The Goodies go to Wales to perform at the Eisteddfod on Llan-dlubber Island. They find it a dreary, boring place ( the roadsigns read 'No Drinking', 'No Smoking' and 'No Girls' ), peopled by women in national costume with smoke coming out of their hats and God-fearing types, such as 'The Reverend Llewellyn Llewellyn Llewellyn Llewellyn' ( Jon Pertwee ). Tim, Bill and Graeme try to liven up the event by introducing elements of heavy rock, magic and striptease, but the locals are furious. They enjoy being bored, which is why the Eisteddfod is so popular. The Goodies are sentenced to decapitation at the hands of the Druids. In desperation, they pretend to have Welsh heritage. The Reverend is persuaded, and the Goodies are allowed to participate in an ecclesiastical rugby match involving various religious groups, for which the coveted prize is a golden rugby ball...
When Anne Robinson ranted about the Welsh on 'Room 101' a few years back, it caused a national scandal. Yet this show, an even bigger insult to my country, went out thirty-two years ago without causing a ripple of protest. How times have changed.
Possibly the reason no-one was offended was because the parody was too over-the-top to be taken seriously. To give an example, during the Eisteddfod, a woman sells leeks to the audience, in addition to ices and soft drinks. It would not be the first time 'The Goodies' had made fun of a different part of the U.K. - Season Two's 'Loch Ness Monster' similarly poked fun at the Scots. Here the Welsh are depicted as so backward they decline to use lavatories on religious grounds. Jon Pertwee stepped into the role of 'Llewellyn' after Windsor Davies had to back out due to other commitments, and as you'd expect from a man of his not inconsiderable comic talents, he is superb, totally unrecognisable as the man who'd been 'Dr.Who' only the year before. The late Alun Williams, a familiar face on B.B.C. Wales in the '70's, plays a rugby commentator.
Funniest moment - the rugby match in which both Long Longford and Mrs.Mary Whitehouse are players. After scoring a try, Mary gets a mouthful of abuse from a Druid. He is clearly seen mouthing the words: "You XXXXing old bitch!".
When Anne Robinson ranted about the Welsh on 'Room 101' a few years back, it caused a national scandal. Yet this show, an even bigger insult to my country, went out thirty-two years ago without causing a ripple of protest. How times have changed.
Possibly the reason no-one was offended was because the parody was too over-the-top to be taken seriously. To give an example, during the Eisteddfod, a woman sells leeks to the audience, in addition to ices and soft drinks. It would not be the first time 'The Goodies' had made fun of a different part of the U.K. - Season Two's 'Loch Ness Monster' similarly poked fun at the Scots. Here the Welsh are depicted as so backward they decline to use lavatories on religious grounds. Jon Pertwee stepped into the role of 'Llewellyn' after Windsor Davies had to back out due to other commitments, and as you'd expect from a man of his not inconsiderable comic talents, he is superb, totally unrecognisable as the man who'd been 'Dr.Who' only the year before. The late Alun Williams, a familiar face on B.B.C. Wales in the '70's, plays a rugby commentator.
Funniest moment - the rugby match in which both Long Longford and Mrs.Mary Whitehouse are players. After scoring a try, Mary gets a mouthful of abuse from a Druid. He is clearly seen mouthing the words: "You XXXXing old bitch!".