Ernest Foot

Ernest Foot
Actor	Steve Pemberton
Appearances
Series	1, 3
First appearance	The Beast of Royston Vasey
Last appearance	The Lesbian and the Monkey
Information
Status	Alive Widower
Related characters	Blind Man Simon Peter Foot (Brother) Sheila Foot (In-Law Wife To Be) Jean (Late Wife)

Ernest Foot is an elderly man who has the habit of putting his foot in everything especially when trying to be politically correct with disabled people.

He is played by Steve Pemberton

Creation

Created from the earliest show Ernest's first sketch was based on the job Steve had looking after a Blind Man, one day he faked a sickie, but the man came on the Underground with his dog and the dog reacted but while the man asking the dog what it was but Steve kept question. Ernest backstory was that he did have a wife called Jean who was disabled and so his awkwardness with disabled people was out of grief.

Appearance

Season One

While sitting on a bench a blind man sits next to Ernest who tries to make the man comfortable but it clearly isn't working, Ernest talks about the hope he could see, then the questions become blunt as the blind man walks off, with Ernest questioning why he vanished.

At Mike's Wedding Reception he bumps into Simon a man in a wheelchair who he knows, however, Ernest puts his foot in there again so Simon makes his excuses to leave and Ernest still unsure what he did.

Season Three

Ernest is doing the eulogy at the funeral of his brother Peter, who it turns out is very much alive, wanting to rehearse the entire service due to his distrust of his relatives. However, Ernest isn't willing to read his full eulogy which causes another argument between them and his wife Shelia who runs out, Ernest then reminds him that it's ridiculous that they are forced to repeat this every weekend since the doctor told him he was dying, so he remarks that they might as well stick him in a binbag which Ernest threatens they might as he won't know.

Later that episode during another weekend nobody arrives for the rehearsal save Peter, but instead, Ernest and Sheila come down the arise this time the music being The Wedding March, as they describe the scene having Bridemaids and saying they read the vows of marriage. Ignoring Peter they finish their wedding rehearsal, they mockingly thank him for giving them the idea get things rights, they then go to "practice" for the Wedding Night.

Trivia

Deleted Scenes

• The original closing line for Ernest and Simon's sketch was on stage him running off stage shouting "Fucking Cripple" with Geoff signing "oh no".
• The Second Part in Series Three was longer opening with the christening font, which had a swimming pool like rules and the vows were longer.
• Also at the end, Peter looks down at his hand because it was to be revealed that all this time he was a ghost meaning he never knew if his funeral went as they planned.

Behind the Scenes

• Simon was originally played by Jeremy Dyson onstage.