He is best known for his hilarious role as Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter in the hit comedy TV show Only Fools and Horses

So when Sir David Jason, 72, claims political correctness is destroying great new comedy, it's no laughing matter.

The TV star said many of his best gags that made the TV series so popular would not make it on TV now because of strict PC rules.

He told the Sunday Telegraph: 'We seem to have lost our British sense of humour. It’s a great shame.

'We have to be so careful nowadays, we have lost a lot of humour because people are too frightened of getting too near touchy subjects.'

Sir David, who was knighted by the Queen in 2005, pointed to the speech impediment suffered by Ronnie Barker's shopkeeper, Arkwright, in Open All Hours.

'Barker's character had a stutter and he got nothing but good mail from people who stuttered because, basically, they were saying they bring people to the front,' he says.

He said that a number of jokes surrounding a singer with a speech impediment in one episode of Only Fools and Horses would probably not make our TV screens today.

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you wouldnt see this anymore on uk tv

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zJGW_hSoD8

Warren Mitchell in 'Til Death do us Part' was much less PC than OF+H - and expressed what people were saying and thinking as much as David Jason did.

This PC nonsense is only for politicians, the media and a few prissy civil rights campaigners - not for normal folks like how Nick Griffin and me is.

It's oddly refreshing to watch TV and film comedies from the 70's and see how the races interacted. They seemed to understand that they were just jokes and everyone laughed.

If Mel Brooks tried making Blazing Saddles today he'd be run out of Hollywood.

Today the PC Nazis have made most of us over sensitive. I'm watching the first season of the old TV western Bonanza from '59-'60. The Cartwrights were bad guys in the beginning. Anyway, there are some scenes with their Chinese cook who they love, but still laugh while mocking his accent when talking to him. A TV show could not get away with that nowadays without being called racist or bigoted.

Completely agree with all the above (except the silly comment that seems to believe that just because Eamonn Walker who played Winston took it well on film being called a coon etc that he therefore would be OK with it in real life as opposed to acting a part written for him). The ultimate death of comedy is focus groups though; comedy written by committee and appealing to the largest demographic possible. Therefore, nothing relating to religion, sex (in both senses of the word), illness / death, race, politics (so it can be rerun ad infinitum) and in fact anything that could be described as real life.

I have tried to watch these American comedies such as 2 1/2 men and although it is not offensive to watch, a whole season might elicit 1 laugh and a couple of chuckles at best. Comedy in my view is best written by one or two people, acting alone, and writing what they think is funny to them. Then it gets produced and those who like it watch it and love it, those who don't watch something else that appeals to them. What we have right now though is hours and hours of meaningless light hearted chatter that anyone can watch but no one is going to set a reminder to actually make sure they do not miss.

I'm glad there was none of this PC nonsense when I was young. I can't even call a nigger a nigger any more!

The father of a friend of mine from the Deep South used to say, "There ain't no nigger comin' in through ma front door!" That's more like it.

Curiously, or perhaps more sensibly, I always regarded Asians as my equals... from my schooldays on.

I'm glad there was none of this PC nonsense when I was young. I can't even call a nigger a nigger any more!

The father of a friend of mine from the Deep South used to say, "There ain't no nigger comin' in through ma front door!" That's more like it.

Curiously, or perhaps more sensibly, I always regarded Asians as my equals... from my schooldays on.

By Asian you mean what?

Indian / Pakistani - the euphemism in the UK is Asian.

SouthEast Asians such as Thais / Vietnamese / Malaysians, etc., or Chinese - whether HongKong or Mainland ??

I find that now I am back in UK I have a problem understanding the codes used here. I name people by their nationality usually, if I don't know, then I'll take a stab at ethnicity. But many people look horrified at some of my descriptions.

By Asian you mean what?

Indian / Pakistani - the euphemism in the UK is Asian.

SouthEast Asians such as Thais / Vietnamese / Malaysians, etc., or Chinese - whether HongKong or Mainland ??

I find that now I am back in UK I have a problem understanding the codes used here. I name people by their nationality usually, if I don't know, then I'll take a stab at ethnicity. But many people look horrified at some of my descriptions.

It's easy Humph. Everyone from the sub-continent is a Muslim (even the turban wearers) and anyone vaguely southeast Asian is Chinese. My Thai friend who's lived in the UK for twenty+ years gave up years ago telling people that he wasn't Chinese but Thai.

Sorry, HB, I forgot the UK code. When I say Asian, I mean people from Asia. Full stop. Mind you, there are some fringe Asians, such as Afghans (not the dogs), I might draw the line at. Japanese are equal but different.

Thais, of course, as almost every American seems to think, come from Taiwan.

