Editing British sitcom (section)

==The 1980s==
{{see also|Category:1980s British sitcoms}}

===The alternatives' incursion===
In the 1980s, the emerging [[Alternative comedy|alternative comedians]] began to develop sitcoms, partly as a response to series such as ''Terry and June'' (1979–87), with their "complacent gentility, outmoded social attitudes and bourgeois sensibilities".<ref>Matthew Coniam [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/579057/index.html "Terry and June (1979-87)"], BFI screenonline</ref> The alternatives' incursion began with ''[[The Young Ones (TV series)|The Young Ones]]'' (1982–84), written by [[Rik Mayall]], [[Ben Elton]] and others. To help make it stand out, the group opted to combine traditional sitcom style with violent slapstick, [[non sequitur (literary device)|non-sequitur]] plot turns, and surrealism. These older styles were mixed with the working and lower-middle class attitudes of the growing 1980s alternative comedy boom. Mayall was also the star of ''[[The New Statesman (1987 TV series)|The New Statesman]]'' (1987–92), a series created by [[Maurice Gran]] and [[Laurence Marks (British writer)|Laurence Marks]], whose biggest success, ''[[Birds of a Feather (TV series)|Birds of a Feather]]'' (1989–98, 2014–20), also deviated from British practice in being scripted by a team of writers.
The alternative comedy genre continued with ''[[Blackadder]]'' (1983–89), mainly written by Ben Elton and [[Richard Curtis]] and starring [[Rowan Atkinson]], [[Tony Robinson]], [[Tim McInnerny]], [[Miranda Richardson]], [[Stephen Fry]] and [[Hugh Laurie]]. Atkinson's [[Edmund Blackadder]] came at number three in the Channel 4 list of 100 greatest television characters.<ref name="GreatestTVcharacters"/> Other high-ratings mainstream, slice-of-life shows of the decade included ''[[Bread (TV series)|Bread]]'' (1986–1991) written by Carla Lane, about a close-knit, working-class family in [[Liverpool]]. Running for 74 episodes, at its peak it attracted 21 million viewers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/b/bread_1299000416.shtml |title=BBC – Comedy Guide – Bread |date=29 December 2004 |access-date=9 January 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041229225910/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/b/bread_1299000416.shtml |archive-date=29 December 2004}},</ref> Another notable series was the [[Science fiction]] comedy ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' (1988–), while ''[['Allo 'Allo!]]'' another Croft and Lloyd creation is set in German occupied France during World War II.

===''Yes Minister''===
Starring [[Paul Eddington]], with [[Nigel Hawthorne]] and [[Derek Fowlds]] in the supporting roles, ''[[Yes Minister]]''  which ran for 21 episodes on BBC2 (1980–1984), and its sequel ''Yes, Prime Minister'' (1986–88), which ran for 16 episodes, were political [[satire]]s.  Established Shakespearean actor Hawthorne picked up four [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA TV Awards]] for [[British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance|Best Light Entertainment Performance]] for his role. Created by [[Antony Jay]] and [[Jonathan Lynn]],<ref name="SAJ"/> the series received several BAFTAs and in 2004 was voted sixth in the ''Britain's Best Sitcom'' poll. Writer [[Michael Dobbs]] said Jay and Lynn "really got to the heart of so much of what goes on in Whitehall and Westminster".<ref name="SAJ"/> As the series revolved around the inner workings of central government, most of the scenes take place privately in offices and exclusive [[Gentlemen's club|members' clubs]]. Lynn said that "there was not a single scene set in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] because government does not take place in the House of Commons. Some politics and much theatre takes place there. Government happens in private. As in all public performances, the real work is done in rehearsal, behind closed doors. Then the public and the House are shown what the government wishes them to see."