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Porridge (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Porridge is a British situation comedy
broadcast on BBC1
from 1974 to 1977, running for three series, two Christmas specials and a feature film
. Written by Dick Clement
and Ian La Frenais
, it stars Ronnie Barker
and Richard Beckinsale
as two inmates at the fictional HMP
Slade in Cumberland
. "Doing porridge" is British slang for serving a prison sentence, porridge
once being the traditional breakfast in UK prisons.
The series was followed by a 1978 sequel, Going Straight
. Porridge was voted number seven in a 2004 BBC poll of the 100 greatest British sitcoms
.
, which would see Ronnie Barker
star in seven different situation comedy pilot episodes. The most successful would then be made into a full series. One of the episodes, "Prisoner and Escort", written by Dick Clement
and Ian La Frenais
, was about a newly-convicted criminal, Norman Stanley Fletcher
(Barker), being escorted to prison by two warders: the timid Mr. Barrowclough (Brian Wilde
) and the stern Mr. Mackay (Fulton Mackay
). It was broadcast on 1 April 1973 on BBC Two
. Despite Barker's initial preference for another of the pilots, a sitcom about a Welsh gambling addict, "Prisoner and Escort" was selected. It was re-named Porridge, a slang term for prison; Barker and Clement and La Frenais actually came up with the same title independently of each other.
In their research, Clement and La Frenais spoke to Jonathan Marshall, a former prisoner who had written a book, How to Survive in the Nick, and he advised them about prison slang
, dress and routines. Struggling to think up plots and humour for such a downbeat, confined environment, a particular phrase used by Marshall - "little victories" - struck a chord and convinced them to base the series on an inmate who made his daily life in prison more bearable by beating the system
, even in trivial ways.
The production team were refused permission to film in or outside a real prison by the Home Office
, so were forced to look for other locations. For the prison gatehouse seen in the opening credits, they settled on the disused St Albans prison. A psychiatric hospital
near Watford
was chosen for outside shots, although the hospital withdrew permission for filming after the second series following complaints from families of patients, so another institution near Ealing was used. Scenes in cells and offices were filmed at BBC studies, but for shots of the prison interior, an old water tank at Ealing Studios
used for underwater filming was converted into a multi-storey set by production designer Tim Gleeson.
The first episode, "New Faces, Old Hands", was aired on BBC One
5 September 1974, attracting a television audience of over 16 million, and received positive reviews from critics. Two further series were commissioned, as well as two Christmas special episodes. The final episode of Porridge, "Final Stretch", was broadcast on 25 March 1977. The producers and the writers were keen to make more episodes, but Barker was wary of being "stuck with a character" and also wanted to move on to other projects, so the series came to a close. Barker did, however, reprise his role as Fletcher in a sequel, Going Straight
, which ran for one series in 1978. A feature length version
of the show was made in 1979 and in 2003 a follow-up mockumentary
was aired.
The central character of Porridge is Norman Stanley Fletcher
, described by his sentencing judge as "an habitual criminal" from Muswell Hill
, London. Fletcher is sent to HMP Slade, a fictional Category C
prison in Cumberland
, alongside his cellmate, Lennie Godber
, a naïve inmate from Birmingham
serving his first sentence, whom Fletcher takes under his wing. Mr Mackay
is a tough warder with whom Fletcher often comes into conflict. Mackay's subordinate, Mr Barrowclough
, is more sympathetic and timid — and prone to manipulation by his charges.
The prison exterior in the title sequence and some episodes is Maidstone Prison
, which was also featured in the BBC comedy series Birds of a Feather
. The interior shots of doors being locked were filmed in Shepherds Bush Police Station - the BBC had a good relationship with officers here. In the episode "Pardon Me" Fletcher speaks to Blanco (David Jason
) in the prison gardens: this was filmed in the grounds of an old brewery outside Baldock
on the A505
to Royston
. The barred windows approximated a prison. The building has since been demolished. The 1974 episode "A Day Out", which features a prison work party, was filmed in and around the Welsh
village of Penderyn, the prisoners' 'ditch' being excavated by a JCB
. In the episode "No Way Out", Fletcher tries to get MacKay to fall into a tunnel in a tarmac area, these outside shots were filmed at Hanwell Asylum
in West London, the barred windows in this case, being those of the hospital pharmacy. The 1979 film was shot entirely at Chelmsford Prison
, Essex
.
The programme's scriptwriters appear, uncredited, outside Fletch and Godber's cell in the episode "No Peace for the Wicked".
rail services), which was changed in subsequent series to shots of Fletcher walking around Slade prison. Title music was thought unsuitable for a show set in prison, so instead there is a booming narration (performed by Barker himself) given by the presiding judge passing sentence on Fletcher:
Subsequently, Barker is reported to have said that he regretted recording himself as the judge, a character role subsequently played by Maurice Denham
in a later episode.
The theme music for the closing credits was written by Max Harris
, who had also written the theme music for numerous other TV shows, including The Strange World of Gurney Slade
, Mind Your Language
and Doomwatch
, and would go on to write the theme for Open All Hours
, another of the Seven of One
pilots. The cheery theme was "deliberately at variance with the dour comedy" and given a music hall feel by Harris because of the lead character's Cockney
origins.
