This was never intended to be serious social commentary. The students themselves came across as altogether likable. Besides, the English characters were also stereotypes. Manuel could easily have been one of Jeremy Brown's students. Yes, the students were stereotypes, but British comedy has always been full of them - check out 'Fawlty Towers' for yet more 'funny foreigners'. The main source of ridicule in this show is the English language itself.

I personally think it is no more offensive than those American movies that depict the British either as plummy-voiced toffs or chirpy Cockney sparrows.

'Mind Your Language' is often cited as an example of 'racist' '70's British comedy. Also around were Mary Whitehouse lookalike Zara Nutley as the fearsome principal 'Miss Courtney', Tommy Godfrey ( 'Arthur' in Powell's 'Love Thy Neighbour' ) as 'Sid' the caretaker, and Iris Sadler as tea lady 'Gladys'. The show provided a welcome return for the popular actor, who had been off British television screens since 'Doctor At Large' in 1971. Presiding over this microcosm of international relations was well-meaning but naive English teacher Jeremy Brown, played by the late Barry Evans. Later additions were a Swedish sex-bomb and a confused Hungarian. They include a sexy French girl, a Spaniard fond of saying 'Por favore?' a lot, a Mao-quoting Chinese woman, a hot-blooded Italian, a surly German woman, a fast-talking Greek, a head-waggling Indian lady, and a Chinaman who gets to his feet and takes a bow whenever asked a question. 'Mind Your Language' was set in an adult education centre where foreign students struggle to master the complexities of the English language. She was of course referring to mail, but to an English comedy scriptwriter the double meaning was unmistakable. sitcom after his au pair innocently asked him one day if he had received any 'French letters' for her. Vince Powell came up with the idea for this L.W.T.

Ali nadeem mind your language