<ref name="lynnweb">{{cite web|title=Yes Minister Questions & Answers |work=Jonathan Lynn Official Website |url=http://www.jonathanlynn.com/tv/yes_minister_series/yes_minister_qa.htm |access-date=6 September 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141119211928/http://www.jonathanlynn.com/tv/yes_minister_series/yes_minister_qa.htm |archive-date=19 November 2014 }}</ref> Lynn and Jay explained: "After we wrote the episode, we would show it to some secret sources, always including somebody who was an expert on the subject in question. They would usually give us extra information which, because it was true, was usually funnier than anything we might have thought up."<ref name="lynnweb"/> In a 2004 BBC programme paying tribute to the series, it was revealed that Jay and Lynn had drawn on information provided by two insiders from the governments of [[Harold Wilson]] and [[James Callaghan]], namely [[Marcia Falkender, Baroness Falkender|Marcia Falkender]] and [[Bernard Donoughue, Baron Donoughue|Bernard Donoughue]].<ref>Jonathan Lynn Comedy Rules: From the Cambridge Footlights to Yes, Prime Minister. Faber & Faber, 18 August 2011 {{ISBN|9780571277971}}</ref> The series was the favourite television programme of the then [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]], [[Margaret Thatcher]].<ref name="cockerell">{{cite book |last=Cockerell |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Cockerell |title= Live from Number 10: The Inside Story of Prime Ministers and Television |year=1988 |publisher= Faber and Faber|location= London|isbn= 0-571-14757-7|page=288}}</ref><ref name="SAJ"/> In 2012, Prime Minister [[David Cameron]] admitted that "I can tell you, as prime minister, it is true to life."<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/apr/12/david-cameron-yes-minister-true
|title=David Cameron: Yes Minister is true to life
|last=Jones
|first=Sam
|date=12 April 2012
|work=The Guardian
|publisher=Guardian News & Media Limited
|access-date=3 January 2022}}</ref>

===''Hi-de-Hi!''===
Set in 1959–60 in a fictional holiday camp, ''[[Hi-de-Hi!]]''  was filmed on location at the real Warner's Holiday Centre at Dovercourt Bay.  It ran for 58 episodes (1980–1988) on the BBC and is often repeated. It was co-written by [[Jimmy Perry]], based on his experience as a [[Butlin's]] Redcoat, and director-producer [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-41281850
|title=Hi-de-Hi! star 'comforted' by hotel plan
|date=7 January 2018
|work=BBC News
|publisher=BBC
|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-42772378
|title=Morning campers! The inside story of 80s sitcom Hi-de-Hi!
|last=Halford
|first=Jodie
|date=30 January 2018
|work=BBC News
|publisher=BB
|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref>  With its [[ensemble cast]] comprising 	[[Paul Shane]], [[Simon Cadell]], [[Ruth Madoc]], [[Jeffrey Holland (actor)|Jeffrey Holland]], [[Su Pollard]], and [[David Griffin (actor)|David Griffin]], the series gained large audiences and won a BAFTA for Best Comedy Series in 1984. In a 2008 poll on Channel 4, "Hi-de-Hi!" was voted the 35th most popular comedy catchphrase. According to comedy researcher [[Mark Lewisohn]], "Plots became somewhat outlandish during the latter episodes and by the time the BBC called it a day in 1988, it is arguable that the show had already outstayed its welcome by a good couple of years. All in all, though, this was a good British sitcom."<ref>{{cite book
|last=Lewisohn
|first=Mark
|title=Radio Times TV Comedy Guide
|date=10 August 1998
|publisher=BBC Books
|isbn= 0563369779}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/h/hidehi_7773230.shtml
|title=Hi-de-Hi!
