to think what the bloody hell whenever anyone starts bleating about something being 'on National telly'

[GetOrfMoiLand]

'you go on National telly and tell the world about your woes'

Re some twat on Jeremy Kyle/This Morning

What is it with National telly? Where did this bloody stupid phrase come from. What's the alternative - regional telly? So you go and tell about your shagging exploits on your local regional news show.

I don't know why exactly but the phrase gets right on my nerves.

I don't like the word 'telly'. The national bit doesn't bother me though

I've always thought the same! I guess the national bit just makes it sound much more dramatic and important, and that's exactly what the guests of Jeremy Kyle are looking for.

YANBU

You have totally missed the worst bit! The worst bit is the awful awful people who have behaved terribly (cheating on each other, abandoning children, nearly having a fight on stage etc) and there's a debate about whether one of them is lying, and then one of them stands up and shrieks 'so you're lying on NATIONAL TELLY.' or 'How can you carry on lying on JEREMY KYLE'.

Um... because lying on national tv or to Jeremy Kyle (their God) is far worse than all the bloody awful things they've already done.

See also "taxpayers' money", "the man on the street" and "PC Brigade".

Nah it's an American import, that expression.

In America there are loads of local channels etc so 'national TV' is a bigger deal.