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Barbara (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Barbara is a British
sitcom
starring Gwen Taylor
in the title role. A pilot aired in 1995, and three series then aired from 1999 to 2003. It was made by Central Television
, and filmed at their Lenton Lane studios in Nottingham
in front of a live studio audience. The majority of location scenes for the series were filmed in various suburbs of Nottingham
, including Mapperley
and West Bridgford
, with other scenes filmed around Nottinghamshire
and Derbyshire
. Despite winning awards and respectable viewing figures, it was axed by ITV
in 2003. It is possibly the very last family sitcom broadcast on ITV
.
within the Comedy Firsts
series on 10 July 1995. Four years later, on 27 June 1999 the first of three series aired. Some of the cast and names of the characters changed when the first series aired. Unusually for a British sitcom, Barbara was written by a team of writers; Mark Bussell, Rob Clark, Ramsay Gilderdale
, Graham Mark Walker and Justin Sbresni.
doctor's
receptionist
with a sharp tongue. She has been married to her husband Ted, a taxi driver
, for 35 years. Their twenty-something lovelorn son Neil does very little. Their daughter, the long-suffering Linda is married to Martin Pond (Benson in the pilot). Martin is a chef
in the pilot, while in the three series is a TV presenter who has his own show Pond Life on a local TV channel. Jean is her preening sister who is married to the simpering Phil. Barbara's colleague at the doctor's surgery is Doreen. Benedict Sandiford did not appear in the pilot. John Arthur did not appear in the pilot.
except Scattering, shown at 7pm
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sitcom
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...
starring Gwen Taylor
Gwen Taylor
Gwen Taylor is an actress who has appeared in many British television programmes, including Z-Cars, Murder Most Horrid, Yes, Prime Minister, Inspector Morse, Midsomer Murders and Belonging...
in the title role. A pilot aired in 1995, and three series then aired from 1999 to 2003. It was made by Central Television
Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
, and filmed at their Lenton Lane studios in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
in front of a live studio audience. The majority of location scenes for the series were filmed in various suburbs of Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, including Mapperley
Mapperley
Mapperley is a residential and commercial area of north-eastern Nottingham, England. The area is bounded by Sherwood to the north-west, Thorneywood to the south and Gedling to the east.-History:...
and West Bridgford
West Bridgford
West Bridgford is a town in the Rushcliffe borough of Nottinghamshire, England. It lies immediately south of the city of Nottingham, delimited by the River Trent; this proximity means that it forms a continuous urban area with Nottingham, effectively makes West Bridgford a suburb of the city, and...
, with other scenes filmed around Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
and Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. Despite winning awards and respectable viewing figures, it was axed by ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in 2003. It is possibly the very last family sitcom broadcast on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
.
Background
Barbara first aired a pilotTelevision pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
within the Comedy Firsts
Comedy Firsts
Comedy Firsts is a short-lived British television series consisting of five unrelated sitcoms and one sketch show that aired in 1995. Two of the episodes later lead onto full series, Barbara and Sometime, Never.-Background:...
series on 10 July 1995. Four years later, on 27 June 1999 the first of three series aired. Some of the cast and names of the characters changed when the first series aired. Unusually for a British sitcom, Barbara was written by a team of writers; Mark Bussell, Rob Clark, Ramsay Gilderdale
Ramsay Gilderdale
Ramsay Gilderdale is an English actor, who played Guy of Gisbourne in BBC comedy Maid Marian and Her Merry Men. He also appeared in Rumpole of the Bailey and Blackadder's Christmas Carol....
, Graham Mark Walker and Justin Sbresni.
Pilot
- Gwen TaylorGwen TaylorGwen Taylor is an actress who has appeared in many British television programmes, including Z-Cars, Murder Most Horrid, Yes, Prime Minister, Inspector Morse, Midsomer Murders and Belonging...
- Barbara Liversage - 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...
- Ted Liversage - Benedict SandifordBenedict SandifordBenedict Sandiford is a British actor who is best known for his role as son Neil on the British sitcom Barbara. He also made guest appearances on Heartbeat, Peak Practice, A Touch of Frost, Touching Evil, At Home with the Braithwaites ,Pie in the Sky, Cadfael, This Life, 'Foyle's War, Midsomer...
- Neil Liversage - Shirley Anne FieldShirley Anne FieldShirley Anne Field is a British actress who has performed on stage, film and television since 1955.-Early Life:...
- Jean - Caroline MilmoeCaroline MilmoeCaroline Milmoe is an English stage, film and television actress best known for playing Julie in the first two series of Carla Lane's Liverpool-based BBC sit-com Bread and Lisa Duckworth in ITV's long-running soap opera Coronation Street.-Career:Milmoe attended Manchester's Contact Youth Theatre...
