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It's guten tag to 'Allo 'Allo as German TV to broadcast classic sitcom for first time

Last updated at 13:00pm on 11.03.08

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Second World War sitcom 'Allo 'Allo has been sold to the Germans.

The hit show - which was set in Nazi-occupied France and poked fun at the Gestapo - will be broadcast to German audiences for the first time.

But the comedy accents could end up lost in translation as the whole show will be dubbed into German.

BBC Worldwide struck the unlikely deal with broadcaster ProSiebenSat1, which will show all eight series (83 episodes).

A BBC spokeswoman said: "Both BBC Worldwide and ProSiebenSat1 are very happy about the deal.

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Helga, Captain Bertorelli, Gruber and Colonel Van Strohm from 'Allo 'Allo

"'Allo 'Allo is a high quality programme which had not been picked up in Germany until now due to the subject matter."

Listen carefully: Gordon Kaye, as Renee Artois, will soon be appearing on German television

The show ran on BBC1 from 1982-1991 and remains one of Britain's best-loved sitcoms.

Gorden Kaye starred as harassed cafe owner Renee Artois, who risked his neck to aid the Resistance and stay out of trouble with the Nazis, with Carmen Silvera as his wife, Edith, and Richard Gibson as Gestapo officer Herr Flick.

A long-running joke had Renee hiding a painting, The Fallen Madonna With The Big Boobies, inside a garlic sausage.

Other characters included Officer Crabtree (Arthur Bostrom), whose mangled vowels led him to adopt the greeting: "Good moaning."

Isabelle Helle, head of German-speaking territories at BBC Worldwide said: "'Allo 'Allo is one of the most successful BBC comedies ever made and is already loved in over 50 countries.

"We're really excited that ProSiebenSat1 has decided to take all series - now German viewers will be able to follow the daily cafe antics of Renee, Edith and the Gestapo and might even pick up on some of those famous catchphrases, 'Listen very carefully, I shall say zis only once...'."