- George Darlow never tires of episodes of the ITV series and three spin-off films
Right-on youngsters these days aren’t generally on board with the ribald humour of On The Buses.
But, eschewing the woke views of many of his peers, 26-year-old George Darlow can’t get enough of the late 1960s and early 1970s sitcom.
He never tires of episodes of the ITV series and its three spin-off films – and owns Britain’s biggest collection of On The Buses memorabilia. In the comedy’s heyday, millions revelled in the antics of jack-the-lad bus driver Stan Butler (played by Reg Varney), womanising conductor Jack Harper (Bob Grant), and their nemesis, Inspector Cyril ‘Blakey’ Blake (Stephen Lewis) – whose catchphrase ‘I ‘ate you, Butler!’ was mimicked across the land.
George, who was born more than two decades after On The Buses ended in 1973, became fascinated by the show as a child. He said: ‘There’s no comedy like it these days – everything’s gone too PC. On The Buses is a bit naughty, but at its heart it’s a just good old British comedy about working-class families.’
Among his hundreds of items of memorabilia, which he began collecting at 13, is a remote control model bus used in an episode.
George Darlow owns Britain’s biggest collection of On The Buses memorabilia
One of the film scripts and a typewriter used to pen the popular 60s and 70s TV show
Bob Grant as Jack Harper and Reg Varney as Butler. In the comedy’s heyday, millions tuned in to watch the show
He also has a hat worn by Varney on a stage tour of Australia and a typewriter which belonged to the series’ co-writer Ronnie Wolfe, as well as scripts, autographs of cast members and posters. He searches eBay for items and has been given many by relatives for Christmas and birthdays over the years.
George, who lives with his parents near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, said: ‘The collection’s worth around £6,000 to £8,000 but I’d never sell it. I love showing it at fan club events.’
He regularly attends get-togethers held by the On The Buses Official Fan Club, and met the late actress Anna Karen, who played Olive in the comedy, at one convention.
His parents Adi, 53, and Jennifer Darlow, 50, have a heart-warming reason to be glad about his hobby.
He was diagnosed with autism as a youngster – but laughter proved to be a good medicine for George after he started watching the sitcom. Mr Darlow, who with his wife is a full-time carer to George, said: ‘When he was younger he didn’t relate to much. But old British comedies that I watched – and in particular On The Buses – got his attention.’
George Darlow with his On The Buses memorabilia. George, who was born more than two decades after On The Buses ended in 1973, became fascinated by the show as a child
George Darlow with a hat used by one of the cast members. George was diagnosed with autism as a youngster – but laughter proved to be a good medicine for George after he started watching the sitcom
George Darlow with his On The Buses memorabilia. George, who lives with his parents near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, said: ‘The collection’s worth around £6,000 to £8,000 but I’d never sell it. I love showing it at fan club events’
George reads some of the scripts for the TV show and films
George sitting in a room filled with his impressive collection of On The Buses memorabilia
George’s On The Buses memorabilia. George regularly attends get-togethers held by the On The Buses Official Fan Club, and met the late actress Anna Karen, who played Olive in the comedy, at one convention
The hat worn by Varney on a stage tour of Australia beside books and other items of memorabilia
On The Buses posters and photographs. George said: ‘There’s no comedy like it these days – everything’s gone too PC. On The Buses is a bit naughty, but at its heart it’s a just good old British comedy about working-class families’
An On The Buses board game. George searches eBay for items and has been given many by relatives for Christmas and birthdays over the years