Hardwicke House (ITV 1987, Roy Kinnear, Roger Sloman)

Sitcom Hardwicke House detailed life for the besieged staff of a comprehensive school. The series turned into a hot potato, following the 60 minute opener and 1 other episode, there were numerous complaints and ITV pulled the series. The remaining five episodes have yet to be seen.

Tapping into that every present 1980’s anarchy/alternative comedy stream (indeed one of unseen episodes featured Ade Edmondson and Rik Mayall as a pair of borstal boys) Hardwicke House wouldn’t raise an eyebrow these days of course but at the time seeing teachers portrayed in such fashion was a little too much for TV tastes at the time,

The first episode was a fifty minuter introducing all the crazy teachers and episode two aired the following night but in an interesting case of people power and lots of complaints ITV’s exec’s decided to pull the plug.

production details
UK / ITV -Central / 1×50 minute episodes 6×25 minute episodes / Broadcast 24-25 February 1987

Writers: Richard Hall, Simon Wright / Producer: Paula Burden / Director: John Stroud

cast
Roy Kinnear as R G Wickham
Roger Sloman as Paul Mackintosh
Pam Ferris as Cynthia Crabbe
Granville Saxton as Herbert Fowl
Gavin Richards as Dick Flashman
Duncan Preston as Erik ‘Moose’ Magnusson
Tony Haygarth as Harry Savage
Nick Wilton as Peter Philpott
Kevin Allen as Slasher Bates
Liz Fraser as Agnes
Micky O’Donoughue as Ernie
Paul Spurrier as Spotty

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