The Ultimate Guide to British Sitcoms
All sitcoms starting with the letter S. This is part one and takes you from Safe and Sound to Shelley.
Head back to main sitcom page.
SAFE AND SOUND
BBC1 / 6×30 minute episodes / 1996 9 August – 13 September
Writer: Timothy Prager / Producer: Joanna Willett
Sitcom. Exploits of a pair of Belfast garage owners, one of whom is Catholic, the other Protestant.
With:- DES McALEER as Tommy Delaney / SEAN McGINLEY as Dougy Flynn / MICHELLE FAIRLEY as Eleanor Delaney / GABRIELLE REIDY as Maggie Delaney / BRIAN MILLIGAN as Kevin / CONOR O’DWYER as Hughie Delaney
SAM AND JANET
ATV / 15×30 minute episodes / 1967-68
Writer: David Cumming / Producer: Alan Tarrant
Sitcom. Well off married couple Sam and Janet don’t get on.
With:- JOHN JUNKIN as Sam Marshall / JOAN SIMS as Janet Marshall(Season 1) / VIVIENNE MARTIN as Janet Marshall(Season 2) / HARRY LOCKE as Charlie
SAM’S GAME
ITV Network / 6×30 minute episodes / 2001 (First Episode Broadcast Monday 14 May / 9.00pm)
Writer: Paul Waite / Producer: Sue Birbeck / Director: Tristram Shapeero
Sitcom. Stories of London based, flat sharing flirty-something Sam who shared a flat with Alex.
With:- DAVINA McCALL as Sam / ED BYRNE as Alex / TRISTAN GEMMILL as Phil / TAMEKA EMPSON as Marcia / DEBRA STEPHENSON as Larry
THE SAVAGES
BBC1 / 6×30 minute episodes / 2001 (First Episode: Tuesday 24 April / 9.00pm)
Writer: Simon Nye / Producer: Sue Vertue / Director: Martin Dennis
Sitcom. Married life with the Savages, Adam and Jessica, as they try to cope with the pressures of the 21st century as they bring up their two young children.
With:- MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE as Adam Savage / VICTORIA HAMILTON as Jessica Savage / GEOFFREY PALMER as Donald / LIBERTY MORRIS as Nicola / JAKE FITZGERALD as Luke
SAXONDALE
UK / BBC2 / 7x30m / started 19 June 2006
Writers: Steve Coogan, Neil McLennan / Director: Ben Miller / Producer: Ted Dowd
Saxondale is an opinionated angry man who was once a roadie for some “top names” in the music business and is now a pest control officer.
With:- STEVE COOGAN as Tommy Saxondale / RUTH JONES as Magz / MORWENNA BANKS as Vicky
SCOTT FREE
BBC / 6×30 minute episodes / 1957 22 July – 26 August Mondays 8.00pm
Writer: Lew Schwarz / Producer: Harry Carlisle
Sitcom. Two out of work actors get jobs as entertainment officers at Bogmouth seaside resort.
Terry…………………………………………… TERRY SCOTT
Norman……………………………………….. NORMAN VAUGHAN
Gribble………………………………………… WALLAS EATON
Cllr Bland…………………………………….. HENRY LONGHURST
Bland’s Daughter……………………………. MARCIA ASHTON
SCREAMING
BBC1 / 8×30 minute episodes / 1992 15 March – 3 May Sundays 9.05pm
Writer: Carla Lane / Producer/Director: Mike Stephens
Sitcom. Three female, forty-something, former school friends share a house. Shouldn’t really be classed as a sitcom being more of a comedy drama series.
Annie………………………………………… GWEN TAYLOR
Beatrice……………………………………… PENELOPE WILTON
Rachael……………………………………… JILL BAKER
Ralph………………………………………… TIM BERRINGTON
SEARCHING
BBC1 / 7×30 minute episodes / 1995 8 June – 20 July Thursdays 9.30pm
Writer: Carla Lane / Producer: John Bartlett / Director: Robin Nash
Sitcom. Stories of a group of women attending a therapy centre.
