Page "Till Death Us Do Part (UK TV series)" Paragraph 9

Ultimately " silly moo " became a comic catchphrase.

Another Garnett phrase was " it stands to reason ", usually before making some patently unreasonable comment.

Alf was an admirer of Enoch Powell, a right-wing Conservative politician known particularly for strong opposition to the immigration of non-white races into the United Kingdom.

Alf was also a supporter of West Ham United ( a football club based in the East End ) and known to make derogatory remarks about " the Jews up at Spurs " ( referring to Tottenham Hotspur, a North London club with a sizeable Jewish following ).

This was a playful touch by Speight, knowing that in real life Mitchell was both Jewish and a Spurs supporter.

In interviews, Speight explained he had originally based Alf on his father, an East End docker who was staunchly reactionary and held " unenlightened " attitudes toward black people.

Speight made clear that he regretted his father held such attitudes-beliefs Speight regarded as reprehensible.

Speight saw the show as a way of ridiculing such views and dealing with his complex feelings about his father.