News
Next Story
Newszop

Frasier episode banned in the UK has never been shown on Channel 4

Send Push
image

An episode of Frasier, the spin-off from iconic 80's Cheers, has been banned from being aired in the UK, and it has not gone unoticed by fans of the show.

Frasier, which aired for 11 seasons between 1993 and 2004, followed psychiatrist Dr Frasier Crane as he left Boston for his hometown of Seattle and hosted his own

Dominating the 90s US sitcom boom alongside shows like and Seinfeld, Frasier was highly regarded and bagged a then-record 37 Emmys throughout its decade-long run. After years of rumours regarding the character's return, a revival series was officially announced in 2021.

Fans of the acclaimed sitcom starring Kelsey Grammer as the titular radio psychiatrist, have pointed out that routinely skips one particular episode from its broadcasting schedule-the "High Holidays" episode from the show's eleventh season.

image

This episode is noteworthy because it features Niles Crane, played by David Hyde Pierce, attempting to rebel in his adulthood by buying a marijuana-laced brownie, which is unwittingly consumed by his father, Martin Crane, portrayed by John Mahoney. This leads to a series of comedic events centred around the mix-up.

The exclusion of this episode by Channel 4 has never been officially explained, leading to speculation that it might be due to its depiction of drug use. But, fans have taken to social media and forums to share why they think it's been banned from live TV, reports

One Reddit user wrote: "They don't usually show High Holidays - the one where Freddie is a goth. Probably not allowed with the drug references at that time in the morning."

The show has been renewed for a sequel run, its revival beginning in 2023, which actor Kelsey Grammer discussed in an interview with People Magazine. He said: "It feels great, it feels great. There was a sense of, I'm trying to think of the right word, vindication. In my heart, I thought, 'I know we can do this and I know we can do it really well.' And I didn't want to do what some of the other shows had done, sort of come back and be the same show.

image

"I thought this all played exactly how it was meant to be. And Frasier's still alive, and he has a new story to tell and a new series of people to do it with, and it's been fantastic."

How else can you watch the episode?

Despite the episode's absence from live television, it remains accessible through Channel 4's on-demand service, All4.

This was confirmed by another viewer, who shared their experience on : "I saw the episode this week for the first time. It did surprise me that I'd found a rare unwatched episode but now I wonder if it just wasn't there and available before."

Loving Newspoint? Download the app now