, it follows his attempts to 'go straight' and readjust to a law-abiding life. Richard Beckinsale reprised his role as Godber, now the fiancee of Fletcher's daughter Ingrid (Patricia Brake), and the couple married in the final episode. Nicholas Lyndhurst
also featured as Fletcher's gormless son, Raymond. The series lasted six episodes, and generally was not as well received as its predecessor, although it did win two BAFTAs
, for Best Situation Comedy and Best Light Entertainment Performance (jointly with The Two Ronnies
) for Ronnie Barker.
, Steptoe and Son
and The Likely Lads
, a feature length version of Porridge was made in 1979. Barker again starred as Fletcher, and most of the supporting cast also returned. Unlike the television series, it was actually filmed at a real prison as HMP Chelmsford was temporarily vacant following a fire.
follow-up to Porridge was broadcast on BBC Two
. It looked back on Fletcher's life and how the various inmates of Slade had fared 25 years after Fletcher's release from prison. Warren is now a sign painter, Lukewarm is married to Trevor, McLaren is an MSP
, Grouty has become a celebrity gangster, orrible Ives collects money for non-existent charities, Godber is now a lorry driver and still married to Ingrid, and Fletcher runs a pub with his childhood sweetheart, Gloria.
actor Shaun Williamson
as Fletcher and Daniel West as Godber. Peter Kay
, a fan of the show, was previously offered the role but turned it down. It opened in September 2009 to positive reviews.
The series is repeated often on BBC Two and is a regular feature on the UKTV channel G.O.L.D. However in the G.O.L.D. re-runs certain edits have been made to cut out racist/homophobic references which were included in the original 1970s transmissions, as these references are seen as offensive.
, an ex-prisoner who writes a bi-weekly column for The Guardian
newspaper, stated that:
He also noted:
A genuine neologism was "nerk", which was used in place of the more offensive "berk". It should be noted that "berk" has changed meaning since its inception, and is generally used now to mean "fool" while the original rhyming slang meaning refers to someone more unpleasant, is more insulting, and far cruder. Another term was "scrote" (presumably derived from scrotum
), meaning a nasty, unpleasant person.
British sitcom
A British sitcom tends, as it does in most other countries, to be based on a family, workplace or other institution, where the same group of contrasting characters is brought together in each episode. Unlike American sitcoms, where twenty or more episodes in a season is the norm, British sitcoms...
broadcast on BBC1
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
from 1974 to 1977, running for three series, two Christmas specials and a feature film
Porridge (film)
Porridge is a 1979 film based upon the television series of the same name which was released under the title Doing Time in the United States....
. Written by Dick Clement
Dick Clement
Dick Clement, OBE is an English writer.Born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England, Clement was educated at Bishop's Stortford College and is best known for his writing partnership with Ian La Frenais. Generally, Clement and La Frenais write comedies, or dramas with a comic tone...
and Ian La Frenais
Ian La Frenais
Ian La Frenais, OBE, , is an English writer best known for his creative partnership with Dick Clement. They are most famous for television series including, The Likely Lads, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Porridge, Lovejoy and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.They have also written various other work...
, it stars Ronnie Barker
Ronnie Barker
Ronald William George "Ronnie" Barker, OBE was a British actor, comedian, writer, critic, broadcaster and businessman...
and Richard Beckinsale
Richard Beckinsale
Richard Arthur Beckinsale was an English actor, best known for his roles as Lennie Godber in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge and Alan Moore in the British sitcom Rising Damp....
as two inmates at the fictional HMP
HM Prison
Her Majesty's Prisons is the name given to prisons in the United Kingdom, Australia, Grenada and Barbados. The title makes up part of the name of individual prisons and is usually abbreviated to HM Prison or HMP....
Slade in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
. "Doing porridge" is British slang for serving a prison sentence, porridge
Porridge
Porridge is a dish made by boiling oats or other cereal meals in water, milk, or both. It is usually served hot in a bowl or dish...
once being the traditional breakfast in UK prisons.
The series was followed by a 1978 sequel, Going Straight
Going Straight
Going Straight is a BBC sitcom which was a direct spin-off from Porridge, starring Ronnie Barker as Norman Stanley Fletcher, newly released from the fictional Slade Prison where the earlier series had been set....
. Porridge was voted number seven in a 2004 BBC poll of the 100 greatest British sitcoms
Britain's Best Sitcom
Britain's Best Sitcom was a poll conducted in 2004 by the BBC, to identify the United Kingdom's best situation comedy. Viewers were asked to vote for their favourite by phone, text message and on the web. The top ten went forward to a final round of voting...
.
History
Porridge originated with a 1973 project commissioned by the BBC entitled Seven of OneSeven of One
Seven of One was a British comedy series that aired on BBC2 in 1973. Starring Ronnie Barker, 7 of One is a series of seven separate comedies that would serve as possible pilots for sitcoms. Originally it was to be called Six of One, which Barker planned to follow up with another series called Half...
