Let’s have a look at the listings for the debut of Bottom, on 17th September 1991. We’ll start with the Staffordshire Sentinel, because why not? It’s not often described as a black comedy, even though it’s terribly bleak.
![](https://www.simondunn.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BottomListing01-731x1024.jpg)
That said, we see that descriptor again, this time from Graham Young in the Sandwell Evening Mail.
![](https://www.simondunn.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BottomListing02-1024x483.jpg)
And here it is again, in the Perthshire Advertiser, which has a longer preview of the first episode, and a lovely quote from Rik.
![](https://www.simondunn.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BottomListing03-505x1024.jpg)
Which is pretty much word for word what they wrote in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle, though they did use a different picture.
![](https://www.simondunn.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BottomListing04-1024x890.jpg)
By all means take a press release as your starting point, but put some effort into it. This, from the Hull Daily Mail, just goes to show how much copy is shared among the regionals.
![](https://www.simondunn.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BottomListing05-1024x523.jpg)
At least they’ve all managed a different pun for the headline.
Judith Moss takes a slightly different angle in the Liverpool Echo.
![](https://www.simondunn.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BottomListing06-666x1024.jpg)
I don’t know why, but I doubt the veracity of the quote from Adrian in this one from the Daily Record.
![](https://www.simondunn.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BottomListing07-323x1024.jpg)
And finally, this is the photo that the Daily Mirror chose to use …
![](https://www.simondunn.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BottomListing08.jpg)
![](http://www.simondunn.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ProctologyBookAndPhone-1024x683.jpg)
![](http://www.simondunn.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/RikAndAde01-1024x576.jpg)