Mrs Tilston…………………………………….. PRUNELLA SCALES
Chancy………………………………………… JULIA ST. JOHN
Lena……………………………………………. VICTORIA CARLING
Dora……………………………………………. CLARE CATHCART
Milly……………………………………………. REGINA FREEDMAN
Daniel………………………………………….. ROBERT GWILYM
Chancy’s Mum………………………………. MARCIA WARREN
Hetty…………………………………………… AMANDA BELLAMY
SECONDS OUT
BBC1 / 13×30 minute episodes / 1981-82 Season 1: 6 Jan – 10 Feb 1981 / Season 2: 3 Dec 81 – 21 Jan 1982
Writer: Bill Macllwraith / Producer: Ray Butt / Theme sung by Robert Lindsay
Sitcom. Young professional boxer Pete Dodds is determined to hit the big time.
Pete Dodds……………………………….. ROBERT LINDSAY
Dave Locket………………………………. KEN JONES
Tom Sprake………………………………. LEE MONTAGUE
Hazel (Season 2)………………………… LESLIE ASH
SECOND THOUGHTS
LWT / 49×30 minute episodes / 1991-94 Five seasons.
Writers: Jan Etherington, Gavin Petrie / Executive Producer: Robin Carr / Producers: David Askey, Robin Carr
Sitcom. Middle aged divorcee Faith Grayshott, with two teenage children, begins a relationship with magazine artist Bill Macgregor. Originally started life as a Radio Four show. See also the sequel Faith In The Future.
Bill Macgregor……………………………. JAMES BOLAM
Faith Grayshott…………………………… LYNDA BELLINGHAM
Liza Ferrari………………………………… BELINDA LANG
Joe Grayshott…………………………….. MARK DENHAM
Hannah Grayshott……………………….. JULIA SAWALHA
Richard…………………………………….. GEOFFREY WHITEHEAD
Marjorie……………………………………. GEORGINA MELVILLE
SECOND TIME AROUND
BBC1 / 13×30 minute episodes / 1974-75
Writer: Richard Waring / Producer: Graeme Muir
Sitcom. Midle aged divorcee Harry falls in love with Vicky, who is half his age.
Harry…………………………………………… MICHAEL CRAIG
Vicky………………………………………….. PATRICIA BRAKE
Ronnie………………………………………… GERALD FLOOD
Maggie………………………………………… JACQUELINE CLARKE
Connie………………………………………… PATRICIA DRISCOLL
THE SECRET DIARY OF ADRIAN MOLE AGED 13 3/4
Thames / 1×60 minute episodes 5×30 minute episodes / 1985 16 September – 21 October Mondays 8.00pm
Writer: Sue Townsend / Producer: Peter Sasdy / Theme Music: Ian Dury
Sitcom. The growing up of pubescent, spotty, Leicester adolescent Adrian Mole, who is beset with the problems of his mum and dads failing marriage and the sexual angst he is suffering over his love for the wonderful Pandora. See also the Growing Pains of Adrian Mole. and Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years.
Adrian Mole……………………………….. GIAN SAMMARCO
Pauline Mole……………………………… JULIE WALTERS
George Mole……………………………… STEPHEN MOORE
Gran………………………………………… BERYL REID
Pandora……………………………………. LINDSAY STAGG
Bert Baxter……………………………….. BILL FRASER
Nigel……………………………………….. STEVEN MACKINTOSH
Mr Scruton……………………………….. FREDDIE JONES
SEE YOU FRIDAY
Yorkshire TV / 6×25 minute episodes / 1997 9 May – 13 June Fridays 8.30pm
Writer: Alan Whiting / Producer: Lizzie Taylor
Sitcom. Greg and Lucy meet on the last day of their holidays and are determined to keep their romance alive when they return home.
Greg…………………………………………… NEIL PEARSON
Lucy…………………………………………… JOANNA ROTH
Bernie…………………………………………. MARK BENTON
Sophie………………………………………… HERMOINE NORRIS
Fiona………………………………………….. DAISY BATES
Vanessa……………………………………… DENISE WELCH
Daniel…………………………………………. HUGH BONNEVILLE
SELWYN
Yorkshire TV / 7×30 minute episodes / 1978 5 September – 17 October
Writers: Lawrie Kinsley, Ron McDowell / Producer: Ronnie Barker
Sitcom. Spin off from Oh No Its Selwyn Froggitt that saw Selwyn gets a job as entertainments officer at a Yorkshire holiday camp.
