Peter Kay fans rejoiced as the side-splitting Lancastrian swaggered back onto our telly boxes for a new sitcom.
Cradle To Grave is adapted from Deptford-rasied Danny Baker’s memoir Going To Sea In A Sieve, charting the funnyman’s awkward adolescence in the 1970s. Peter plays Fred, the jovial, wheeler-dealer, Del Boy-like patriarch of a family.
They say never take your work home with you… #CradleToGrave pic.twitter.com/b522zMsxSI
— BBC Two (@BBCTwo) September 3, 2015
Now Peter Kay may be a past master at TV sitcoms, but here there was a new challenge. Because Danny Baker grew up in south east London – which meant northern lad Pete had to master the accent.
Viewers were unnerved by what they heard. Social media reaction ensued.
1. The verdict came pretty sharpish.
Oh god, Peter Kay cannot do a southern accent. #CradleToGrave
— . (@citizenx99) September 3, 2015
Peter Kay's cockernese accent 🙈 #CradleToGrave
— Napier Bones (@NapierBones) September 3, 2015
Peter Kay's accent is WELL off. Love him….. But my god, he wouldn't of put up with that in his shows #CradleToGrave
— Michelle Morley (@mich13mo) September 3, 2015
2. But was it just shock? After all, Peter has one of the most famously northern voices in the land.
#PeterKay without a northern accent is absolutely criminal and shocking #CradleToGrave
— Mat Edginton (@MatEdginton11) September 3, 2015
3. Some people seemed to be having a physical reaction.
Yikes, Peter Kay's accent here is making my teeth itch… #CradleToGrave
— Anna (@Gatsbyspants) September 3, 2015
4. The term “undecipherable” was probably a little unfair…
Oh now we have Peter kay with an undecipherable accent #CradleToGrave
— Mike (@brtnz) September 3, 2015
5. At points – especially during the shouty bits – you could hear those Lancastrian syllables trying to escape.
Peter Kay's Bolton accent is fighting defiantly for freedom from the chains of Cockney #CradleToGrave
— Windsor John Holden (@windsorholden) September 3, 2015
6. But it wasn’t just the north-west sounds…
Was Danny Baker's Dad Australian? #CradleToGrave
— Benno (@Benno1uk) September 3, 2015
7. People reckoned Peter had coined a new patois.
It's actually Lancsnee 😂😂😂 #CradleToGrave
— Zee mitha (@ZeeZooMeeMoo1) September 3, 2015
I'm sorry but Peter Kay doing a Lancockney accent #cradletograve
— Ronnie Fletcher (@RonnieFletcher7) September 3, 2015
8. And there were obvious comparisons (again, a little harshly) to the most famously terrible Cockney accent of all time.
Peter Kay is giving Dick van Dyke a run for his money with this accent. #CradleToGrave
— Paul Prescott (@preccy_3) September 3, 2015
It's #CradleToGrave starring Dick Van Dyke – @peterkay_co_uk from Bolton
— Garry Hartley (@Garry_Hartley) September 3, 2015
Peter Kaye is gonna go into a rendition of "Chim Chim Cher-Ee" from Mary Poppins any minute #CradleToGrave
— rich0131 (@rich0131) September 3, 2015
9. Although other comparisons were available.
Peter Kay's south London accent is atrocious. He sounds like George from #Fonejacker crossed with Crocodile Dundee. #CradleToGrave
— Paul Leake (@mrmetacrisis) September 3, 2015
10. Even some Americans were emboldened by Peter dropping his t’s and h’s.
I'm a Yank born and raised in Indiana and I reckon I can do a better London accent than Peter Kay. #CradleToGrave
— Zany (@ZanyLaLa) September 3, 2015
11. Some other examples of the north-south incompatibility were raised. Hypothetically, you understand.
Eastenders will now be played by the cast of Coronation Street… See. It doesn't work #CradleToGrave
— Honest Mick (@thehonestmick) September 3, 2015
12. A few wondered why a Londoner wasn’t playing a Londoner.
Why not cast an actor from London?! Peter Kay is a very bizarre casting choice here. #CradleToGrave
— Ben Peyton (@BenPeyton007) September 3, 2015
But why should it be a Londoner? None of this accent nonsense meant Kay didn’t put in a cracking turn.
Forget the accent the casting is still inspirational and supported by Danny – think he knows best! @prodnose #CradleToGrave
— Theresa Plaiter (@TheresaPlaiter) September 3, 2015
In fact Danny’s already said this: “Peter, yes, Bolton to his boots, but he’s also an actor. He always wanted to be like his hero Ronnie Barker and he has that quality; I think he’s the natural heir to that sort of actor.”
The more important thing about the show was people found it genuinely hilarious.
that was laugh out loud. Will schedule #CradleToGrave in to the weekly TV viewing.
— justsarah (@66snic) September 3, 2015
#CradleToGrave – can't stop belly laughing,that was friggin HYSTERICAL!!!
— Kevin Murray (@KevinMurray17) September 3, 2015
And the bit with the tortoise was very good…
”Tom the tortoise just wouldn’t be told.” #CradleToGrave pic.twitter.com/mX6hTK9wXG
— BBC Two (@BBCTwo) September 3, 2015
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel