Sir David Jason Advocates Traditional TV Manners

Sir David Jason, the iconic actor known for his roles in 'Only Fools and Horses' and 'A Touch of Frost', has criticized modern television for its excessive use of swearing and vulgar language. During an interview on the Plot Twist podcast, he expressed nostalgia for the BBC's 1947 decency standards, which encouraged clever, non-offensive humor, exemplified by his character Del Boy's memorable insults like 'plonker' and 'dipstick'. Jason lamented that today's programming often overlooks these guidelines, leading to a decline in manners and respect in both entertainment and everyday language. He believes that the normalization of profanity has negatively influenced younger generations, who now frequently use language that was once deemed inappropriate. Jason argues for a return to these earlier standards, suggesting that they could improve the quality of television shows. His comments reflect a broader concern about the impact of changing societal values on the entertainment industry.