Tooting - Cultural References

Cultural References

The 1977-80 BBC comedy series Citizen Smith was set in Tooting and popularised the cry "Freedom for Tooting!". Leading character in the series Wolfie Smith (played by Robert Lindsay) was the founder of a fictional revolutionary socialist political organisation, the Tooting Popular Front.

The 1962-67 BBC comedy series Hugh & I was set in the fictional Lobelia Avenue in Tooting.

In 2005, a 28 km diameter crater on Mars was named after Tooting. A geologic map of Tooting Crater is under preparation, and will be published by the U.S. Geological Survey in the United States.

Tooting comedy double act Colin & Rob (Colin Leggo & Rob Tofield) ran Comedy at the Kirk at The Selkirk for four years until 2011, when they opened Comedy Trumpet. Comedy Trumpet is monthly night that has brought some of the comedy circuit's biggest names to Tooting.

The Kitchens of Distinction (who formed in the area) recorded "On Tooting Broadway Station" on their 1992 album The Death of Cool.

Scottish singer-songwriter Sandi Thom found fame after she webcast 21 performances from her basement flat in Tooting between February and March 2006. Her track "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)" reached number 1 on the UK charts on 2 June 2006.

Tooting Bec appears in the book The Meaning of Liff, defined as the situation in which a driver sounds his or her horn at a car in front, only to discover that the car in front is parked.

The phrase "Ting Tong from Tooting" is associated with the character Ting Tong from the UK comedy sketch show Little Britain.

Upper Tooting Road, which runs between Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway station, has a huge number of Asian (UK definition i.e. Indian/Pakistani etc.) restaurants and snack joints making it a popular place for visitors on the weekends. The first South Indian restaurant in Tooting was Sree Krishna, established in 1973 but it has since been joined by many other similar establishments like Apollo Banana Leaf, Radha Krishna Bhavan and Dosa N Chutney; all three of which are situated South of the Broadway crossroads. Latest arrivals are Sri Lankan and Afghan eateries crowding among Pizzerias, Pubs, Chinese takeaways along with chain restaurants.