Orange Tango's 'happy slapper' TV ad star met tragic end after banned craze

Sometimes an advert captures our imagination so brilliantly, like the heartwarming John Lewis Christmas commercials that people look forward to every year. But in other moments, adverts spectacularly misfire – remember the 1992 'happy slapper' Tango advert with its infamous line, "You know when you've been Tango'd"?

The notorious ad depicted a trio of youngsters on a street corner, one enjoying a can of Tango, with a voiceover from Outnumbered star Hugh Dennis alongside sports commentator Ray Wilkins. They narrated a slow-mo replay of the Tango drinker getting slap around the face by a bright orange man sporting a bald head and a nappy. The slap was intended to represent the intense hit of the drink’s flavour.

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Marking the launch of Tango's new comedic campaign, the advert inadvertently sparked a rash of copycat slapping incidents in playgrounds, allegedly causing children to sustain burst ear drums – leading to the immediate ban of the commercial.

Relatively unknown talent Peter Greeves took on the role of the Tango man, having worked in some films and TV series such as Muppet Treasure Island, Nuns On The Run, Birds Of A Feather, Closer To Home, and Men Behaving Badly, reports OK!.

Recounting the ad's casting, art director Trevor Robinson shared reflections with The Guardian, saying: "Somehow we also convinced serious up-and-coming actor Peter Geeves to play the Orange Man. We knew as soon as he auditioned – the way he ran with his stomach sticking out – that he'd be perfect."

He elaborated on the original concept for the advertisement, revealing: "At first, we thought the ad would have a fat orange genie who ran up and kicked the Tango drinker on the bum. Of course, the advertising authority at the time, the BACC, said no way. We got the script cleared by changing the kick to a pleasant, Morecambe and Wise-style slap on the face. I think it's safe to say the little slap got a bit out of hand."

He also recounted learning about the troublesome trend it sparked, saying: "I remember having a conversation with a doctor, who complained that kids were 'Tangoing' each other at the cost of perforated ear drums."

Peter Geeves seemingly vanished from the public eye in 1996 as he quit acting to establish a micro-brewery with his son, providing Yorkshire pubs with their own local brews. The pair’s Tunnel Mouth was even named champion beer at a breweries festival. However, he did appear in five episodes of police drama The Bill, an episode of Doctors and two episodes of EastEnders, where he played Len.

In a chat with ITV back in 2006, Peter nostalgically recalled his stint in the Tango advert, quipping: "I was asked to first of all run around, then run around and scream, then run around screaming topless, it was at that point I thought 'aye-aye, this isn't the normal run of the mill advert'".

Sadly, Peter's IMDB page reveals the news that he passed away on 31 December 2022, at the age of 67, leaving behind a wife, Suzanne, and two children.

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