Beloved British comedian Peter Kay has caused a bit of a stir across the pond with his use of a very English idiom. Starring in the festive Wallace and Gromit film Vengeance Most Fowl, Kay made a rare appearance after taking a step back from the spotlight and his highly successful career.
In his first TV role in four years, the Bolton-born comic played Chief Inspector Mackintosh. However, Netflix executives were left puzzled over concerns he was being offensive or using profanity when he exclaimed the phrase “flippin’ Nora”.
This term is commonly used as an expression of shock or frustration, particularly in Northern England.
Chief Inspector Mackintosh uses the phrase as the notorious villain Feathers McGraw, the cunning criminal penguin, makes his getaway. Nick Park of Aardman Animations revealed to The Sun that Kay, 51, improvised the line, which wasn’t originally in the script: “Peter ad-libs quite a lot. At one point he’s astonished at something and shouts ‘Flippin Nora’.”
Aardman’s creative director Merlin Crossingham also confirmed this, noting that they had to quickly clarify to the American Netflix team that the phrase was harmless: “[We had to explain to them that] it’s not rude, it’s not an expletive, it’s an innocent turn of phrase’.”, reports the Mirror.
The much-anticipated new Wallace and Gromit film will make its global debut on Netflix next week, riding high on the success of its impressive nine million-viewer premiere on BBC 1 this Christmas Day. .
In related news, Peter Kay, a comedic gem hailing from Farnworth, has previously left American audiences scratching their heads. Notably, during a show in Los Angeles back in 2009, he found himself apologising after his set, which poked fun at UK celebrities and car-boot sales, flew over the heads of those present.
Addressing the crowd, he remarked: “I’m sorry if you found that hard to understand but there was comedy in there somewhere.”
In the latest film, Peter Kay reprises the role of Chief Inspector Mackintosh—a significant promotion from his previous stint as a police constable in ‘The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. ‘.
He’s a treasured comedian with an impressive slate of creations under his belt—’That Peter Kay Thing,’ ‘Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights,’ ‘Max and Paddy’s Road to Nowhere,’ and the acclaimed ‘Car Share. ‘.
After last appearing on TV screens in 2020’s ‘Car Share’, Kay made headlines in November when he announced his return to live stand-up comedy, setting the stage for his first tour in 12 years.