Karl's Dad

Karl's Dad has been a regular source of material on the show, and is seen by Ricky and Steve to explain a lot of why Karl is who he is. Stories include:

• The famous Forrest Gump In A Wheelie Bin story, wherein, working as a taxi driver, he was driving some people including a mentally disabled kid who was annoying him so he stuck the kid in a wheelie bin, and only removed him on the way back.
• Similarly, when driving a load of old ladies home one night, their moaning annoyed him so much that he told them all to "get out". They all ordered taxis and billed them to the company, so Karl's dad was fired.
• The Little Donkey incident, in which he found out Karl was in a Christmas play and said to his mate who was videotaping: "Try to avoid the twat in the hat", about Karl, when Karl was playing the drums. (23 February 2002)
• Working as a fireman on a locomotive, he was left alone while the driver went off for a pint. A supervisor demanded the train be moved, and, not wanting to get the driver into trouble for drinking on duty, Karl's Dad had no choice but to drive the locomotive, his inexperience causing it to crash into Manchester Central station. Despite the millions of pounds (in today's terms) worth of damage resulting, he was able to take 3 weeks work off on full-pay because he injured his wrist in the crash. The driver was thrown the sack. (21 June 2003)
• Karl used to ride along with his dad in his taxi. His father felt it necessary to warn him not to laugh at a woman passenger who had a head like a sack of potatoes.
• When he and Mrs P moved into a smaller house in Wales, he, using an electric saw, cut eight inches off a bed so that it would fit between two dressers they were keeping in a bedroom, then sealing the mattress with Gaffer tape. Karl and Suzanne attempted to sleep in this bed but had only "about forty-five minutes sleep" as there was so little space. (11 January 2003)
• Karl's Dad had a compilation of novelty songs from the '50s and '60s in the car when Karl was a kid. (18 January 2003)
• He called the doctor after Karl's Mam let him leave. Karl was suffering from indigestion after a lunch consisting of a dozen spoiled cream cakes, and the doctor jokingly told her Karl didn't have long left to live and left without explaining further. (18 January 2003).
• He hates being ripped off, and refused to go on the London Eye because he could see the same buildings on the ground for free. Also, when the payment plan he'd sorted on a new bed didn't come through, he told the company not to send him their catalogue anymore. When another one did arrive, he noticed it said it was the property of the company, so he called them up and said he'd be charging them 26p per day to store their item. He seems to think that this arrangement is both enforceable and non-negotiable, as the company are yet to acknowledge it, and Karl's Dad says that "they can take as long as they like, because the money keeps going up". (25 January 2003).
• Now retired and living in a village in Wales, the local shop is not open all day, and so leaves groceries for the villagers in a nearby phone box, which Karl's dad apparently steals. (04 June 2005)
• He posed as a police officer with a mate of his, to scare the woman who rode a three-wheeled bike with her husband in the basket, because she would often verbally abuse her husband at the pub. In addition, Karl said that his father and his friends used to do lots of vigilante work and scams. (18 June 2005)
• When Karl was a kid and got a bike for a gift, Mr P called him over and told him to take off his cycling helmet. "I never want to see you wearing that again. You look ridiculous". (BBC Radio 2 Show - 31 December 2005)
• Karl's father also has a large amount of bizarre phrases, including "Don't try to teach your granny to suck eggs", and "Don't nudge your granny when she's shavin'" which prompted Ricky to question "What, was she shaving a Brazilian" inducing disgust in Steve and Karl (21 June 2003).

Misc. Mr Pilkington Info

• 24 November 2001 - Karl talks about how his Mam has the same birthday as his Dad. Curiously, they also have the same wedding anniversary.
• 23 November 2002 - Karl brings up his Dad listening for the first time and having Karl's Mam make him not listen any more