Second Thoughts (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Second Thoughts was a British comedy television programme running from 1991 to 1994. It was broadcast on the ITV
network and made by the ITV
company LWT
. It was followed by a sequel, Faith in the Future
. Second Thoughts followed the lives of two middle-aged divorcees from very different backgrounds trying to develop a relationship despite the pressures pulling it apart.
Second Thoughts was based upon the real-life relationship of the writers, husband and wife Jan Etherington and Gavin Petrie. It originally aired as a radio series on BBC Radio 4
broadcast between 1988 and 1992. The radio series consisted of four series and a Christmas special broadcast in 1992 with a total of 31 episodes. The radio scripts were used for the television series on ITV
. The fifth series was considered weaker than the original four series, it was the only series not to be based on the original radio scripts.
Second Thoughts ended in 1994, but has since been repeated on ITV3
. The original radio series is often replayed on BBC7.
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...
network and made by the 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...
company LWT
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
. It was followed by a sequel, Faith in the Future
Faith in the Future
Faith in the Future was a British comedy television show running from 1995-1998. It was a sequel to the show Second Thoughts. It aired on ITV for 22 episodes....
. Second Thoughts followed the lives of two middle-aged divorcees from very different backgrounds trying to develop a relationship despite the pressures pulling it apart.
Second Thoughts was based upon the real-life relationship of the writers, husband and wife Jan Etherington and Gavin Petrie. It originally aired as a radio series on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
broadcast between 1988 and 1992. The radio series consisted of four series and a Christmas special broadcast in 1992 with a total of 31 episodes. The radio scripts were used for the television series 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...
. The fifth series was considered weaker than the original four series, it was the only series not to be based on the original radio scripts.
Second Thoughts ended in 1994, but has since been repeated on ITV3
ITV3
ITV3 is an entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom that is owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. The channel was launched on 1 November 2004. ITV3 is the second largest UK multi-channel, second only to ITV2.-History:...
. The original radio series is often replayed on BBC7.
Characters
- Bill Macgregor (James BolamJames BolamJames Christopher Bolam, MBE is a British actor, best known for his roles as Jack Ford in When the Boat Comes In, Trevor Chaplin in The Beiderbecke Trilogy, Terry Collier in The Likely Lads and its sequel Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Roy Figgis in Only When I Laugh, Dr Arthur Gilder in...
) - An art editor of a style magazine where he works alongside his bitchy ex-wife Liza. - Faith Grayshot (Lynda BellinghamLynda BellinghamLynda Bellingham is a Canadian-born English actress, broadcaster and author, who is known for her distinctive husky voice.-Early life:...
) - Faith is a freelance illustrator who occasionally does work for the style magazine Bill works for. She has two teenagers from her previous marriage, Hannah and Joe. The children and the dog often come before Bill. - Liza Macgregor (sometimes known as Liza Ferrari) (Belinda LangBelinda LangBelinda Lang is an English actress, best known in the United Kingdom for her role as Bill Porter in the long running BBC sitcom 2point4 children .-Television:...
) - Bill's ex-wife, Liza is a rather demanding woman with expensive tastes. Liza works for the same magazine as Bill and is constantly interferring with Bill and Faith's relationship. - Hannah Grayshot (Julia SawalhaJulia SawalhaJulia Sawalha is an English actress well known for her roles as Saffron Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous, Lynda Day, editor of The Junior Gazette in Press Gang and Lydia Bennet in the 1995 television miniseries of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. She also played Dorcas Lane in the BBC's costume...
) - Faith's teenage daughter and eldest child. - Joe Grayshot (Mark Denham) - Faith's teenage son. Joe is obsessed with football and only shows interest in girls when they like football.
- Hilary (Louisa RixLouisa RixLouisa Rix is a British film and television actress.She is the daughter of the farce actor Brian Rix.-Notable appearances:...
in series 1; Paddy Navin in series 2-3) - Faith's best friend who is unlucky in love. - Richard (Geoffrey WhiteheadGeoffrey WhiteheadGeoffrey Whitehead is an English actor. He has appeared in a huge range of television, film and radio roles. In the theatre, he has played at the Shakespeare Globe, St...
) - Bill's boss at the magazine. Richard is married to Marjorie, but having an affair with Liza. - Marjorie (Georgina Melville)
- Callum (Ian Henderson) (series 5) - Bill's cousin.
- Defa the dog (series 1-2)
Series 1: 1991
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Series 2: 1992
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Series 3: 1992-1993
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Series 4: 1993
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Series 5: 1994
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DVD releases
The first series of Second Thoughts was released in June 2005, however the second series was finally released on 11 July 2011 (following a 6 year gap). The third series has been released 7 November of the same year with the fourth and the fifth (and final) series each scheduled for the 16 January and 5 March 2012.| DVD | Release date |
|---|---|
| The Complete Series 1 | 6 June 2005 |
| The Complete Series 2 | 11 July 2011 |
| The Complete Series 3 | 7 November 2011 |
| The Complete Series 4 | 16 January 2012 |
| The Complete Series 5 | 5 March 2012 |
| The Complete Series 1 to 5 Box Set | TBA |
External links
- Comedy Guide - Second Thoughts at bbc.co.ukBbc.co.ukBBC Online is the brand name and home for the BBC's UK online service. It is a large network of websites including such high profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services co-branded BBC iPlayer, the pre-school site Cbeebies, and learning services such as Bitesize...
- Radio episode guide