Thirty years after it first aired, the stars of the hit BBC sketch show tell all – from wowing Johnny Depp to inter-office tension that left one of the cast in tears

Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse’s rapidfire sketch series The Fast Show – which recently turned 30 – delivered the biggest comedy catchphrases of the 90s. With Arabella Weir, Mark Williams, Simon Day, Caroline Aherne and John Thomson, the comedy troupe created countless “iconic” characters – from the over-eager Brilliant Kid and “very, very drunk” Rowley Birkin, to smooth jazz lover Louis “Nice” Balfour and the innuendo-obsessed ‘Suit You’ tailors. Put simply, The Fast Show was part of the wallpaper during the decade of lads, lager and Britpop excess.

It didn’t take long for Hollywood stars like Johnny Depp to join its growing fanbase. Three decades on, Higson and Whitehouse’s comedy feels prophetic of the zero-attention-span popularity of TikTok. Not only that but its victimless and (largely) reference-free humour mean it’s avoided any controversies that could affect its reputation as a beloved comedy. To celebrate its 30th birthday, we invited its stars to reflect on The Fast Show’s funniest bits.