Joanna Lumley has lashed out at the BBC’s decision to reboot the popular 80s comedy ‘Are You Being Served?’.
The ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ actress admitted the original show, featuring Mollie Sugden, John Inman and Wendy Richard, is as clear in her mind today as it was when it last broadcast in 1985, and therefore doesn’t warrant a revisit.
She told The Daily Mirror newspaper: "I can remember so vividly the people from the old ‘Are You Being Served?’. I’m slightly divided. You do think, ‘Maybe you should move on a bit?’ But maybe it entertains the young."
And the subject of a reboot is no doubt close to the 70-year-old star’s heart as she played a German shopper and minor character Miss French in two episodes in 1973.
She was also married to co-writer Jeremy Lloyd in 1970, before the marriage was dissolved a few months later.
Last month, ‘Are You Being Served?’ returned for a special one-off episode, where Sherrie Hewson played Mrs. Slocombe and John Challis played Captain Peacock.
But it was heavily criticised by viewers who called it "terrible" and some even demanded back their licence fee.
The show was remade, along with a series of other old programmes such as ‘Porridge’, ‘The Good Life’ and ‘Young Hyacinth’ as part of the BBC’s Sitcom Season.
Meanwhile, although she’s made it clear she’s not a fan of remaking old shows, Joanna is no stranger to remakes herself as she rose to fame playing Purdy in ‘The New Avengers’ in 1976.
Speaking of that remake, she said: "There was a 10-year gap … After they had seen everybody – I mean they were going through grandmothers – I got the part."
Joanna Lumley hits out at BBC’s Are You Being Served? remake
