Written by Ben Elton, Rik Mayall and Lise Meyer all of whom met at Manchester Uni, Lise used to date Rik at the time of writing. Rik and Ade Edmundson were already a double act . Starting in 1982 and ending in 1984, the Show ran for 2 series 12 episodes and stared Rik as Rik , Ade as Vivien, Nigel Planer as Neil and Christopher Ryan as Mike and also starred Alexei Sayle .
The 12 episodes of The Young Ones featured many other members of the comedy cabaret circuit in guest roles, many appearing on TV for the first time. These included Mark Arden and Stephen Frost, Keith Allen, Helen Atkinson Wood, Jim Barclay, Chris Barrie, Arnold Brown, Robbie Coltrane, Lee Cornes, Andy de la Tour, the co-writer Ben Elton, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, Gareth Hale and Norman Pace, Lenny Henry, Helen Lederer, Norman Lovett, Pauline Melville, Paul Merton, Daniel Peacock, David Rappaport, Tony Robinson and Emma Thompson. Not The Nine O'Clock News stars Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones also appeared, as did, with a nod to the previous generation of young blades, Terry Jones from Monty Python. Alexei Sayle appeared in many episodes, principally as Jerzy Balowski, the landlord of their slum, but also as other members of this mad East European family. (He wrote these sections himself.)
The theme tune was Cliff Richard's 1960's hit The Young Ones, performed by the cast members (Cliff was Riks hero remember!). The Young Ones also released Living Doll back in 1986 which hit the number one spot, in aid of Comic Relief, which they also managed to get Cliff himself to appear on the single.
Bottom was a comedy show similar in format but just starred Ade and Rik as Eddie and Richie. The character lived together in a run down flat and the regular frying pan bashing antics made it feel very much like a Young Ones spin-off (although they portrayed totally different characters). Bottom pretty much dominated Rik and Ades career in the 90's whereas The Young Ones was very much early 80's. Ade and Rik also did several sell out tours as Eddie and Richie on stage.
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