|last=Lewisohn
|first=Mark
|year=1980
|work=BBC Guide to Comedy
|publisher=BBC
|access-date=28 December 2021
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614133254/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/h/hidehi_7773230.shtml
|archive-date=14 June 2007}}</ref>

===''Only Fools and Horses''===
One of the most successful British sitcoms of all time, ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]'' (1981–2003) starred David Jason as [[Del Boy|Derek "Del Boy" Trotter]] and [[Nicholas Lyndhurst]] as his younger brother [[Rodney Trotter|Rodney]]. It began in 1981 and ran for 64 episodes, with specials, until 2003. It was the most durable of several series written by [[John Sullivan (writer)|John Sullivan]]. The 1996 episode "[[Time on Our Hands]]" (originally billed as the last episode) holds the record for the [[List of most watched television broadcasts#United Kingdom|highest UK audience for a sitcom episode]], attracting 24.3 million viewers.<ref name="fullerton">{{cite web | url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/the-bbc-were-embarrassed-by-the-success-of-only-fools-and-horses/ | title=The BBC were "embarrassed" by the success of Only Fools and Horses | work=Radio Times | first=Huw | last=Fullerton | date=30 September 2015 | access-date=20 September 2020 | archive-date=9 February 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209073135/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/the-bbc-were-embarrassed-by-the-success-of-only-fools-and-horses/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> A ratings success with viewers, the series received numerous awards, including recognition from [[BAFTA]], the [[National Television Awards]] and the [[Royal Television Society]], as well as winning individual accolades for Sullivan and Jason. It was voted Britain's Best Sitcom in a 2004 BBC poll. In a 2001 Channel 4 poll Del Boy was ranked fourth on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters.<ref name="GreatestTVcharacters"/> The series influenced [[British culture]], contributing several words and phrases to the English language. It was named one of the top 20 cult television programmes of all time by TV critic Jeff Evans. Evans spoke of: "[shows] such as ''Only Fools and Horses'', which gets tremendous viewing figures but does inspire conventions of fans who meet in pubs called the Nag's Head and wander round dressed as their favourite characters."<ref>{{cite news
| date=7 August 2001
| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1477234.stm
| title=Doctor Who named cult favourite
| publisher=BBC
| access-date=30 December 2006
}}</ref> The theme music was by Ronnie Hazlehurst (1981) and John Sullivan (1982–2003). ''Only Fools and Horses'' came top in a research and analysis by a team of scientists led by Dr [[Helen Pilcher]], a molecular neurobiologist and stand-up comedian with a speciality in scientific humour.<ref name="GUARD">{{cite web
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/jun/07/arts.media
|title=Del Boy is top of the class, say sitcom scientists
|last=Wainwright
|first=Martin
|date=7 June 2005
|work=The Guardian
|access-date=30 December 2021}}</ref>

===''Last of the Summer Wine''===
Running on the BBC for 295 episodes over 31 series and four decades, ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'' (1973–2010) was entirely written by [[Roy Clarke]] (''[[Keeping Up Appearances]]'', ''[[Open All Hours]]'' and  ''[[Still Open All Hours]]'') and produced by [[Alan J. W. Bell]], with music by [[Ronnie Hazelhurst]].<ref name="How Not to Cry at Weddings">{{cite web | title=Last of the Summer Wine, Series 31, How Not to Cry at Weddings | url =http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tmhyf| work =BBC One Programmes| publisher = BBC | access-date = 7 January 2022 }}</ref> It is the longest-running comedy programme in Britain and the longest-running sitcom in the world.<ref name="TGcablegirl">{{cite news | first=Lucy | last=Mangan | title=Cable girl: why has the Summer Wine lasted? | date=6 November 2007 | url =https://www.theguardian.com/culture/tvandradioblog/2007/nov/06/cablegirlwhyhasthesummerwinelasted | work =The Guardian | publisher = Guardian News and Media | access-date = 7 January 2022 }}</ref><ref name="30 Years LOTSW">{{cite AV media| title = 30 Years of Last of the Summer Wine | people = Producer and director: Alan J. W. Bell | publisher = BBC One | date = 13 April 2003}}</ref><ref name="BBCLOTSW">{{cite web
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/lastofthesummerwine/