, which would see Ronnie Barker
Ronnie Barker
Ronald William George "Ronnie" Barker, OBE was a British actor, comedian, writer, critic, broadcaster and businessman...
star in seven different situation comedy pilot episodes. The most successful would then be made into a full series. One of the episodes, "Prisoner and Escort", written by Dick Clement
Dick Clement
Dick Clement, OBE is an English writer.Born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England, Clement was educated at Bishop's Stortford College and is best known for his writing partnership with Ian La Frenais. Generally, Clement and La Frenais write comedies, or dramas with a comic tone...
and Ian La Frenais
Ian La Frenais
Ian La Frenais, OBE, , is an English writer best known for his creative partnership with Dick Clement. They are most famous for television series including, The Likely Lads, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Porridge, Lovejoy and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.They have also written various other work...
, was about a newly-convicted criminal, Norman Stanley Fletcher
Norman Stanley Fletcher
Norman Stanley "Fletch" Fletcher is the main character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge, and the less-successful spin-off, Going Straight...
(Barker), being escorted to prison by two warders: the timid Mr. Barrowclough (Brian Wilde
Brian Wilde
Brian George Wilde was an English actor, best known for his roles in television comedy, including Mr Barrowclough in Porridge and "Foggy" Dewhurst in Last of the Summer Wine...
) and the stern Mr. Mackay (Fulton Mackay
Fulton Mackay
Fulton Mackay OBE was a Scottish actor and playwright, best known for his role as prison officer Mr. Mackay in the 1970s sitcom Porridge.-Early life:...
). It was broadcast on 1 April 1973 on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. Despite Barker's initial preference for another of the pilots, a sitcom about a Welsh gambling addict, "Prisoner and Escort" was selected. It was re-named Porridge, a slang term for prison; Barker and Clement and La Frenais actually came up with the same title independently of each other.
In their research, Clement and La Frenais spoke to Jonathan Marshall, a former prisoner who had written a book, How to Survive in the Nick, and he advised them about prison slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
, dress and routines. Struggling to think up plots and humour for such a downbeat, confined environment, a particular phrase used by Marshall - "little victories" - struck a chord and convinced them to base the series on an inmate who made his daily life in prison more bearable by beating the system
The Establishment
The Establishment is a term used to refer to a visible dominant group or elite that holds power or authority in a nation. The term suggests a closed social group which selects its own members...
, even in trivial ways.
The production team were refused permission to film in or outside a real prison by the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
, so were forced to look for other locations. For the prison gatehouse seen in the opening credits, they settled on the disused St Albans prison. A psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
near Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
was chosen for outside shots, although the hospital withdrew permission for filming after the second series following complaints from families of patients, so another institution near Ealing was used. Scenes in cells and offices were filmed at BBC studies, but for shots of the prison interior, an old water tank at Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever since...
used for underwater filming was converted into a multi-storey set by production designer Tim Gleeson.
The first episode, "New Faces, Old Hands", was aired on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
5 September 1974, attracting a television audience of over 16 million, and received positive reviews from critics. Two further series were commissioned, as well as two Christmas special episodes. The final episode of Porridge, "Final Stretch", was broadcast on 25 March 1977. The producers and the writers were keen to make more episodes, but Barker was wary of being "stuck with a character" and also wanted to move on to other projects, so the series came to a close. Barker did, however, reprise his role as Fletcher in a sequel, Going Straight
Going Straight
Going Straight is a BBC sitcom which was a direct spin-off from Porridge, starring Ronnie Barker as Norman Stanley Fletcher, newly released from the fictional Slade Prison where the earlier series had been set....
, which ran for one series in 1978. A feature length version
Porridge (film)
Porridge is a 1979 film based upon the television series of the same name which was released under the title Doing Time in the United States....
of the show was made in 1979 and in 2003 a follow-up mockumentary
Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher
Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher is a 2003 BBC Television comedy docudrama telling the life of Norman Stanley Fletcher from Porridge and Going Straight.-Synopsis:...
was aired.
Plot
Norman Stanley Fletcher
Norman Stanley "Fletch" Fletcher is the main character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge, and the less-successful spin-off, Going Straight...
, described by his sentencing judge as "an habitual criminal" from Muswell Hill
Muswell Hill
Muswell Hill is a suburb of north London, mostly in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated about north of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. Muswell Hill is in the N10 postal district and mostly in the Hornsey and Wood Green parliamentary constituency.- History :The...
, London. Fletcher is sent to HMP Slade, a fictional Category C
Prison security categories in the United Kingdom
There are four prisoner security categories in the United Kingdom used to classify every adult prisoner for the purposes of assigning them to a prison. The categories are based upon the severity of the crime and the risk posed should the person escape....
prison in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
, alongside his cellmate, Lennie Godber
Lennie Godber
Leonard Arthur "Lennie" Godber was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. He was played by Richard Beckinsale.Godber is from Birmingham, supports Aston Villa F.C., has an O Level in geography, and studies for a history O Level while in prison. Before he was arrested he shared a flat with...
, a naïve inmate from Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
serving his first sentence, whom Fletcher takes under his wing. Mr Mackay
Mr Mackay
Mr. Mackay was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge, played by Fulton Mackay.Mackay is a neurotic and tough prison warder whose constant obsession in life is to catch out Fletcher. The rivalry between Fletch and Mackay was a thing of comedy legend...
is a tough warder with whom Fletcher often comes into conflict. Mackay's subordinate, Mr Barrowclough
Mr Barrowclough
Mr Barrowclough was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. He was played by the late Brian Wilde.Henry Barrowclough is a prison warder...