- Linda Benson - Glen DaviesGlen DaviesGlen Davies , is a footballer who played in the Football League.-External links:...
- Martin Benson - 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...
- Doreen - John Arthur - Phil
Series
- Gwen TaylorGwen TaylorGwen Taylor is an actress who has appeared in many British television programmes, including Z-Cars, Murder Most Horrid, Yes, Prime Minister, Inspector Morse, Midsomer Murders and Belonging...
- Barbara Liversidge - 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...
- Ted Liversidge - Benedict SandifordBenedict SandifordBenedict Sandiford is a British actor who is best known for his role as son Neil on the British sitcom Barbara. He also made guest appearances on Heartbeat, Peak Practice, A Touch of Frost, Touching Evil, At Home with the Braithwaites ,Pie in the Sky, Cadfael, This Life, 'Foyle's War, Midsomer...
- Neil Liversidge - Sherrie HewsonSherrie HewsonSherrie Lynn Hutchinson is an English actor, broadcaster and novelist.-Early life:Born in Nottinghamshire, Hewson was brought up in a showbusiness family; her father was a singer and her mother a model. She began performing at the age of six, touring the UK's theatres in revues with her own...
- Jean - Elizabeth CarlingElizabeth CarlingElizabeth Carling is an English actress and singer best known for her performances in Boon, Goodnight Sweetheart, Barbara, and Casualty...
- Linda Pond - Mark BentonMark BentonMark Benton is an English actor, perhaps most famous for his roles as Eddie in Early Doors and Howard in Northern Lights.-Life and career:Benton was born in Guisborough, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England....
- Martin Pond - 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...
- Doreen - John Arthur - Phil
- Julie AthertonJulie AthertonJulie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
- Chrissy
Plot
Barbara Liversidge (spelt Liversage in the pilot) is a no-nonsense nosey middle-aged YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
doctor's
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
receptionist
Receptionist
A receptionist is an employee taking an office/administrative support position. The work is usually performed in a waiting area such as a lobby or front office desk of an organization or business...
with a sharp tongue. She has been married to her husband Ted, a taxi driver
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
, for 35 years. Their twenty-something lovelorn son Neil does very little. Their daughter, the long-suffering Linda is married to Martin Pond (Benson in the pilot). Martin is a chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
in the pilot, while in the three series is a TV presenter who has his own show Pond Life on a local TV channel. Jean is her preening sister who is married to the simpering Phil. Barbara's colleague at the doctor's surgery is Doreen. Benedict Sandiford did not appear in the pilot. John Arthur did not appear in the pilot.
Series One (1999)
All Sunday, 8pm, ITVITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
except Scattering, shown at 7pm
- "Birthday" (27 June 1999) Ratings: 9.8m
- "Rivals" (4 July 1999) Ratings 8.21m
- "Amour" (11 July 1999) Ratings: 7.44m
- "Friends" (18 July 1999) Ratings: 6.4m
- "Coffee" (25 July 1999) Ratings: 7.18m
- "Scattering" (1 August 1999) Ratings: 5.02m
Series Two (2000-01)
- "Kids" (24 November 2000) Ratings: 7.55m
- "Massage" (1 December 2000) Ratings: N/A
- "Mum" (8 December 2000) Ratings: 8.70m
- "Christening" (15 December 2000) Ratings: 7.56m
- "Tyres" (22 December 2000) Ratings: 6.89m
- "Fox" (24 December 2000) Ratings: 7.59m
- "Sisters" (23 March 2001) Ratings: 5.80m
- "Mate" (30 March 2001) Ratings: N/A
- "Wedding" (6 April 2001) Ratings: 5.97m
- "Sheep" (24 June 2001) Ratings: N/A
Series Three (2002-03)
The twelve episodes making up Series Three were recorded as a complete series in 2001, but were split into two separate series upon broadcast - six airing in 2002 and the remaining six airing in 2003. The Series Three DVD release contains the full twelve episodes.- "Queenie" (30 April 2002)
- "Flood" (7 May 2002)
- "Valentine" (11 May 2002)
- "Crime" (14 May 2002)
- "Weekend" (21 May 2002)
- "Baby" (28 May 2002)
- "Honeymoon" (23 February 2003)
- "Neighbours" (2 March 2003)
- "Guy Fawkes" (9 March 2003)
- "Kirsty" (16 March 2003)
- "Cottage" (28 March 2003)
- "Who Shot Barbara?" (4 April 2003)
DVD Releases
| DVD | Release date |
|---|---|
| The Complete Series 1 | 13 September 2010 |
| The Complete Series 2 | 17 January 2011 |
| The Complete Series 3 | 23 May 2011 |
| The Complete Series 1 - 3 Box Set | 24 October 2011 |
External links
- Barbara at British TV Comedy