|title=Last of the Summer Wine
|date=28 October 2014
|work=BBC Comedy
|publisher=BBC
|access-date=7 January 2022}}</ref> The [[family-friendly]] show was about the antics of a group of male pensioners looking for adventure, "portraying the elderly in a positive and non-stereotypical light."<ref name="Dlotsw"/> The show was filmed largely in the small town of [[Holmfirth]] in Yorkshire, a location recommended by [[Barry Took]], and surrounding countryside.<ref name="Dlotsw">{{cite web
|url=https://drama.uktv.co.uk/last-of-the-summer-wine/article/about-last-summer-wine/
|title=About Last of the Summer Wine
|work=DRAMA
|publisher=UKTV
|access-date=7 January 2022}}</ref> and features [[Bill Owen (actor)|Bill Owen]], 186 episodes, [[Peter Sallis]], 295 episodes, and [[Kathy Staff]], 245 episodes, along with [[Dame Thora Hird|Thora Hird]], 152 episodes (''[[Bootsie and Snudge]]''), [[Stephen Lewis]], 135 episodes, (''[[On the Buses]]''), 
[[Frank Thornton]], 135 episodes (''[[Are You Being Served?]]''), 
[[Brian Murphy (actor)|Brian Murphy]], 73 episodes,  (''[[Man About the House]]'', ''[[George and Mildred]]''), 
[[Josephine Tewson]], 62 episodes, (''[[Keeping Up Appearances]]''), 
[[Dora Bryan]], 50 episodes, (''[[Happily Ever After (1961 TV series)|Happily Ever After]]''), 
[[June Whitfield]], 44 episodes, (''[[Absolutely Fabulous]]'', ''[[Father, Dear Father]]'', ''[[Terry and June]]''), 
[[Trevor Bannister]], 25 episodes,  (''[[Are You Being Served?]]''), and over the years included many other actors for a total cast of 459.<ref name="BCGlotsw"/><ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/10218448
|title=Long-running TV series Last of the Summer Wine to end
|date=2 June 2010
|work=BBC News
|publisher=BBC
|access-date=7 January 2022}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web |title=Series cast |url=https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0069602/fullcredits/cast |website=IMDB |publisher=IMDb.com, Inc |access-date=1 August 2024}}</ref>

It later became the first comedy series to completely do away with studio sets and a live audience, moving all filming to Holmfirth.<ref>{{cite book |last       = Bright
 |first      = Morris
 |author2    = Ross, Robert
 |title      = Last of the Summer Wine: The Finest Vintage
 |publisher  = BBC Worldwide
 |date       = 6 April 2000
|location   = London
 |isbn       = 0-563-55151-8
 |url-access = registration
 |url        = https://archive.org/details/lastofsummerwine0000brig
}}
</ref> The episodes were then shown to preview audiences, whose laughter was recorded for a laugh track to avoid the use of canned laughter.<ref name="30 Years LOTSW"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Bright |first1=Morriss |last2=Ross |first2=Robert |title=Last of the Summer Wine: The Finest Vintage |date=6 April 2000 |publisher=BBC Worldwide |location=London |isbn=0-563-55151-8 |url=https://archive.org/details/lastofsummerwine0000brig}}</ref>
''Last of the Summer Wine'' was nominated numerous times for British television industry awards; it was proposed five times between 1973 and 1985 for the [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|British Academy Film Awards]], twice for the Best Situation Comedy Series award (in 1973 and 1979) and three times for the Best Comedy Series award (in 1982, 1983, and 1985).<ref>{{cite news|title=Awards Database – Last of the Summer Wine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090918082006/http://www.bafta.org/awards-database.html?sq=Last%2Bof%2Bthe%2BSummer%2BWine |url=http://www.bafta.org/awards-database.html?sq=Last+of+the+Summer+Wine |work=British Academy of Film and Television Awards |access-date=7 January 2022 |archive-date=18 September 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The show was also considered for the [[National Television Awards]] four times since 1999 (in 1999,<ref name="NTA winner">{{cite news |title=Thaw's double TV victory | date=27 October 1999 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/486481.stm| work =BBC News | access-date = 7 January 2022 }}</ref> 2000,<ref>{{cite news |title=National Television Awards: The winners | date=10 October 2000 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/966147.stm| work =BBC News | access-date = 7 January 2022 }}</ref> 2003,<ref>{{cite news|title=And the winners are&nbsp;... |date=25 October 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001212932/http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2003/10/25/The%2BNorth%2BEast%2BArchive/7011396.And_the_winners_are___ |url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2003/10/25/The+North+East+Archive/7011396.And_the_winners_are___/ |work=The Northern Echo |archive-date= 1 October 2012 |access-date=7 January 2022 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and 2004),<ref>{{cite news |title=Stars battle it out for TV awards | date=16 October 2004 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3953631.stm| work =BBC News | access-date = 7 January 2022 }}</ref> each time in the Most Popular Comedy Programme category. In 1999 the show won the National Television Award for Most Popular Comedy Programme.