Root Into Europe 1992 TV Series

[Arthur Pringle]

I know Gene is fan, but I wonder how many have seen this brilliantly funny 5 part series starring George Cole as Henry Root, a retired fish merchant who, with his long suffering wife, embarks on a fact finding tour of Europe? Originally shown on ITV, it has not been released on dvd but there was a VHS of it from which the copies on youtube are taken. I only first saw it a few years ago & didn't expect much from it, the first episode I thought was pretty good but some of the others, particularly the episode where Root visits Germany are hilarious. 

If you haven't seen it & you're a fan of George Cole, who is brilliant in it, you need to watch it. The writing is not unlike Minder at its best & Henry Root, a Conservative Eurosceptic, is like a relative of Arthur Daley. What makes the series unique is that many of the people Root encounters on his trip are actual people, including local politicians, police & tv personalities, rather than actors. Quite ahead of its time, it struck me that it is not unlike what Sacha Baron Cohen does. 

The series is based on a character created by William Donaldson, the book 'The Henry Root Letters' appeared in 1980 & various sequels followed. Donaldson was a satirical writer who led a debauched life & at one time had an affair with singer Carly Simon. I've not read any of his books but by the sounds of them I think I will have to. 

You can see all 5 parts on youtube. 

[Gene Hunt]

Goats & Monkeys!

Great thread for a superb show Arthur. Yes, as you rightly remember I am a fan of this. It can evoke all sorts of emotions when you watch it. There are times you feel sorry for Henry, then seconds later you are cringing at what he says, followed by bouts of laughter. It really is a delight to watch George Cole on this sort of form.

Quite why it's never had a DVD release is ridiculous.

[Steve Austin]

Thanks for the info Arthur, I've just ordered the complete series of Minder and as soon as I've finished that, I'll give this a go 

[Del Boy]

I like the sound of this program and with George Cole playing the lead I bet it's a good watch. I can't believe that I missed this when it was originally broadcast


I've just been and found it on YouTube and added it to the watch later folder which if anyone doesn't know is a very useful feature.
Thanks Arthur.

[Cartman]

I remember this at the time but haven't seen it since. It was excellent and George Cole was very good in it. A similar character in many ways to Arthur.

[Arthur Pringle]

I got hold of a copy of the Collected Letters Of Henry Root. The book contains copies of the actual letters he sent & genuine replies he received. With each letter he would enclose a £1 note. Most of the letters are to MP's ( mostly Tory, including a few to PM of the time Margaret Thatcher ), newspaper/magazine editors, book publishers & personalities such as Esther Rantzen, Brian Clough, Mary Whitehouse, Kenneth Kendall & this one to Leslie Crowther who obviously appreciated the trolling he got, btw Leslie C was 46 in 1979! Not everyone replied to his letters & most replies are pretty standard 'thank you for your letter' responses, but it's still pretty funny reading. 

[Arthur Pringle]

I've finished reading The Collected Letters Of Henry Root, got a chuckle out of most of them, I think today he might find himself in trouble for some of them. Funnily enough he only writes 'goats and monkeys!', his signature phrase heard several times in Root Into Europe, on one occasion. 

This is an interesting article about the discovery of the original letters in the toilet of a house in Essex, there's an ITV News clip about them at the bottom of the page-

www.itv.com/news/anglia/2016-02-19/infamous-hoax-letters-of-henry-root-go-up-for-auction-in-cambridgeshire-after-discovery-in-downstairs-loo/

www.itv.com/news/anglia/2016-02-19/infamous-hoax-letters-of-henry-root-go-up-for-auction-in-cambridgeshire-after-discovery-in-downstairs-loo/

[Gene Hunt]

These are brilliant. The letter to Ken Kendall creased me 

Gene.

[Del Boy]

These letters are intriguing. I noticed the Nottingham Forest headed paper on the credits and wondered if he wrote to Clough. 
I've been watching these on you tube and have just watched the Italy episode. Liked the part were Henry meets the Mafia guy and he says "we'll not want the fellows with violin cases in Esher"   
Youa stoopido man.....

I've got the German one left

[Charles Bronson]

I will have to look up the Root videos on YouTube, they sound really good Arthur.
I remember reading and enjoying a Henry Root book in the nineties. I'm not sure how many in the series were published  though.