'If the Life of Brian was made today it would flop': BBC boss says Britain has become a nation of religious illiterates who wouldn't get the biblical jokes

  • Aaqil Ahmed claimed the modern audiences wouldn't get the jokes in the 1979 film
  • He said that poor education has left two generations devoid of religious understanding

By Steve Nolan

Published: | Updated:


A BBC boss has claimed that modern audiences would be left baffled by the humour in Monty Python film The Life Of Brian - because they have such 'poor religious literacy'.

Head of religion and ethics at Broadcasting House Aaqil Ahmed, said that poor education has left two generations devoid of understanding when it comes to issues of religion.

Speaking as the BBC launched a mini-series on religious pilgrimages, Mr Ahmed said: 'We have poor religious literacy in this country and we have to do something about it.

Falling flat: BBC head of religion and ethics Aaqil Ahmed claims that 1979 film The Life Of Brian would be lost on modern audiences because of their poor religious knowledge

Falling flat: BBC head of religion and ethics Aaqil Ahmed claims that 1979 film The Life Of Brian would be lost on modern audiences because of their poor religious knowledge

Generation gap: Mr Ahmed said that two generations have been left devoid of religious understanding because of poor education

Generation gap: Mr Ahmed said that two generations have been left devoid of religious understanding because of poor education

'If you tried to make The Life Of Brian today it would fall flat on its face because the vast majority of the audience would not get most of the jokes.

'They don't have the knowledge.'

Outspoken: Aaqil Ahmed made the comments as the BBC launched a mini-series about religious pilgrimages

Outspoken: Aaqil Ahmed made the comments as the BBC launched a mini-series about religious pilgrimages

Mr Ahmed made particular reference to a joke from the 1979 film about the Sermon on the Mount where a woman asks 'What's so special about the cheesemakers?', misunderstanding Jesus's biblical words 'Blessed are the peacemakers'.

According to the Independent, Mr Ahmed claimed that comedians don't make more jokes about Islam because the religion is so poorly understand by large sections of the British public.

He added that while modern comedians tell jokes about religion, they don't tend to go into specifics and only make general references.

Mr Ahmed said that a basic grasp of religious issues is necessary for the public to understand wider contemporary issues.

He said that religious understanding would help us understand things from why women chose to wear face coverings to what is happening in Syria.

But he added that he is not trying to impose religious knowledge on BBC audiences.

BBC2 will air the three part series Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve in December.

It will examine the history of religious pilgrimages as well as meeting modern pilgrims.

'WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE CHEESEMAKERS?' SOME OF THE MORE MEMORABLE JOKES FROM THE LIFE OF BRIAN

It's considered a comedy classic, but BBC head of religion and ethics Aaqil Ahmed says The Life Of Brian would be lost on modern audiences. Would you understand the religious references in some of these jokes...

Person: 'I think it was "Blessed are the cheesemakers".'

Mrs Gregory: 'What's so special about the cheesemakers?'

Man: 'Well, obviously it's not meant to be taken literally; it refers to any manufacturers of dairy products.'

 
Classic: A scene from the 1979 Monty Python film

Classic: A scene from the 1979 Monty Python film

Matthias: 'All I did was say to my wife, "That piece of halibut was good enough for Jehovah!"'

 

Mrs Gregory: 'Oh! It's blessed are the meek! I'm glad they're getting something, they had a hell of a time...'

 

Brian: 'I am NOT the Messiah!'

Arthur: 'I say you are Lord, and I should know. I've followed a few.'

 

Brian's mother: 'He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy!'





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