This chimney sweep sex euphemism has left the internet absolutely baffled

Brits have a reputation for being a bit straight-laced so euphemisms for sex run 10 a penny.

That said, The Times decided to move on from cliches of old in a recent tweet.

Hanky panky, how’s yer father, slap and tickle, do the dirty, getting jiggy, sexy time and more just did not cut the mustard so it coined an all-new phrase when sharing a column from writer Carol Midgley about sex, TV ownership and a new BBC show.

The thing is nobody, no-one, not a single being, British or otherwise, seemed to particularly relish the idea of “sweeping the special chimney”.

The Sunday Sport saw fit to retweet The Times euphemistic tweet, claiming its work on the planet “is done”.

While Twitter blamed everyone from the work experience kid to an elderly dad and a time-travelling Victorian for the phrase, it was lifted straight from Midgley’s column.

And she seemed to be taking all the attention in good humour.

But the tweet was still getting plenty of attention – with some concerned it might not help one’s sex life.

Others thought history might judge us poorly for thinking that we uttered the phrase.

But the suggestions of other bad euphemisms for intercourse were as gloriously British as one could ever hope for.

The tweet was ripe for being memed.

And for making a whole lot of double entendres from Mary Poppins gifs.

Meanwhile, shout out to all the people discussing statistical anomalies in data sets and querying who doesn’t own a TV. Valid points but lost as the majority uttered “sweep the special chimney, really?”