Stephen Fry offers British etiquette guide in Heathrow Airport ad
Heathrow Airport tapped the quintessential ‘Britishness’ of Stephen Fry to make Britain an appealing tourist destination.
Discussing established British stereotypes such as our apparent love of queuing and the fact we sometimes discuss the weather, Fry puts forward Albion as a sensible tourism location.
Father Ted and IT Crowd writer Graham Lineham wrote the three minute slot, which was filmed inside a pub, in a bid to educate Heathrow’s 75m passengers on what to expect upon touching down in Blighty.
Fry then promotes visits to tourist hotspots such as the Scottish highlands to the Giant’s Causeway, St Paul’s Cathedral to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll-llantysiliogogogoch in Wales.
Stephen Fry said: “Britain is a truly extraordinary place. With a fantastic blend of cultures and traditions, we’re a nation renowned for its sense of humour, unspoken rules and little quirks.
“No matter where you go, you’re sure to talk about the weather, will need something waterproof to hand, and are likely to meet someone who feels the need to apologise profusely for everything they do. In fact our nation’s gentle apologetic manner is one of the things that I miss most when I’m out of the country.
“I hope people enjoy watching the video, which celebrates some of our wonderful eccentricities and welcomes people to the UK with a good old dose of British humour.”
John Holland-Kaye, chief executive of Heathrow, said: “We know from our passengers that it’s important to them to feel they have arrived in the UK, from the moment they disembark from the plane, and what better way to do that than with a fun film from one of the country’s most beloved comedians.”