Eurotrash – Nostalgia Central

1 9 9 3 – 2 0 0 4 (UK)
134 x 30/60 minute episodes
11 x specials

This late-night Channel 4 magazine-style show presented a lowbrow, comical review of camp, crude and sometimes utterly disgusting topics mainly from Western and Central Europe (hence the title). The show ran for 16 series, making it one of the UK’s longest-running late-night entertainment shows.

The show was designed to throw light on the amusing pastimes of our European chums. It featured short filmed segments of the more outré areas of life, linked by French hosts Antoine de Caunes and Jean-Paul Gaultier, while garish graphics flashed and scantily clad dancers twirled around the studio for no apparent reason.

Much of the content shown on Eurotrash was risque. There were so many boobs, bums, naked Germans and poo enthusiasts, but it all made it to air as it was presented with a cheeky seaside postcard giggle as the original language of filmed participants was revoiced into English with very strong regional dialects.

For example, a dubious-looking chap discussing his passion for dressing as an adult baby was somehow more acceptable – and accessible – when delivered in a broad Brummie accent.

Recurring features included Pipi and Popo (two cardboard giraffes made from cardboard toilet paper rolls) and Belgian singer Eddy Wally. Antoine presented a segment called ‘Sit on Me’, where a half-naked model or porn star would jiggle up and down on his lap while a plinky-plonky jingle played in the background . . .

“Roving Reporters” included Graham Norton (in series nine) and Melinda Messenger – always dressed in a Union Jack minidress and big red boots – in the final series.

Davina McCall provided English voice translations in series 1.

In later years, Kate Robbins provided voice-over translation for the strange continental “stars”, which she performed in exaggerated Yorkshire and other British regional accents.

Jean-Paul Gaultier left the show at the end of series six, leaving de Caunes to co-present with a range of guest presenters for the remainder of the run.

Presenters
Antoine de Caunes
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Maria McErlane (narration)

Video