John Cleese blasts BBC for deleting 11 Mitchell & Webb sketches

**John Cleese Calls BBC “Social Engineering” After Removing 11 Mitchell & Webb Sketches**

The BBC has pulled 11 sketches from the comedy series *That Mitchell & Webb Look* ahead of its 20th‑anniversary release on iPlayer, prompting former Monty Python star John Cleese to denounce the cuts as “social engineering.” The network confirmed earlier this week that jokes featured in David Mitchell and Robert Webb’s show had been removed before it was made available again online.

As many as 11 sketches were deleted, including a self‑referential skit in which Mitchell and Webb joked about the appropriateness of Blackface while wearing it.

The removed material ranged from a Civil War reenactor parody that mocked a conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo to a makeover‑show spoof involving a woman in a burqa who later reveals Mitchell in Blackface.

In another cut, the duo satirized an “English Civil War” skit that escalated into a racist confrontation, only to halt the reenactment when one threatened with a machete, concluding “It’s racist. Very, very racist. Shame.” These edits came as the series celebrates two decades of television comedy.

## Background & Context

*That Mitchell & Webb Look* first aired in 2006 and has been praised for its sharp wit and intelligent satire. The BBC announced that the 20‑year‑old sketch show would return to iPlayer, stating: “That Mitchell and Webb Look has been made available on BBC iPlayer.

This is a 20‑year‑old sketch show; in consultation with the programme makers, we have included the ones that still work today and not the ones that don’t.” The decision to excise content was reportedly driven by a desire to keep material “appropriate for modern day audiences,” .

Earlier this year, Cleese criticized UKTV for removing an episode of *Fawlty Towers* from its Gold Box Set because it contained “racial slurs.” He remarked: “The Major was an old fossil leftover from decades before.

We were not supporting his views, we were making fun of them,” adding that the removal was a sign that some viewers “are too stupid to see that.” These comments foreshadowed his reaction to the BBC’s latest cuts.

## What People Are Saying

Cleese took to X/Twitter to label the edits as “social engineering,” adding: “If the BBC could prioritise making great programmes ahead of social engineering they might be worth the licence fee.” He later shared a post from comedian James Dreyfus, who wrote: “So, the BBC have decided that 11 of Mitchell & Webb’s sketches are no longer deemed ‘appropriate for modern day audiences,’ despite ALL their material comes from an intelligent source base, that pokes fun at & ridicules the foolish & ignorant.” Dreyfus also noted that people “have the nerve to suggest that ‘we’d miss the BBC if it suddenly disappeared’…?

Not in its current incarnation, believe me…”

In response, Cleese reiterated: “The BBC knows what’s best for us. And some of us know what’s best for the BBC.” These statements signal frustration from comedians who feel that creative content is being altered to fit a perceived cultural gatekeeping stance.

## What Happens Next

The BBC has declined to offer further comments beyond the earlier statement about iPlayer availability. It remains unclear whether additional sketches will be reinstated or if future releases will face similar scrutiny.

Cleese’s public outcry, coupled with Dreyfus’s support, may prompt a wider debate over editorial control in classic comedy archives. Meanwhile, fans of *That Mitchell & Webb Look* can still access the episodes that remain on iPlayer, while discussions about the excised material continue to circulate online.

The episode serves as a reminder that even beloved shows can become flashpoints when older content clashes with contemporary sensibilities.