, is more sympathetic and timid — and prone to manipulation by his charges.
The prison exterior in the title sequence and some episodes is Maidstone Prison
Maidstone (HM Prison)
HM Prison Maidstone is a Category C men's prison, located in Maidstone, Kent, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
, which was also featured in the BBC comedy series Birds of a Feather
Birds of a Feather
Birds of a Feather was a British sitcom that was broadcast on BBC1 from 1989 until 1998. Starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph, it was created by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, who also wrote some of the episodes along with many other writers.The first episode sees sisters...
. The interior shots of doors being locked were filmed in Shepherds Bush Police Station - the BBC had a good relationship with officers here. In the episode "Pardon Me" Fletcher speaks to Blanco (David Jason
David Jason
Sir David John White, OBE , better known by his stage name David Jason, is an English BAFTA award-winning actor. He is best known as the main character Derek "Del Boy" Trotter on the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses from 1981, the voice of Mr Toad in The Wind In The Willows and as detective Jack...
) in the prison gardens: this was filmed in the grounds of an old brewery outside Baldock
Baldock
Baldock is a historic market town in the local government district of North Hertfordshire in the ceremonial county of Hertfordshire, England where the River Ivel rises. It lies north of London, southeast of Bedford, and north northwest of the county town of Hertford...
on the A505
A505 road
The A505 is an A-class road in the United Kingdom. It follows part of the route of the Icknield Way and the corresponding Icknield Way Path.-Bedfordshire:...
to Royston
Royston, Hertfordshire
Royston is a town and civil parish in the District of North Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire in England.It is situated on the Greenwich Meridian, which brushes the towns western boundary, and at the northernmost apex of the county on the same latitude of towns such as Milton Keynes and...
. The barred windows approximated a prison. The building has since been demolished. The 1974 episode "A Day Out", which features a prison work party, was filmed in and around the Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
village of Penderyn, the prisoners' 'ditch' being excavated by a JCB
Backhoe
A backhoe, also called a rear actor or back actor, is a piece of excavating equipment or digger consisting of a digging bucket on the end of a two-part articulated arm. They are typically mounted on the back of a tractor or front loader...
. In the episode "No Way Out", Fletcher tries to get MacKay to fall into a tunnel in a tarmac area, these outside shots were filmed at Hanwell Asylum
Hanwell Asylum
The County Asylum at Hanwell, also known as Hanwell Insane Asylum, and Hanwell Pauper and Lunatic Asylum, was built for the pauper insane and is now the West London Mental Health Trust ...
in West London, the barred windows in this case, being those of the hospital pharmacy. The 1979 film was shot entirely at Chelmsford Prison
Chelmsford (HM Prison)
HM Prison Chelmsford is a Category B men's prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in Chelmsford, Essex, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.
Cast
- Norman Stanley FletcherNorman Stanley FletcherNorman Stanley "Fletch" Fletcher is the main character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge, and the less-successful spin-off, Going Straight...
— Ronnie BarkerRonnie BarkerRonald William George "Ronnie" Barker, OBE was a British actor, comedian, writer, critic, broadcaster and businessman... - Principal Prison OfficerPrison officerA prison officer , also referred to as a corrections officer , correctional officer , or detention officer , is a person charged with the responsibility of the supervision, safety and security of prisoners in a prison, jail, or similar form of secure...
Mr MacKayMr MackayMr. Mackay was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge, played by Fulton Mackay.Mackay is a neurotic and tough prison warder whose constant obsession in life is to catch out Fletcher. The rivalry between Fletch and Mackay was a thing of comedy legend...
— Fulton MacKayFulton MackayFulton Mackay OBE was a Scottish actor and playwright, best known for his role as prison officer Mr. Mackay in the 1970s sitcom Porridge.-Early life:... - Lennie GodberLennie GodberLeonard Arthur "Lennie" Godber was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. He was played by Richard Beckinsale.Godber is from Birmingham, supports Aston Villa F.C., has an O Level in geography, and studies for a history O Level while in prison. Before he was arrested he shared a flat with...
— Richard BeckinsaleRichard BeckinsaleRichard Arthur Beckinsale was an English actor, best known for his roles as Lennie Godber in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge and Alan Moore in the British sitcom Rising Damp.... - Prison Officer Mr BarrowcloughMr BarrowcloughMr Barrowclough was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. He was played by the late Brian Wilde.Henry Barrowclough is a prison warder...
— Brian WildeBrian WildeBrian George Wilde was an English actor, best known for his roles in television comedy, including Mr Barrowclough in Porridge and "Foggy" Dewhurst in Last of the Summer Wine... - 'Genial' Harry GroutHarry GroutGenial' Harry Grout, or Grouty, as he is often referred to, was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. Despite appearing in only three episodes and the film, he is one of the best-remembered characters from the series. He was played by Peter Vaughan.Slade Prison is officially run by the...
— Peter VaughanPeter VaughanPeter Vaughan is an English character actor, known for many supporting roles in a variety of British film and television productions. He has worked extensively on the stage, becoming known for roles such as police inspectors, Soviet agents and similar parts... - ‘Bunny’ Warren — Sam KellySam KellySam Kelly is an English actor who has appeared in television, radio and theatre.-Career:He has had roles in British sitcoms such as Porridge as Bunny Warren, Allo 'Allo! as Captain Hans Geering leaving after series three, On the Up as Dennis Waterman's chauffeur and We'll Think of Something as Les...
