Victoria attacks Ali G humour

Victoria Wood has attacked the controversial 'victim' style of comedy in programmes such as Da Ali G Show and Trigger Happy TV.

The comedienne, known for her waspish but warm humour, says she finds the Ali G character ' tiresome' and 'horrible'.

She compared the way in which the Channel 4 shows set people up to laugh at them to the ancient practice of visiting lunatic asylums for entertainment.

Miss Wood, 51, who admitted she watches little on television except the American sitcom Frasier, said: 'What I can't bear is something like Ali G, where half the people involved don't know what's going on.

'I find the endless setting up of victims tiresome.

'With so many good writers and good performers, it's a shame people can't just write a script and have other people learn it. It's all got to be done by duping and it's horrible, like laughing at lunatics.'

Miss Wood said she also finds the hit BBC show Little Britain 'very misogynistic', although she was amused by the sketches.

In an interview with the Radio Times about a West End musical version of her sitcom Acorn Antiques, she said the women characters portrayed by Little Britain stars Matt Lucas and David Walliams are 'horrible but funny'.

She added: 'I don't find that objectionable in the same way as I don't find it objectionable that French and Saunders dress up as men.'

Sacha Baron Cohen, who plays spoof rapper Ali G, and Trigger Happy TV creator Dom Joly have both come in for much criticism over their working method of catching celebrities and ordinary members of the public unawares and tricking them for the TV cameras.

On Da Ali G Show, Cambridge-educated Baron Cohen targeted the likes of Tony Benn, Sir Teddy Taylor and Judge James Pickles. He asked Judge Pickles: 'Is it all right to murder someone if they call your mum a slag?' and left Benn speechless by saying: 'Do you think people strike just 'cos they is lazy?'