Editing It's That Man Again (section)

===Mrs Mopp===
{{Quote box |bgcolor=#e6e6ff|salign=center | quote =<big>'''Mrs Mopp'''</big><br />Played by Dorothy Summers<br />Series 4–8<br />Catchphrases:<br />• ''Can I do you now, sir?''<br />• ''I've brought this for you, sir.''<br />• ''TTFN''.{{sfn|Kavanagh|1975|p=49}}||align=right| width=30%}}

Although Mrs Mopp, the charlady, was in fewer than half the series of ''ITMA'', she was one of the best-loved characters, and was remembered long after the show finished. She would burst through Handley's door, usually when least convenient, and hoarsely ask, "Can I do you now sir?"{{efn|Mrs Mopp's opening words were originally "Can I do for you now, sir", but the "for" was omitted, at first by accident and then because the line was more effective without it.{{sfn|Partridge|1992|p=43}}}} She regularly brought Handley peculiar presents, nominally edible as a rule, beginning with some carrot jelly she had sieved through her jumper.{{sfn|Foster|Furst|1999|p=36}} In a show recorded before a [[Royal Navy]] audience she brought him "a Bosun's Blancmange".{{sfn|Gifford|1985|p=180}} At the end of their scenes together she would bid him "Ta-ta for now", soon abbreviated to "TTFN".{{sfn|Foster|Furst|1999|p=36}}

:'''Mrs Mopp:''' Can I do you now, sir?
:'''Handley:''' Well, if it isn't Mrs Mopp the vamping vassal with the tousled tassel. I thought you told me you were called up?
:'''Mrs Mopp:''' Well, sir, I had me medical.
:'''Handley:''' And were you passed A.1?
:'''Mrs Mopp:''' Oh no, sir. I'm passed sixty-two.
:'''Handley:''' You don't look a day over sixty-one. I mean, were you passed fit?&nbsp;...
:'''Mrs Mopp:''' No, sir—I was examined by a lady doctor. She wanted me to remove my bonnet.
:'''Handley:''' Disgraceful! I expect she wanted to open a false front.
:'''Mrs Mopp:''' I wouldn't let her meddle with my modesty vest, sir. I said, "You must take me as you find me". The Labour [viz. [[labour exchange]]] sent me to you, sir.
:'''Handley:''' The Labour? That's capital. I'll put you in charge of the sock exchange.
:'''Mrs Mopp:''' Oh, thank you, sir. I brought this for you.
:'''Handley:''' Isn't that nice. What is it—an engineer's indiscretion?
:'''Mrs Mopp:''' No, sir, it's an overseer's 'otpot.
:'''Handley:''' Thank you, Mrs M. There'll be an 'otpot in the Old Tom tonight.
:'''Mrs Mopp:''' Ta-ta for now.{{sfn|Kavanagh|1975|pp=70–71}}

At their last meeting Mrs Mopp bade Handley "TTFN", to which he responded, "NCTWWASBE"—"Never Clean The Window With A Soft-Boiled Egg".{{sfn|"Memories of I.T.M.A."|loc=Event occurs at 29 minutes 12 seconds}}{{efn|Handley's comebacks like this to Mrs Mopp's "TTFN" were his own last-minute inventions, not known to anybody else in advance.{{sfn|"Buying ITMA a coffee". ''Liverpool Echo''}} His longest is thought to be NKABTYSIRWU—Never Kiss A Baby Till You're Sure It's Right Way Up.{{sfn|Fisher|2013|p=167}}}} After being written out of ''ITMA'' she had her own series of quarter-hour programmes, ''The Private Life of Mrs Mopp'', written by Kavanagh.{{sfn|"Mrs Mopp". ''BBC Genome''}}