The Real McCoy was a very successful BBC Television comedy show which ran from 1991 to 1996, featuring an array of talented black and asian comedy stars performing material aimed at an across-the-board black audience.

UK comedy stars that featured in the series included: the comedy double-act of Curtis and Ishmael, Collette Johnson, Llewella Gideon, Indian standup Meera Syal, Perry Benson, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Leo Chester, Felix Dexter, Robbie Gee, Kulvinder Ghir, Judith Jacob, Rudi Lickwood, Eddie Nestor, Marcus Powell, Junior Simpson and Curtis Walker.

The producer of the first two series, Charlie Hanson, was the co-founder of the Black Theatre Co-operative and had produced No Problem! and Desmond's before creating The Real McCoy. He was working with Curtis and Ishmael on the 291 Club at the Hackney Empire and suggested making a television version, but instead, the BBC opted for a totally new sketch series, launching The Real McCoy.