John Cleese reacts to BBC removing multiple sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look, calls it "social engineering"

The return of That Mitchell and Webb Look to BBC iPlayer has drawn John Cleese's attention after the BBC announced that 11 sketches had been removed from the show's 20th anniversary release.

John Cleese replied to a user who questioned how people could forget the humor they grew up with, sharing his own opinion on X (formerly Twitter) where he wrote:

"If the BBC could prioritise making great programmes ahead of social engineering they might be worth the licence fee"

That Mitchell and Webb Look, starring David Mitchell, Robert Webb, James Bachman, and Mark Evans, has won one BAFTA Award and was nominated twice for the British Comedy Awards.

More on the story below.

That Mitchell and Webb Look returns without 11 sketches, drawing a response from John Cleese

Earlier this week, the BBC announced that 11 sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look, which ran for four series from 2006 to 2010, had been cut. This also included one sketch that featured the main duo in blackface.

A statement from the BBC spokesperson read:

"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 statement also confirmed that the BBC made the decision after discussing it with the programme makers.

While John Cleese mentioned the BBC's focus on "social engineering," he also shared another post on X writing:

"The BBC knows what's best for us And some of us know what's best for the BBC"

As reported by Deadline, one of the cut sketches shows Mitchell and Webb recreating a conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo before stopping when they question whether it has gone too far. Another features Webb and Olivia Colman in a makeover sketch with a surprise ending involving Mitchell.

Comedian Dom Joly also defended David Mitchell and Robert Webb and questioned the BBC's decision to remove the sketches in a statement to The Times, saying he would understand the BBC removing something that promotes racism, but added:

"It's so clear that Mitchell and Webb are not doing that. Their intent was not to be racist."

Cleese has also spoken out against the BBC in the past, including over the removal of a Fawlty Towers episode in 2020. A Fawlty Towers episode titled "The Germans" was removed from UKTV's streaming service for a short time in June 2020 over its use of sensitive language.

Reacting to the same, Cleese uploaded a post on X, claiming the BBC is now largely managed by marketing staff and "bureaucrats," unlike in the past when many people with real experience in making programs were part of it. He added that this is not happening anymore, as the new BBC decisions are being made by people who are more focused on protecting their jobs.

With the new post, Cleese has once again criticized the BBC for editing parts of its older comedy shows. Previously, the BBC also removed some Little Britain sketches when the show returned to iPlayer.

As of now, That Mitchell and Webb Look is available to watch on BBC iPlayer, where you can stream the comedy series.

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