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[[:Image:Slitheen.jpg|thumb|250px|Raxacoricofallapatorian of the Slitheen family, one of the terrifying creatures from Doctor Who that would send youngsters scurrying 'behind the sofa'.]] "Behind the sofa" is a British pop culture phrase, used as a metaphor to describe the actions that a state of fear may drive a person to — i.e., a child hiding behind the sofa to avoid a frightening television programme. Although the phrase is sometimes employed in a serious context, its use is usually intended to be humorous and/or nostalgic.

Origin in Doctor Who

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Location of the amygdalae in the human brain, which ironically looks a little bit like a terrifying creature from Doctor Who.

The expression originated from popular media commentary on young children being frightened by episodes of the BBC science-fiction television series Doctor Who, particularly during the 1970s. The apocryphal idea arose in the media that young children would hide behind furniture when especially frightening scenes were being shown, as they were unwilling to miss the programme altogether.[1] The phrase is strongly associated with Doctor Who in the United Kingdom, so much so that in 1991 the Museum of the Moving Image in London named their exhibition celebrating the programme "Behind the Sofa".

"Everyone remembers hiding behind the sofa,"[2] journalist Sinclair McKay wrote of the programme during its thirtieth anniversary year of 1993. "Remember hiding behind the sofa every time Dr Who came on the television?"[3] the Daily Mirror newspaper asked its readers in a feature article two years later. In a 2006 interview with Sky News, Prince Andrew, Duke of York said that he hid from Daleks behind a Windsor Castle settee while watching Doctor Who as a child.[4] The Economist has presented "hiding behind the sofa whenever the Daleks appear" as a British cultural institution on par with Bovril and tea-time.[5]


Paul Parsons, author of The Science of Doctor Who, explains the appeal of hiding behind the sofa as the activation of the fear response in the amygdala in conjunction with reassurances of safety from the brain's frontal lobe.[6]


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The phrase has also found more general usage in the UK as a humorous or satirical metaphor for being in a state of fear or terror. For example, after he was sacked as the presenter of the comedy programme Have I Got News For You in 2002 due to revelations about his private life, Angus Deayton released a press statement which concluded: "I sincerely wish the show well in the future and look forward to watching this Friday's episode — from behind the sofa."[7] Another example comes from sports coverage; in a live text commentary on a cricket match in the 2005 Ashes series for the Guardian Unlimited website, journalist Rob Smyth wrote of one moment during the game: "Now that Warne's gone, it's safe for Gilo to come out from behind the sofa: his second ball is chipped tantalisingly over the blundering Hoggard at mid-off by Gillespie."[8]

In scripted programming, a reference occurred in a 2001 episode of the BBC sitcom Coupling, where the central character Steve, while extolling the virtues of a sofa, remarks on its usefulness in avoiding Daleks.[9] Coupling writer Steven Moffat went on to write for the revived series of Doctor Who.

References

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  1. ^ "Still, the Daleks are the boss space horrors, something to get the children hiding behind the sofa." Reynolds, Stanley (1973-04-09). "The metamorphoses of Who". The Times. p. 15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ McKay, Sinclair. "Guess Who's 30 This Year?". The Mail on Sunday. Sunday April 18 1993.
  3. ^ Pringle, Maggie. "Dr Who's 30 Years of Time Travel". Daily Mirror. Friday February 17 1995.
  4. ^ Lyon, Shaun. Outpost Gallifrey News Page, Outpost Gallifrey. Friday April 21 2006.
  5. ^ "The end of Olde Englande: A lament for Blighty". The Economist. 2006-09-14. Retrieved 2006-09-18. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Parsons, Paul. "Who believes in who" Daily Telegraph. Tuesday March 28 2006. (URL accessed March 30 2006.)
  7. ^ BBC News Online. "Quiz host Deayton fired by BBC". Wednesday October 30 2002. (URL accessed January 4 2006).
  8. ^ Guardian Unlimited. "Third Test, day four. Over-by-over: morning session". Sunday August 14 2005. (URL accessed January 4 2006).
  9. ^ Writer Steven Moffat; Director Martin Dennis; Producer Sue Vertue (2001-09-17). "Her Best Friend's Bottom". Coupling. BBC Two. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
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