The BBC repurposed classic comedy clips as stay-at-home PSAs

In the latest example of companies finding creative ways to make new work under lockdown, BBC is repurposing some of its classic comedy clips as PSAs telling viewers to stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic. 

The U.K. broadcaster mined its archives and found scenes from "Miranda," "The Mighty Boosh," "The Thick of It" and "Alan Partridge" that perfectly encapsulate some of the situations in which many people now find themselves during the lockdown period. The clips are followed by the message: "Seriously, stay at home. Please stop the spread."

For example, in a scene from "Miranda," comedian Miranda Hart conducts music to an "audience" of wooden spoons, boiled eggs, vegetables and a teapot while claiming that "living on my own can be genuine fun."

In a typically sweary scene from political satire "The Thick of It," Peter Capaldi tells his office they're in a lockdown situation. (In fact, this clip was already being shared by thousands of social media users as the U.K. went into lockdown on Monday night.)

A clip from "Alan Partridge" has inept radio presenter Partridge, played by Steve Coogan, discussing his planned timetable for a marathon Bond movie session in graphic and sometimes gross detail. It's followed by a message about the importance of setting a routine.  There's also a comedic song about "isolation" from surrealist comedy "The Mighty Boosh."

"We’ve found four classic clips in the BBC’s extensive archive which we hope will raise a smile during these tough times," said Kerris Bright, BBC Chief Customer Officer. "But the message behind this series of information films is very serious. We want to do everything we can at the BBC to help spread the message that we must all stay at home to help slow the spread of this virus, and to develop a routine to make our days that little bit more bearable.”