THE BELOVED comedy series, The Real McCoyis now available to watch via BBC iPlayer. 

Eight years after The Voice’slong-fought ‘Bring Back The Real McCoy’ campaign, the BBC has finally made the entire series available via their popular streaming platform.  

Originally broadcast on BBC2 from 1991-1996, The Real McCoy featured black British comedy talents, including Leo Muhammad, Llewella Gideon, Eddie Nestor and the late Felix Dexter. Since the series ended, there have been continued calls for a re-run of the show, and now, 24 years on, fans will be able to reacquaint themselves with this iconic slice of black British comedy history. 

Dan McGolpin, controller of BBC iPlayer, says: “We continue to expand the choice available on BBC iPlayer and I’m thrilled that we can now add The Real McCoyto our fabulous collection of current and classic comedy series.” 

Shane Allen, controller of comedy commissioning at the BBC, added: “This seminal sketch show broke down barriers and gave diverse comedy a crucial mainstream platform in the early 90s. It laid the foundations for inclusiveness and representation that we’re continuing to build on today.” 

Indeed,The Real McCoy– which also featured the talents of Robbie Gee, Curtis Walker, Ishmael Thomas, Judith Jacob and the late Collette Johnson – was groundbreaking; not only for its on-screen representation of black talents, but also for that which happened behind the scenes. Many of the sketches were written by the cast, making The Real McCoy one of the first British comedies to be both written by and starring black talents. 

This creative and authentic input birthed a host of hilarious sketches that reflected everything from the birth of Jesus to the questionable service received in Caribbean takeaways, along with a plethora of musical medleys and dance performances. The show also featured many prominent guest stars, including footballer Ian Wright, newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald, and boxer Frank Bruno. 

Though the return of The Real McCoyis long overdue, its comeback in 2020 – the year that has sparked worldwide racial awareness, following the murder of George Floyd in May – is particularly poignant; serving as a reminder of the significance of black creativity through the years. 

The show’s return is also a fitting tribute to two of its’ stars: the comedic genius, Colette Johnson, who died in 2013; and the supremely talented Felix Dexter, who also died that year. 

So be sure to head to iPlayer, where every single episode of The Real McCoyis now – finally – available to enjoy. Happy viewing!