- Jim McLarenMcClaren (Porridge)Jim McClaren was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge played by Tony Osoba.McClaren, who claims to have been adopted, is Black and also Scottish. This led to a string of racist abuse when he first arrived at Slade prison. Fletch also attacks him for being Scottish in a manner similar to...
— Tony OsobaTony OsobaTony Osoba is a Scottish actor best known for his role as Jim 'Jock' McClaren in the popular 70s British sitcom Porridge, and appeared in its sequel Going Straight. Osoba was the first black Scottish actor to appear on primetime television when he appeared in the series.His other roles include... - LukewarmLukewarm (Porridge)Lukewarm was a fictional character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. He was played by Christopher Biggins.Lukewarm is a rotund young man with a calm and personable demeanour, who originates from Middlesbrough. The circumstances that brought him to be in prison are unknown although in one episode...
— Christopher BigginsChristopher BigginsChristopher Kenneth Biggins is an English actor and media personality.-Career:Biggins was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England and brought up in Salisbury, Wiltshire, where he took elocution lessons and participated in local drama groups... - Blanco WebbBlanco WebbBlanco Webb was a character in the BBC sitcom Porridge played by David Jason.Unusually for Jason, who was, at the time, in his thirties, Blanco is a very old man. Blanco is also a close friend of Fletcher...
— David JasonDavid JasonSir David John White, OBE , better known by his stage name David Jason, is an English BAFTA award-winning actor. He is best known as the main character Derek "Del Boy" Trotter on the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses from 1981, the voice of Mr Toad in The Wind In The Willows and as detective Jack... - 'Horrible' Ives'Horrible' IvesBernard Ives, or Horrible' Ives, as he is known by prisoners and wardens alike, was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. Ives was serving time in Slade for committing fraud. He was played by Ken Jones....
— Ken JonesKen Jones (actor)Ken Jones is an English actor. Jones was born in Liverpool, England and after working as a signwriter and amateur acting, he trained at RADA and joined Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop... - HarrisHarris (Porridge)Harris was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. He was played by Ronald Lacey.A middle-aged Teddy Boy with a fish face and ginger hair, Harris, much like 'Horrible' Ives is loathed by wardens and prisoners alike. He is a thief, a cheater and bullies anyone whom he deems to be weaker than...
— Ronald LaceyRonald LaceyRonald Lacey was an English actor. He made numerous television and film appearances over a 30 year period and is perhaps best remembered for his villainous roles in Hollywood films, most famously Major Arnold Toht in Raiders of the Lost Ark.-Career:Lacey attended Harrow Weald Grammar School and... - Geoffrey Venables (the Governor) — Michael BarringtonMichael BarringtonMichael Barrington was a British actor best known for his television work.His most famous role was as the ineffectual Governor Venables in the popular sitcom Porridge alongside Ronnie Barker and Fulton Mackay.He also appeared on the TV programmes Z-Cars, The Avengers, Private Schulz, Adam Adamant...
- Mrs Hesketh (the Governor's secretary) — Madge HindleMadge HindleMadge Hindle is a British actress, best known for her roles on television series.Madge's big break came when her good friend, British playwright Alan Bennett, asked her to appear in his 1966 BBC comedy series On the Margin.From 1968 to 1973, she played the role of Lily Tattersall on the series...
- Ingrid FletcherIngrid FletcherIngrid Rita Godber was a character in the BBC sitcom Porridge, played by Patricia Brake.Ingrid is Fletch's eldest child . She often visited her father in Slade Prison, oblivious to her appeal to the other inmates, much to her father's despair. It was on one of these trips that she met Fletch's...
— Patricia BrakePatricia BrakePatricia Ann Brake is an English actress.Her first prominent television role was as Julie Pinfield in The Ugliest Girl in Town , a short-lived sitcom made for the American ABC network...
Recurring characters
- The Honourable Mr Justice Stephen RawleyThe Honourable Mr Justice Stephen RawleyThe Honourable Mr Justice Stephen Rawley, played by the late Maurice Denham, was featured in two episodes of the television series Porridge: "Poetic Justice" and "Rough Justice"...
— Maurice DenhamMaurice DenhamMaurice Denham OBE was an English character actor who appeared in over 100 television programmes and films throughout his long career.-Life and career:... - Cyril HeslopCyril HeslopCyril Heslop is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge and is played by Brian Glover.Heslop is prominent in Season 1 of the show and was briefly Fletcher's cellmate. He was also one of the three new arrivals, along with Fletcher and Godber, into Slade Prison in the first episode of the...
— Brian GloverBrian GloverBrian Glover was an English character actor, writer and wrestler. Glover was a professional wrestler, teacher, and finally a film, television and stage actor. He once said, "You play to your strengths in this game. My strength is as a bald-headed, rough-looking Yorkshireman".-Early life:Glover was... - Evans — Ray Dunbobbin
- Reg Urwin 'with a U' — Dudley SuttonDudley Sutton-Life:He served in the RAF as a mechanic before enrolling in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from which he was later expelled.Known for his eccentricity, he became a cult figure after playing a gay biker in The Leather Boys . He married American actress Marjorie Steele in 1961; she had previously...
