Carry On films hit with warnings of 'rude, sexist and racist' content by Britbox - The Mirror

EXCLUSIVE: The streaming site Britbox says that some of the Carry On films contain stereotypes of the time some viewers may find offensive as well as nudity and 'racial imagery'

Carry On films are being ­labelled for the woke generation as rude, sexist and racist.

Streaming site BritBox is warning about 16 of the innuendo-laden comedies, which star the likes of late EastEnders star Barbara Windsor, Sid James and Kenneth Williams.

Viewers about to watch Carry On Camping, in which Windsor’s breasts are exposed, are told: “Contains mild language with mild sexual references, nude images and innuendo.”

Windsor was often the target of James’ lust in the films and was frequently scantily clad.

In 1969’s Carry On Again Doctor her character, wearing hearts over her private parts, is examined by Dr James Nookey, played by Jim Dale.

BritBox warns that Carry On Up The Khyber, about colonial Brits in India at the time of the Raj, contains “sexual references, racial imagery and stereotypes that may cause offence”.

Carry On Up The Jungle has white actors ­playing Africans and BritBox says it has “language and ­attitudes of the time, including the use of ‘blackface’, that may offend some viewers”.

Carry On superfan Callum Phoenix, 42, said: “I’m perplexed and irritated by the sudden need to stick warning labels on everything. When did we become so miserable and ridiculous?

“Carry On films are part of our cultural comedy history. Yes, they are from an era now long gone but they were not made to deliberately offend. They were made to entertain us.”

Actor Tyler Butterworth, son of Carry On legend Peter, said fans will keep watching. He said: “There seem to be content warnings just about everywhere at the moment. I think we might be getting inured to them.”

Critics argue the films show women as either beautiful idiots, often played by Windsor, or sex-starved­ ­control freaks.

Blokes were said to be generally lecherous idiots, often epitomised by James, or gay, such as Williams.

As Julius Caesar in 1964’s Carry On Cleo, Williams had possibly the greatest line in the 31-film franchise when he declared: “Infamy! Infamy! They’ve all got it in for me!”

One critic said the films “tapped into an ancient strain of English humour that mixed low slapstick with sexually themed double entendres.

"They were silly, strangely innocent films that reflected the gender biases of their era”.

ITV, which jointly owns BritBox with the BBC, said: “We’ve been examining our historical programming to review, re-label, provide context and ensure the right guidance for viewers.”