How has it has been 10 years since Rik Mayall died? On such anniversaries, I like to watch as much of an actor’s work as possible. Another series of Bottom was in development when Rik died, so I decided to try and write an episode myself. Set in the late Victorian era, It has plenty of violence, knob gags, one of Eddie’s inventions, jeopardy and a big explosion!
I remember Rik from his reading of George’s Marvelous Medicine on Jackanory, as peoples’ poet Rik in The Young Ones, watching in awe as he lit up Blackadder with his rare cameos as Lord Flasheart, and later in The New Statesman. As a teenager my best friend and would watch The Dangerous Brothers and Bottom. They knew how we felt, languishing at the very bottom of society. My best friend would be Eddie and I would be Richie. I know we already share a name, but the comparison felt right somehow. Overdriven with sexual energy, a reptilian appetite for depravity and childish naivety (and Rik’s character was pretty awful too!), Rik’s character spoke to me, someone who never got a break. I saw him and Ade Edmondson in several productions of ‘Bottom Live’ in the 90’s. I was sad and disappointed that when my turn came, living in a student house was nothing like The Young Ones!
Ade’s recent desert island discs interview covered their last years together. Rik always wanted to bring Bottom back, especially after his accident. Ade was looking for a new challenge but acquiesced, saying that if he would only go back again if the BBC commissioned another series. He admits that he didn’t think the BBC would be interested. A script was written and submitted and a Ade was surprised that they were. Sadly, Rik died before the new series could be made.
Ade talked about the script writing process with Rik as being some of the happiest moments of his life, when they both just couldn’t stop laughing. He says “We loved each other’s characters, we loved writing them.” I kept wondering what this new script was like, what it was like to be part of that magic. So I decided to take my love of the characters and try and write one myself. Ade also says how they were running out more ideas for the live shows. I saw this as a challenge, a chance to help.
It has the familiarity of a TV episode with the skilful and delightful interaction with a live audience, a few political jokes and a few references to earlier episodes. I hope the boys would have enjoyed this…
World According to Me: 