Benny Hill Theme Blasts Outside British Parliament — At Hugh Grant's Request

It was a near circus in Westminster Abbey Thursday morning as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced he intends to resign after days of scandal. British activists celebrated by calling back to The Benny Hill Show, a sketch series that ran from 1955 to 1989, and blasting its iconic "chase" theme song, a jingle that played at the end of almost every episode. Clips of the cacophony quickly went viral on Twitter, but as it turns out, the world has Hugh Grant — who played the UK's Prime Minister in Love, Actually — to thank for the moment.

Early Thursday, Grant specifically asked pro-EU protestor (and anti-Johnson activist) Steve Bray to play the Benny Hill theme music. "Glad you have your speakers back," the actor tweeted at Bray. "Do you by any chance have the Benny Hill music to hand?"

Morning @snb19692 Glad you have your speakers back. Do you by any chance have the Benny Hill music to hand?

— Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh) July 7, 2022

Bray was more than happy to oblige. Within a few hours, the activist unloaded his speakers near "the media circus" on College Green and began blasting the tune.

Just for @HackedOffHugh as requested here today at the media circus… College Green. The Benny Hill theme tune. pic.twitter.com/Tazb57gT8e

— Steve Bray Activist Against Brexit +Corrupt Tories (@snb19692) July 7, 2022

The sound quickly carried across College Green, where British news crews were stationed for live TV hits — and the noise proceeded to throw everyone off track, from Sky News anchors to conservative MPs. As many Twitter users noted, the circus music aptly "sums up British politics over the last few years."

INCREDIBLE SCENES

“THE BENNY HILL THEME TUNE” IS BEING BLASTED OUT ON SKY NEWS. pic.twitter.com/N06wBwcoZl

— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) July 7, 2022

The Benny Hill music playing over Tory MPs doing interviews on College Green is 100% on point.

— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) July 7, 2022

Serious conversation at Westminster and someone is playing Benny Hill music in the background. Only in Britain 😂 pic.twitter.com/sSqt5NwMzD

— Matt Sibson (@MattSibson) July 7, 2022

The background music just sums up British politics over the last few years. An absolute circus. https://t.co/qvvD2Ehm5f

— KWAJO- Social Housing (@KwajoHousing) July 7, 2022

The Benny Hill Show aired for nearly 35 years on the BBC and ITV, racking up multiple BAFTA and Emmy Award nominations along the way. In 2015, its theme song, "Yakety Sax," was named Number 1 on ITV's list of The Nation's Favourite Theme Tunes.

Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.