The Fast Show, known as Brilliant in the US, was a BBC comedy sketch show programme that ran for three series from 1994 to 1997 with a special Last Fast Show Ever in 2000. The show's central performers were Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson, Simon Day, Mark Williams, John Thomson, Arabella Weir and Caroline Aherne (1994–1997). Other significant cast members included Paul Shearer, Felix Dexter, Rhys Thomas, Jeff Harding and Donna Ewin.

The show produced two national tours, the first in 1998 with the cast of the BBC spoof quiz show Shooting Stars and the second being their 'Farewell Tour' in 2002. The Fast Show was loosely structured and relied on character comedy, long-running gags, and many catchphrases, which influenced shows such as The Catherine Tate Show and Little Britain.

It was one of the most popular sketch shows of the 1990s and had a long-lasting impact upon British popular culture. The show has been released on video, DVD and audio CD. Some of its characters, Ron Manager, Ted and Ralph, Swiss Toni and Billy Bleach have had their own spin-off programmes.

zz Club host: What are you going to play for us today, Jackson? ckson Jeffrey Jackson: Trumpet. zz Club host: No, er, what tune? ckson Jeffrey Jackson: [indignant] Tune? This' jazz!

stomer: This man insulted me! op manager: Was it done with any style, madam?

rl Hooper: Next week on the show: bats - are they really blind or just takin' a piss out of me?

lph: What are you fishing for? d: Fish.

rious roles: Who's that, over in the corner? It's me, losing my religion.

rious roles: You a young mother, are you? That's the hardest job in the world is, innit, eh? The old motherin' game. Yeah, hardest game in the world. Yeah, I done it meself, see? Yeah. Thirty years, man and woman.

n Manager: Self belief. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it, I can do it, I can really move from my head right down to my blue suede shoes. Isn't it? Rubettes, 1973? Marvellous.

ve Angel: Heey! My name's Dave Angel, eco warrior. Behind me there is my missus Shirley, and we haven't had sex for twelve years, which is fine because we got better things to do.

sse: This season, I'll be mostly wearing no vest and no pants neither...

rector: Chip? Take five - we need to reset the wire. ip: Set meself on fire? All right.

ger Nouveau Football Fan: Of course, it wasn't always like that. I used to support... er? Manchester United. But then, you had to support them where I came from in... erm... Hampstead.

wley Birkin: I opened my eyes and - by jingo! I realised I'd married three of 'em.

wley Birkin: She was half woman, half fish. Terrible in the kitchen, but a bloody good swimmer.

r Janine: I've gone vegetarian now. I mean, I know I had a sausage roll yesterday, but it's not really meat, is it, y'know? I mean, there's no animal called a "sausage".

th Duke of Wybourne: Me? The 13th Duke of Wybourne? Here? In a sixth form girl's dormitory? At three o'clock in the morning? With my reputation? What were they thinking of?

liceman: I've ascertained the time of death as 9.15. nkfish: Have you really? What do you want, a biscuit?

iss Toni: Putting up a tent is very much like making love to a beautiful woman. Unzip the door, put up your pole, and slip into the old bag.

otball Commentator: Well, Ron Manager, once again the pace and the tempo of that first half totally dictated by the boy wonder, Ryan Giggs. n Manager: Cor, Ryan Giggs, you know? Giggsy, isn't it? Mmm? Giggsy-wiggsy? Mmm? Oh! Ryan-y Giggsy-wiggsy. Isn't it? You know, marvellous. mmy: Is he the new George Best? n Manager: Is George Best the old Ryan Giggs? But Giggsy-wiggsy. Precocious talent, isn't he? Mmm? Ooh, got it all, you know? Speed, acceleration, sweet left foot, all the tricks - the dummy, the drop of the shoulder, the shimmy, nutmeg, jiggery-pokery, hocus pocus, abracadabra, I wanna reach out and grab ya. Steve Miller Band? Spin Doctors? Ooh, very similar. otball Commentator: Thank you, Ron. Now, Tommy, it's interesting to see the diamond formation being used again. n Manager: Diamond formation? Does anyone really know what that is? I mean, at least you knew where you were with Alf Ramsey's wingless wonders. You know? 4-4-2, 4-2-4, 4-3-3... 0898 654000, freephone double glazing? otball Commentator: You've lost me there, Ron. Not sure about that particular formation. But, Tommy, do we need structure? Look at the Brazilians. n Manager: Oh, those Brazilians, you know? Circa 1970? Broke the mould. Theory out the window. Free expression of football. Uncategorisable. Is that a word? It is now! You know? Far cry from small boys in the park, jumpers for goalposts. Rush goalie. Two at the back, three in the middle, four up front, one's gone home for his tea. Beans on toast? Possibly, don't quote me on that. Marvellous.

illiant: You know Ronnie Corbett? He's brilliant! But he's not really small. They made him look small to fit on telly. They did it with trick photography, which is brilliant. Only they call it special effects, and they're brilliant. Like in Terminator 2. Have you seen it? It's about this bloke who can turn into a puddle and back again. Fantastic! Aren't sequels brilliant? They're the same film but with a different number, like two or three. Even bad films are great, 'cause at least they try. In the future, all films will be brilliant. In fact, everything will be brilliant in the future, with cars on monorails, brilliant silvery costumes, food in pills and probably some special futurey can-opener. Fantastic! And everything will be done by computers. Aren't computers brilliant? They can do anything! Except play football. They'd be no good in goal, but they do everything else, virtually. I'n't virtual reality brilliant? It's exactly like reality, only you wear a hat! I tried it with me brother's crash helmet and I fell down the stairs. Aren't hospitals brilliant?

epeated line] ws anchor: A fe fe fe a fe fe fe, Boutros Boutros-Ghali.

wley Birkin: ...thin layer of lemon curd...