keiron Self.

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Untold joys

One of the favourite scenes and funniest moments involved comedy folk hero Max Boyce, playing 'Man at graveside'.

The clip surfaces from time to time on social media, but this time it's gone viral thanks to little help from American comedy star Reginald D Hunter, who shared it on his Twitter account, introducing a whole new audience to the untold joys of Max Boyce and High Hopes.

Evidently, an unlikely fan of the Valleys set sitcom, Reg's post implores those watching to rightly view it until the end.

If you've not seen it - enjoy! We'll say no more.

pic.twitter.com/BJVyLWaAqE

— Reginald D Hunter (@reginalddhunter) December 16, 2021

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4 comments

Stuart Cane

I think you meant 6 series, not 6 episodes!

Reply
J owen

Satelite City and High Hopes were masterpieces. It's a shame they were only broadcast on Welsh TV

Reply
Y Cymro

Boyd Clack, a fellow Welsh independence supporter, is a comedy genius. Both Satellite City and High Hopes were Welsh comedy classics en par with Only Fools and Horses in my opinion. In fact, Welshman Gareth Gwenlan of OFAH fame also produced the show too. I can recall once producer Gareth Gwenlan was interviewed and stated how the BBC bigwigs in London were Anti-Welsh the reason Boyd Clack's shows never featured on BBC Network when first televised. Apparently they were too Welsh. Not wholly surprising seeing they were the same gaggle who allowed Anne Robinson to racially abuse the Welsh on two occasions, not to mention allowing that chinless wonder Jeremy Clarkson burning Wales in a microwave on his lame BBC TV talkshow. Boyd Clack being a proud Welshman understood what made us tick. His shows made viewers laugh with us not at us, where most English comedy series portrayed Welsh characters as either thick, untrustworthy, who when asked always stated they couldn't wait to leave Wales. I wish Boyd Clack wrote more Welsh comedy series. Maybe a political satire? It could feature the Welsh Conservatives done like the Mr Men series. Andrew RT Davies could be, Mr Snooze. Darren Millar , Mr Cardboard. They are ripe for lampooning being a joke party.

Reply
Gareth Wyn Jones

It is no joke being abused and misruled by the Tory party, great post though

Reply

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