Since 1972, it has been a staple of New Year’s Eve viewing in Germany, and is also very popular elsewhere on the continent.
But in Britain, Dinner for One is almost unheard of – despite the fact that it holds the Guinness World Record as the most-repeated TV show of all time.
Last night, King Charles delighted his distinguished audience in Germany when he referred to the sketch during a speech that ushered in his state visit to the country.
Speaking in German to guests who included former head of state and chancellor Angela Merkel, the king joked: “It’s good that you won’t leave me alone with ‘dinner for one!'” “
The show, originally recorded in 1963, centers on the 90th birthday of an English upper-class Lady Sophie, portrayed by May Warden, as her butler James attends.
The table is set for four guests, but all are long dead, prompting James—played by comedian Freddie Frinton—to get more and more drunk as he impersonates and drinks for all of them.
See the graphic below
The show, also known as The 90th Birthday (Der 90. Geburtstag in German), was originally written by British author Laurie Wiley for the theatre.
Frinton and Warden have been performing in British seaside resorts since 1945.
German producer Peter Frankenfeld came across her while looking for ideas in Blackpool.
He then invited Frinton and Warden to put it on screen in front of a live television audience in 1963.
In 1972 it was shown on German television at 7.40pm on New Year’s Eve to fill a gap in the schedule. A tradition was born and has been performed every year since.
More adventurous viewers watching the sketch, which airs in English but has a short introduction in German, will try to keep up with James’ drinking.
Miss Sophie is alone because friends Sir Toby, Admiral von Schneider, Mr. Pomeroy and Mr. Winterbottom are dead.
James consumes all of his drinks over four courses—mulligatoni and sherry, north sea haddock and white wine, chicken with champagne, fruit and port—and stumbles over and over on a tiger’s head rug.
King Charles was speaking at the former royal residence Schloss Bellevue, which is now the home of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Since 1972, it has been a staple of New Year’s Eve viewing in Germany and is very popular elsewhere on the continent. But in Britain, Dinner for One is almost unheard of – despite the fact that it holds the Guinness World Record as the most-repeated TV show of all time.
The show, originally recorded in 1962, focuses on the 90th birthday of an upper-class English lady Sophie as her butler James attends.
The table is set for four guests, but all are long dead, prompting James—played by comedian Freddie Frinton—to get more and more drunk as he impersonates and drinks for all of them.
The main subject of the painting is James’ repeated tripping over a tiger’s skin rug head
Before each cycle, James asks his employer if it will be “the same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?” Then you reply, “Same procedure every year, James.” They repeat the lines when he escorts her to bed at the end of the sketch
Before each cycle, James asks his employer if it will be “the same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?”
Then you reply, “Same procedure every year, James.”
They repeat the lines when he escorts her to bed at the end of the sketch.
Allusions to sex were reflected in Frinton and Warden’s alleged real-life relationship.
Dinner for One has had an impact beyond the screen as well, spawning cookbooks and even a souvenir stamp.
Frinton, who died in 1968, was known in Britain after starring in the BBC program Meet the Wife.
But he was also very popular with his drunken comic strip, which saw him wearing a hat and tails and holding a broken cigarette.
Warden died at the age of 87 in 1978.
Dinner for One was first broadcast in the UK in 2018, when it was shown on Sky Arts.
It is also shown in countries like the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Finland.
King Charles was speaking at the former royal residence Schloss Bellevue, which is now the home of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
In his speech, the king pledged to “strengthen ties” between the UK and Germany and praised the “enduring value” of the relationship between the two countries.
In what was the first state banquet speech of his reign, Charles stressed that he was “absolutely convinced” that the bond between Britain and one of the leading countries of the European Union “will grow ever stronger”.
The previous historic day marked the King and Queen Camilla’s official reception in front of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of peace and unity and the first time the site had been used to receive a foreign head of state.
Charles and the Queen Consort with Mr Steinmeier and his wife Elke Boydenbender at Schloss Bellevue in Berlin
The former German chancellor, Angela Merkel, made fun of King Charles’ speech. Above: The husband is seated at dinner
Also among the guests at the dinner were a few famous people, including the German resident and former judge of the strict dance Motsi Mabuse and the King’s distant German relations.
‘The relationship between Germany and the United Kingdom interests me greatly, too, Mr. President,’ Charles told those assembled, ‘and I am more convinced than ever of its enduring value to us all.
“It means a lot to us that my wife and I can come to Germany on this first foreign tour of my reign.
“I can only assure you, that for all the time given to me as King, I will do all I can to strengthen the bonds between us.”