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The programme's scriptwriters appear, uncredited, outside Fletch and Godber's cell in the episode "No Peace for the Wicked".
Pilot
| Title | Airdate | Description |
|---|---|---|
| "Prisoner and Escort" | 1 April 1973 | Norman Stanley Fletcher Norman Stanley Fletcher Norman Stanley "Fletch" Fletcher is the main character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge, and the less-successful spin-off, Going Straight... , a career criminal, and his escorts — soft-hearted Mr Barrowclough Mr Barrowclough Mr Barrowclough was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. He was played by the late Brian Wilde.Henry Barrowclough is a prison warder... and authoritarian Mr Mackay Mr Mackay Mr. Mackay was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge, played by Fulton Mackay.Mackay is a neurotic and tough prison warder whose constant obsession in life is to catch out Fletcher. The rivalry between Fletch and Mackay was a thing of comedy legend... — make the journey on New Years Eve from London up to Slade Prison in Cumberland Cumberland Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria.... . |
Series 1 (1974)
| Title | Airdate | Description |
|---|---|---|
| "New Faces, Old Hands" | 5 September 1974 | It is Lennie Godber Lennie Godber Leonard Arthur "Lennie" Godber was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. He was played by Richard Beckinsale.Godber is from Birmingham, supports Aston Villa F.C., has an O Level in geography, and studies for a history O Level while in prison. Before he was arrested he shared a flat with... 's first time in prison, and Fletcher shows him the ropes, as the two go through the checking-in process along with the rather dim-witted Hislop. |
| "The Hustler" | 12 September 1974 | Fletch starts an illicit gambling enterprise that soon runs into trouble at the hands of Ives 'Horrible' Ives Bernard Ives, or Horrible' Ives, as he is known by prisoners and wardens alike, was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. Ives was serving time in Slade for committing fraud. He was played by Ken Jones.... and Mr. Mackay. |
| "A Night In" | 19 September 1974 | Set entirely in relative darkness one evening, with 698 nights left for Godber, within the confines of their cell, Fletcher and Godber ponder life in prison and many other aspects of their lives. |
| "A Day Out" | 26 September 1974 | Fletch, Godber, Ives and some other prisoners go out on a work party, but, after Ives gets stung by a bee, Fletch is able to escape for a pint at the local pub, on the pretext of getting first aid. |
| "Ways and Means" | 3 October 1974 | New prisoner McLaren McClaren (Porridge) Jim McClaren was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge played by Tony Osoba.McClaren, who claims to have been adopted, is Black and also Scottish. This led to a string of racist abuse when he first arrived at Slade prison. Fletch also attacks him for being Scottish in a manner similar to... proves troublesome, and Fletch decides to help him out, but they both end up on the roof. |
| "Men Without Women" | 10 October 1974 | Fletch fancies himself as a bit of an agony aunt and is called upon by his fellow inmates to help out, before his daughter, Ingrid informs him that his own marriage is in trouble. |
Series 2 (1975)
| Title | Airdate | Description |
|---|---|---|
| "Just Desserts" | 24 October 1975 | Fletch is appalled when someone steals his tin of pineapple chunks and is determined to catch the culprit. Meanwhile, Godber tries to steal another tin for him. |
| "Heartbreak Hotel" | 31 October 1975 | After his girlfriend, Denise, breaks up with him via a Dear John letter Dear John letter A "Dear John letter" is a letter written to a husband or boyfriend by his wife or girlfriend to inform him their relationship is over, usually because the author has found another lover. Dear John Letters are often written out of an inability or unwillingness to inform the person face to face... , Godber assaults a fellow inmate. At the same time, Fletch starts questioning his daughter, Ingrid, over her personal life. |
| "Disturbing the Peace" | 7 November 1975 | The prisoners are overjoyed when Mackay leaves on a promotion course, until they meet his replacement, Mr Wainwright, whom Fletcher remembers from a previous stretch in Brixton Brixton (HM Prison) HM Prison Brixton is a local men's prison, located in Brixton area of the London Borough of Lambeth, in inner-South London, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:... . |
| "No Peace for the Wicked" | 14 November 1975 | With everyone watching a football match, Fletch attempts to snatch a few precious minutes of peace and quiet, only to suffer constant interruptions. Meanwhile, Mr. Mackay shows the supposedly empty cell-block to members of the Home Office Home Office The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,... . |
| "Happy Release" | 21 November 1975 | Mackay is appalled to discover that Fletch has been severely injured and is in the hospital wing, and Blanco devises a plan for revenge on Norris, who had stolen his possessions some time before Fletch arrived. |
| "The Harder They Fall" | 28 November 1975 | Fletch, under Genial Harry Grout Harry Grout Genial' Harry Grout, or Grouty, as he is often referred to, was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. Despite appearing in only three episodes and the film, he is one of the best-remembered characters from the series. He was played by Peter Vaughan.Slade Prison is officially run by the... 's orders, tries to rig a boxing match so that Godber, who is favourite to win, loses, only to discover Godber is taking orders from one of Grouty's rivals. |
Christmas specials
| Title | Airdate | Duration | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| "No Way Out" | 24 December 1975 | 45 mins | A planned escape causes all kinds of trouble just before Christmas, and Fletch attempts to spend some valuable time in the infirmary. |
| "The Desperate Hours" | 24 December 1976 | 40 mins | Fletcher, Godber, Barrowclough and the governor's secretary are held hostage by a mad prisoner with a home made gun attempting to escape. |
