| Yule Never Leave | |
|---|---|
| YuleNeverLeaveTitleCard.jpg | |
| Chronology | |
| Series | 2 |
| Episode | 7 |
| Previous episode | Royston Vasey and the Monster from Hell |
| Next episode | The Lesbian and the Monkey |
| Broadcast and release | |
| First aired | 27 December 2000 |
| Viewing figures | 2.26 Million |
| First released | DVD
(Nov 25, 2002) |
| Production | |
| Writers | Mark Gatiss
Steve Pemberton Reece Shearsmith Jeremy Dyson |
| Director | Steve Bendelack |
| Guest stars | Rusty Goffe
Freddie Jones Liza Tarbuck Frances Cox |
Yule Never Leave (or The League of Gentlemen Christmas Special) was the only seasonal special done for TV, it was broadcasted on the 27th of December 2000.
The special began a trend of darker stories and no laughter track which carried on into Series 3.
The concept is taken from the Anthology horror films of Amicus Films and the MR James based Ghost Story for Christmas which Mark Gatiss has presented a documentary on James. Each of the episodes are connected by the fact that Reverend Bernice Woodall hears them.
Plot[]
In the beginning of the special, Bernice urinates on a patch of snow, which she then forms into a ball and throws at a passing Santa on a sleigh. Once inside, she is forced to listen to three festive tales from her parishioners: Charlie Hull, who has a recurring dream in which his wife uses voodoo to spoil his favourite past time, a man who told of how he mistook Herr Lipp for a vampire, only to be accosted by his undead wife, and Doctor Chinnery reveals the historical curse that causes his failure as a veterinary surgeon. During this time, she reveals details of how her mother was stolen from her as a child by a strange man in her house. After the long affair, and with Chinnery convinced that he will do right, Bernice finds herself in a chipper mood, at which point the Santa she hit before appears in the Church she is very apologetic. He is revealed to be Papa Lazarou (HELLO DAVE!!!) and is also shown to have taken Bernice's mother as a child. He kidnaps her with the help of his festively dressed carnival employees and the episode ends.
Trivia[]
- The opening scene with the robin being pulled off its legs was based on a real incident Reece Shearsmith's mother saw in while shopping a woman did the same thing to a sparrow in tarmac.
- The password Pawn Toast came from James Rampton who wrote for The Independent who they tried to invite to a party and asked if there would Pawn Toast?
- The women in Solutions had Steve played Pauline, Mark as Val Denton and Reece as Stella Hull, so then extras were dressed up and dubbed.
- The Cactus Lamps were noise activated and so they had be quiet.
- Liza Tarbuck could only do Donna for one day so her behind scene was a double.
- Herr Lipp's shadow is from Nosferatu and his Vampire form is from Salem's Lot.
- The Victorian Chinnery story came from the book A Local Book for Local People.
- Papa Lazarou running after Bernice, was from The Woman in Black. When the flashback scene happen the little Bernice is wearing Bernice's wig, but she couldn't wear the teeth.
- This was the last time Frances Cox appeared for the League, she was too ill for the Thrid Series and died in 2002.