Yes, the extent of knowledge of visiting / immigrant races in the UK seems to be shrinking every week.

The UK general education system seems to be teaching less and less as social understanding seems to be 'non PC'.

I live in Cambridge, which has an ethnic mix second to none. Strolling round the city centre I nod to Vietnamese with a 'Xinh Chau', greet Thais with 'Sawasdee Krap', Chinese with either a Mandarin or Cantonese greeting, Japanese with 'Cong ba mwah', 'Ohio' or 'Cong ichi mwah' depending on the time of day, Aussies with a 'G'day mate' and Kiwis with 'How're the sheep?' (I sometimes muddle these two up - they all look the same to me).

Indonesians and Malaysians share an almost common language (as Brits and Americans) so I use Indonesian greetings there. Almost all these people respond to my smile and greeting positively, as do the East European girls, where I use either Polish or Russian - don't know the local languages.

It's just the obese, cigarette smoking locals that look miserable all the time.

The political correctness that makes people blind to the differences between races is, in my opinion, leading to an exhibition of ignorance and uncaring disdain. To know the differences, to recognise and accept them as a part of life's wonderful pattern, means more in (and to) respect than ignoring all such signs.

It is only when one starts putting a 'league table' on all these peoples that prejudice enters the picture and the Daily Mail reporters appear.

When you walk around Cambridge treating all these disparate people the same regardless of where they come from then you are being very politically correct. It's when you start making assumptions as to their inferiority or your superiority because of their origin that political incorrectness arises.

When you walk around Cambridge treating all these disparate people the same regardless of where they come from then you are being very politically correct. It's when you start making assumptions as to their inferiority or your superiority because of their origin that political incorrectness arises.

This is, of course, true... and sensible people like HB don't need a PC manual to tell them what to do. Cambridge in my day wasn't quite so multi-racial, but such foreigners as there were were not treated any different from the natives.

Sorry, HB, I forgot the UK code. When I say Asian, I mean people from Asia. Full stop. Mind you, there are some fringe Asians, such as Afghans (not the dogs), I might draw the line at. Japanese are equal but different.

Thais, of course, as almost every American seems to think, come from Taiwan.

Hate to be a grammar Nazi but it's spelled "Thaiwan" for a reason ya'know.

When you walk around Cambridge treating all these disparate people the same regardless of where they come from then you are being very politically correct. It's when you start making assumptions as to their inferiority or your superiority because of their origin that political incorrectness arises.

Who's assuming? If they aren't English they are inferior. Except the Yanks of course.

When you walk around Cambridge treating all these disparate people the same regardless of where they come from then you are being very politically correct. It's when you start making assumptions as to their inferiority or your superiority because of their origin that political incorrectness arises.

Who's assuming? If they aren't English they are inferior. Except the Yanks of course.

Endure - Not politically correct - just good manners.

Koheesti - the Americans are no different to the locals - all grossly obese. The difference is in the number of cameras being carried.

When you walk around Cambridge treating all these disparate people the same regardless of where they come from then you are being very politically correct. It's when you start making assumptions as to their inferiority or your superiority because of their origin that political incorrectness arises.

Who's assuming? If they aren't English they are inferior. Except the Yanks of course.

Endure - Not politically correct - just good manners.

Koheesti - the Americans are no different to the locals - all grossly obese. The difference is in the number of cameras being carried.

I was recently back in the USA for 6 months. In Florida and Kentucky people were more or less normal sizes. But in southern Georgia where I was, I never saw so many very obese people in my life. I swear 400 pounds (180 kg) wouldn't warrant a second glance. At least comedians can still make fat jokes.

When you walk around Cambridge treating all these disparate people the same regardless of where they come from then you are being very politically correct. It's when you start making assumptions as to their inferiority or your superiority because of their origin that political incorrectness arises.

Who's assuming? If they aren't English they are inferior. Except the Yanks of course.

Endure - Not politically correct - just good manners.

See my signature...

I was recently back in the USA for 6 months. In Florida and Kentucky people were more or less normal sizes. But in southern Georgia where I was, I never saw so many very obese people in my life. I swear 400 pounds (180 kg) wouldn't warrant a second glance. At least comedians can still make fat jokes.

But in the UK doctors can no longer tell patients they are 'obese' or similar words, in case it upsets the patient.

Sheer insanity.

One of the most funny and most UNpc, UK tv shows, was "Love Thy Neigbour."

Jack Smethurst and Rudolf Walker, Honky and Nig Nog.

We used that expression at work, maoris, islanders and white, NZers loved the show.

Mates used the names for one and other, but ya hadda be careful.