Series 3 (1977)
| Title | Airdate | Description |
|---|---|---|
| "A Storm in a Teacup" | 18 February 1977 | After a capsule containing pills that Harris stole goes missing, Grouty attempts to locate them and Fletch is recruited to help, not realising that they are in his mug of tea. |
| "Poetic Justice" | 25 February 1977 | Fletch is incensed to discover that he is getting a new cell-mate. To make matters worse, it turns out that the cell-mate is the judge that sentenced him. |
| "Rough Justice" | 4 March 1977 | After the judge's watch is stolen, everyone is convinced that Harris Harris (Porridge) Harris was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge. He was played by Ronald Lacey.A middle-aged Teddy Boy with a fish face and ginger hair, Harris, much like 'Horrible' Ives is loathed by wardens and prisoners alike. He is a thief, a cheater and bullies anyone whom he deems to be weaker than... is the culprit, and so a kangaroo court is set up in an effort to convict him of the crime. |
| "Pardon Me" | 11 March 1977 | Blanco Blanco Webb Blanco Webb was a character in the BBC sitcom Porridge played by David Jason.Unusually for Jason, who was, at the time, in his thirties, Blanco is a very old man. Blanco is also a close friend of Fletcher... refuses parole after serving a life sentence for a murder he's always claimed he never committed, so Fletch sets up an appeal committee to get him pardoned. |
| "A Test of Character" | 18 March 1977 | Fletch is determined to help Godber pass his History O-level, so he has Warren steal the papers, only to discover that Godber doesn't want them. Meanwhile, a debate flares up over a claim of Warren's that, at a certain scale, the nearest star from the Sun would be in Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa... . |
| "Final Stretch" | 25 March 1977 | With his parole meeting less than a week away, Godber has a fight with Jarvis, a football hooligan, and Fletch realises that he will have to risk solitary confinement and loss of his own remission to prevent it. Meanwhile, Fletch is suspicious of his daughter's holiday plans. |
Titles and music
The opening credits consist of outside shots of Slade prison and of several doors and gates being closed and locked, which was intended to set the scene for the programme. In the first series, there were also shots of St Pancras Station (now home to EurostarEurostar
Eurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
rail services), which was changed in subsequent series to shots of Fletcher walking around Slade prison. Title music was thought unsuitable for a show set in prison, so instead there is a booming narration (performed by Barker himself) given by the presiding judge passing sentence on Fletcher:
Subsequently, Barker is reported to have said that he regretted recording himself as the judge, a character role subsequently played by Maurice Denham
Maurice Denham
Maurice Denham OBE was an English character actor who appeared in over 100 television programmes and films throughout his long career.-Life and career:...
in a later episode.
The theme music for the closing credits was written by Max Harris
Max Harris (composer)
Max Harris was a British film and television composer and arranger. He played the piano and piano accordion....
, who had also written the theme music for numerous other TV shows, including The Strange World of Gurney Slade
The Strange World of Gurney Slade
The Strange World of Gurney Slade is a British six-part television series made by ATV which was transmitted by the ITV network between 22 October and 26 November 1960. A surreal series devised by Anthony Newley, who also starred, it was written by Dick Hills and Sid Green...
, Mind Your Language
Mind Your Language
Mind Your Language is a British comedy television series, that premiered on ITV in late 1977. Produced by LWT and directed by Stuart Allen, it is set in an adult education college in London and focuses on the English as a Foreign Language class taught by Mr. Jeremy Brown, portrayed by Barry Evans,...
and Doomwatch
Doomwatch
Doomwatch is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC, which ran on BBC One between 1970 and 1972. The series was set in the then present-day, and dealt with a scientific government agency led by Doctor Spencer Quist , responsible for investigating and combating various...
, and would go on to write the theme for Open All Hours
Open All Hours
Open All Hours is a BBC sitcom written by Roy Clarke which ran for four series a first run in 1976, a second run in 1981, third in 1982 and finally with a fourth run in 1985, with a pilot episode from the Seven of One series in 1973...
, another of the Seven of One
Seven of One
Seven of One was a British comedy series that aired on BBC2 in 1973. Starring Ronnie Barker, 7 of One is a series of seven separate comedies that would serve as possible pilots for sitcoms. Originally it was to be called Six of One, which Barker planned to follow up with another series called Half...
pilots. The cheery theme was "deliberately at variance with the dour comedy" and given a music hall feel by Harris because of the lead character's Cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
origins.
Going Straight
A sequel to Porridge, Going Straight, was aired between 24 February and 7 April 1978. Beginning with Fletcher's release from prison on paroleParole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
, it follows his attempts to 'go straight' and readjust to a law-abiding life. Richard Beckinsale reprised his role as Godber, now the fiancee of Fletcher's daughter Ingrid (Patricia Brake), and the couple married in the final episode. Nicholas Lyndhurst
Nicholas Lyndhurst
Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, Gary Sparrow in Goodnight Sweetheart, and as Adam Parkinson in Carla Lane's series Butterflies...
also featured as Fletcher's gormless son, Raymond. The series lasted six episodes, and generally was not as well received as its predecessor, although it did win two BAFTAs
British Academy Television Awards
The British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States.-Background:...