Selwyn Froggitt…………………………… BILL MAYNARD
Mervyn Price………………………………. BERNARD GALLAGHER
THE SETBACKS
Thames / 13×10 minute episodes 12×15 minute episodes / 1980-86
Writers: Charlie Stafford (Season 1-2), David Stafford (Seasons 3-5) / Producers: Simon Buxton (Seasons 1-4), Alan Afriat (Season 5) / Director: Alan Afriat
Sitcom. Stories of the accident prone Setback family. This series was basically a public advice show with each episode backed up with fact sheets showing how the viewer could avoid the the misfortunes that dogged the Setbacks. Season two known as The Seven Setbacks of the Setbacks and season five was known as Barry Setback and the Big Wide World.
Lily Setback (Seasons 1-3)…………………… PATSY BYRNE
Lily Setback (Seasons 4-5)…………………… PATSY ROWLANDS
Larry Setback (Seasons 1-2)………………… JOHN CATER
Larry Setback (Season 3)…………………….. ROBIN PARKINSON
Larry Setback (Season 4)…………………….. PATRICK CONNOR
Sylvia Setback (Seasons 1-3)……………….. KIM TAYLFORTH
Barry Setback (Seasons 1-2)……………….. ANDREW PAUL
Barry Setback (Seasons 3-5)……………….. GLYN GRIMSTEAD
Carry (Season 2)……………………………….. ELIZABETH ADARE
SET OF SIX
Channel 4-Channel X / 6×30 minute episodes / 1990 12 June – 17 July Tuesday 11.50pm
Writers: Ian Brown, Rowland Rivron / Producer: Katie Lander / Directors: Gerald Scarfe, John Stroud
Sitcom. A remarkable set of grown up sextuplets are the subjects of a fly on the wall style docusoap.
Scrote Sextuplets……………………… ROWLAND RIVRON
Narrator………………………………….. TONY BILBOW
SHANE
ITV1 / 7x30m / started 21 April 2004
Writer: Frank Skinner / Director: Audrey Cooke / Producer: Charlie Hanson
Shane is a family man and minicab diver wise-cracking his way through the situations he finds himself in.
With:- FRANK SKINNER as Shane / ELIZABETH BERRINGTON as Myrtle / CARLI NORRIS as Sheila / DAVID SCHNEIDER as Bazza / KELLY SCOTT as Velma / TONY BIGNELL as Lenny
A SHARP INTAKE OF BREATH
ATV / 22×30 minute episodes / 1978-81 4 seasons + 1 pilot
Creator: Ronnie Taylor / Cartoons: Mel Calman / Producers: Les Chatfield, Stuart Allen
Sitcom. The trials of life and marriage for young couple Peter and Sheila Barnes.
Peter Barnes………………………………. DAVID JASON
Sheila Barnes…………………………….. JACQUELINE CLARKE
RICHARD WILSON and ALUN ARMSTRONG played a different role every time.
SHEEP’S CLOTHING
BBC / 7×30 minute episodes / 1957 13 June – 5 September Thursdays 7.30pm Fortnightly
Writers: Sid Green, Dick Hills / Producer: Russell Turner
Sitcom. When work shy Digby is forced to get a job he is determined to start at the top.
Digby…………………………………………… DIGBY WOLFE
Lita……………………………………………… LITA ROZA
Valet…………………………………………… RONNIE CORBETT
SHELLEY
Thames / 71×30 minute episodes / 1979-84/88-92 10 Seasons + 2 specials
Creator: Peter Tilbury / Music: George Fenton / Producer: Anthony Parker
Sitcom. Exploits of a university graduate workshy loafer with a wife and child not to support. From 1988-92 the series came back as The Return of Shelley, with Shelley much the same as before but minus wife and child.
James Shelley………………………………. HYWEL BENNETT
SHELLEY CAST
Fran……………………………………………. BELINDA SINCLAIR
Mrs Edna Hawkins…………………………. JOSEPHINE HEWSON
Forsyth……………………………………….. KENNETH COPE
RETURN OF SHELLEY CAST
Carol………………………………………….. CAROLINE LANGRISHE
Graham………………………………………. ANDREW CASTELL
Phil……………………………………………. STEPHEN HOYE
Ted Bishop………………………………….. DAVID RYALL
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