<ref name="NTA winner" /> Repeated over 17,000 times, it is regularly broadcast on [[Gold (British TV channel)|Gold]], [[Yesterday (TV channel)|Yesterday]], and [[Drama (British TV channel)|Drama]].<ref name="BCGlotsw">{{cite web
|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/last_of_the_summer_wine/
|title=Last Of The Summer Wine
|work=British Comedy Guide
|access-date=7 January 2022}}</ref> It is also seen in more than 25 countries.<ref name="Summer Wine Story">{{cite web|title=The Summer Wine Story |url=http://www.summer-wine.com/story.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501132716/http://www.summer-wine.com/story.htm |work=Summer Wine Online |publisher=Summer Wine Appreciation Society |archive-date= 1 May 2008 |access-date=7 January 2022 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===''Ever Decreasing Circles''===
On BBC1 for four series and one feature-length special, ''[[Ever Decreasing Circles]]'' (1984–1989) was made in a total of 27 episodes. It was written by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, and it reunited them with [[Richard Briers]], of their previous hit show ''The Good Life''. [[Sydney Lotterby]] directed 13 episodes and 14 episodes were produced by [[Harold Snoad]]. The show also featured guest appearances by [[Peter Blake (actor)|Peter Blake]], [[Ronnie Stevens (actor)|Ronnie Stevens]], [[Victoria Burgoyne]] and [[Ray Winstone]]. Centred around Martin Bryce, the eccentric mover and shaker of his local community who feels threatened by the verve and aplomb of a new arrival in the village, played by [[Peter Egan]]. Its handling was much less brash than most sitcoms, and ''The Guardian'' described it as having "a quiet, unacknowledged and deep-running despair to it that in retrospect seems quite daring".<ref name=guardian>{{cite news| url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/mar/19/cricket-match-ever-decreasing-circles| title = "The cricket match in Ever Decreasing Circles", ''The Guardian'', 19 March 2012. Accessed 4 January 2022| newspaper = The Guardian| date = 19 March 2012}}</ref> Reappraising the series, Andy Dawson observed that "''Ever Decreasing Circles'' strayed far from the well-worn path that other Britcoms trudged along in the 70s and 80s. There was a very real darkness at the heart of it, with Martin existing in what was almost certainly a state of permanent mental anguish."<ref>{{cite web|first=Andy|last=Dawson|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/richard-briers-dead-good-life-1716574|title=''The Good Life'' was the show that made Richard Briers famous, but ''Ever Decreasing Circles'' was his finest hour|website=Daily Mirror|date=4 January 2022}}</ref> The show was voted number 52 in the BBC's ''Britain's Best Sitcom'' poll in 2003. At its peak, it attracted television audiences of around 12 million.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite web|first=Ellie|last=Pithers|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9746219/Penelope-Wilton-on-working-with-Richard-Briers.html|title=Penelope Wilton on working with Richard Briers|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=14 December 2012}}</ref>

==='''Allo 'Allo!''===
Reminiscent of their 1970s sitcoms such as ''Are You Being Served?'' ''It Ain't Half Hot Mum'', and ''Dad's Army'', ''[['Allo 'Allo!]]''  was another creation of the writer/producer team of David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd.<ref>Hannah Hamad [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1114934/index.html "'Allo 'Allo (1984-92)"!], BFI screenonline</ref> Set in [[German military administration in occupied France during World War II|Nazi-occupied France]] and starring [[Gorden Kaye]] as René, a café owner, 85 episodes were produced over nine series.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006xyt3
|title='Allo 'Allo!