, for Best Situation Comedy and Best Light Entertainment Performance (jointly with The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies is a British sketch show that aired on BBC1 from 1971 to 1987. It featured the double act of Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, the "Two Ronnies" of the title.-Origins:...
) for Ronnie Barker.
Porridge the Movie
Following the example of other sit-com crossovers, such as Dad's ArmyDad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
, Steptoe and Son
Steptoe and Son
Steptoe and Son is a British sitcom written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson about two rag and bone men living in Oil Drum Lane, a fictional street in Shepherd's Bush, London. Four series were broadcast by the BBC from 1962 to 1965, followed by a second run from 1970 to 1974. Its theme tune, "Old...
and The Likely Lads
The Likely Lads
The Likely Lads was a black-and-white British sitcom created and written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, and produced by Dick Clement. Twenty episodes were broadcast by the BBC, in three series, between 16 December 1964 and 23 July 1966...
, a feature length version of Porridge was made in 1979. Barker again starred as Fletcher, and most of the supporting cast also returned. Unlike the television series, it was actually filmed at a real prison as HMP Chelmsford was temporarily vacant following a fire.
Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher
On 29 December 2003 a mockumentaryMockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
follow-up to Porridge was broadcast on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. It looked back on Fletcher's life and how the various inmates of Slade had fared 25 years after Fletcher's release from prison. Warren is now a sign painter, Lukewarm is married to Trevor, McLaren is an MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
, Grouty has become a celebrity gangster, orrible Ives collects money for non-existent charities, Godber is now a lorry driver and still married to Ingrid, and Fletcher runs a pub with his childhood sweetheart, Gloria.
Novelisations and audio
Novelisations of the three series of Porridge and the film were issued by BBC Books, as well as an adaptation of Going Straight. BBC Enterprises released an LP record featuring two Porridge episodes, "A Night In" and "Heartbreak Hotel" in 1977.(REB 270) Two volumes of audio cassette releases (comprising four episodes each) were issued in the mid-1990s. They were later rereleased on CD.Stage show
In 2009 Porridge was adapated into a stage show, also written by Clement and La Frenais, starring former EastEndersEastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
actor Shaun Williamson
Shaun Williamson
Shaun Williamson is an English actor, singer, media personality and occasional presenter, best known for his former role as Barry Evans in soap opera EastEnders and as a version of himself in BBC sitcom Extras.- Career :...
as Fletcher and Daniel West as Godber. Peter Kay
Peter Kay
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
, a fan of the show, was previously offered the role but turned it down. It opened in September 2009 to positive reviews.
Adaptations
An American version entitled On the Rocks (1975–76) ran for a season, while a Dutch version Laat maar zitten (free translation; Keep 'em inside) ran from 1988 to 1991; later episodes of the Netherlands version were original scripts.The series is repeated often on BBC Two and is a regular feature on the UKTV channel G.O.L.D. However in the G.O.L.D. re-runs certain edits have been made to cut out racist/homophobic references which were included in the original 1970s transmissions, as these references are seen as offensive.
DVD releases
| Title | Year | Release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
| Complete Series 1 | 1974 | 1 October 2001 | 27 February 2003 |
| Complete Series 2 | 1975 | 30 September 2002 | 9 March 2004 |
| Complete Series 3 | 1977 | 29 September 2003 | 8 July 2004 |
| Complete Specials | 1975–1976 | 4 October 2004 | 10 November 2004 |
| Complete Series | 1974–1977 | 19 October 2009 | 5 March 2008 |
| Porridge: The Movie Porridge (film) Porridge is a 1979 film based upon the television series of the same name which was released under the title Doing Time in the United States.... |
1979 | 14 April 2003 | 13 May 2002 |
Essential viewing for prisoners
Porridge was immensely popular with British prisoners. Erwin JamesErwin James
Erwin James is the pseudonym for convicted murderer and Guardian journalist Erwin James Monahan. James was released in August 2004 having served 20 years of a life sentence. While in prison he wrote a regular column, and continues to write as well as do charity work after his release...
, an ex-prisoner who writes a bi-weekly column for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper, stated that:
He also noted:
Contributions to the English language
The script allowed the prisoners to swear without offending viewers by using the word "naff" in place of ruder words ("Naff off!", "Darn your own naffing socks", "Doing next to naff all"), thereby popularising a word that had been recorded at least as early as 1966. Ronnie Barker did not claim to have invented it, and in a television interview in 2003 it was explained to him on camera what the word meant, as he hadn't a clue.A genuine neologism was "nerk", which was used in place of the more offensive "berk". It should be noted that "berk" has changed meaning since its inception, and is generally used now to mean "fool" while the original rhyming slang meaning refers to someone more unpleasant, is more insulting, and far cruder. Another term was "scrote" (presumably derived from scrotum
Scrotum
In some male mammals the scrotum is a dual-chambered protuberance of skin and muscle containing the testicles and divided by a septum. It is an extension of the perineum, and is located between the penis and anus. In humans and some other mammals, the base of the scrotum becomes covered with curly...
), meaning a nasty, unpleasant person.