Don’t Drink The Water (ITV 1974-1975, Stephen Lewis, Pat Coombs)

In Don’t Drink The Water, a spin-off from On The Buses Inspector Blakey has retired from the buses and has decided to move, along with his sister Dorothy, for a small flat in Spain. Dorothy harboured dreams of Bognor Regis and it isn’t long before both of them are wishing that’s where they were. In best Blakey style he stumbles from one mishap to another.

Blakey was your archetypal Englishman abroad complete with knotted hankie for headgear and rolled up trousers. He was none too pleased to find he had a German neighbnour and the Spanish hotel porter Carlos did his best to avoid any kind of activity. The Blake’s flat was at 25 Apartmentos, El Paradiso. Not the best series ever made, cheap production values and very over the top playing didn’t help.

production details
UK / ITV – London Weekend Television / 13×25 minute episodes / Broadcast 27 July 1974 – 6 December 1975

Writers: Ronald Woolfe, Ronald Chesney / Producer: Mark Stuart

cast
Stephen Lewis as Cyril Blake
Pat Coombs as Dorothy Blake
Derek Griffiths as Carlos
Frank Coda as Bill (series 1)
Christine Shaw as Beryl (series 1)