|work=BBC One
|publisher=BBC
|access-date=2 January 2022}}</ref> Croft and Lloyd, who wrote the first six series (the rest were scripted by Lloyd and Paul Adam) devised the concept as a farcical parody of BBC wartime drama ''[[Secret Army (TV series)|Secret Army]]'' (1977-1979) from which many elements were directly taken.<ref name="BBCallo"/> Some actors from ''Secret Army'' also appeared in ''{{'}}Allo 'Allo!'': [[Richard Marner]], [[Guy Siner]], [[John D. Collins]] and [[Hilary Minster]]. Although it did not have the success of ''Dad's Army'', it gained respectable ratings,<ref name="BBCallo">{{cite web
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/alloallo/index.shtml
|title='Allo 'Allo!
|date=24 September 2014
|work=BBC Comedy
|publisher=BBC
|access-date=2 January 2022}}</ref> and was adapted to stage. The BBC were able to sell the series to Germany, possibly because its Nazis were depicted 'as harmlessly pervy and bumbling'.<ref name="TELEGRlloydobit">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11310788/Jeremy-Lloyd-obituary.html Lloyd obituary], telegraph.co.uk; accessed 9 January 2022.</ref>
<ref name="GUARDlloyd">{{cite web
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/dec/23/jeremy-lloyd
|title=Jeremy Lloyd obituary
|last=Jeffries
|first=Stuart
|date=23 December 2014
|work=The Guardian
|publisher=Guardian News & Media Limited
|access-date=9 January 2022}}</ref> A special entitled ''[[The Return of 'Allo 'Allo!]]'' aired in 2007, featuring cast members returning to reprise their original roles in a special story, alongside a documentary about the sitcom including a highlight reel of episodes, and interviews with the cast, production team and fans.<ref name="BBCallo"/>

===''The Mistress''===
Starring [[Felicity Kendal]] (''The Good Life'') and [[Jane Asher]], ''[[The Mistress (TV series)|The Mistress]]'' (1985–1987) aired on [[BBC Two|BBC2]] for 12 episodes and was written by Carla Lane.<ref name="RTLewis"/> Kendal played Maxine, a young florist having an affair with a married man, whose wife was played by Asher. The series was produced and directed by [[Gareth Gwenlan]].<ref name="Summary">{{cite web|url=http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/mistress/index.html|title=The Mistress – Summary|access-date=12 January 2008|year=2006|publisher=British TV Comedy}}</ref> Series 2 attempted to broaden its scope, serving as a more general comedy while still retaining the thread of the affair.

===''Chelmsford 123''===
Running for only 13 episodes, ''[[Chelmsford 123]]'' (1988–1990), was a short-lived series set in [[Roman Britain]] about a young Roman general punished by the Emperor by being sent to govern cold, miserable Britannia, populated by hordes of drunken hooligans.<ref name="CH4">{{cite web
|url=https://www.channel4.com/programmes/chelmsford-123
|title=Chelmsford 123
|work=4
|publisher=Channel Four Television Corporation
|access-date=1 January 2022}}</ref> Created and written by [[Jimmy Mulville]] and
[[Rory McGrath]], and starring themselves with [[Philip Pope]] and [[Neil Pearson]], it has fallen into relative obscurity. Both series are nevertheless available on [[All 4]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.channel4.com/programmes/chelmsford-123|title=Chelmsford 123|publisher=Channel4.com|access-date=9 July 2015}}</ref>