This Life
Encyclopedia
This Life is a BBC television drama
that was produced by World Productions
and screened on BBC Two
. Two series were broadcast in 1996 and 1997 and a reunion special in 2007.
The series centres on the life of five twentysomething law graduates embarking upon their careers while sharing a house in south London.
. Other writers contributed scripts, including Joe Ahearne
(who also directed some episodes — the only person to do both on the series), Ian Iqbal Rashid
, Amelia Bullmore
and Matthew Graham
. Tony Garnett
was the executive producer and Jane Fallon
worked as a producer on both series.
When the first series was screened it was a modest critical success, rather than being a ratings 'hit'. Nevertheless, the original production agreement secured a second series. In the lead-up to the broadcast of the second series, the entire first series was repeated, helping to generate a critical 'buzz' around the programme, to the point that millions of viewers were waiting to discover the ultimate resolutions to the various plot-lines and generating front-page newspaper coverage.
of a group of twentysomething trainee solicitors and pupil barristers
, but essentially it is a character-driven drama.
Egg (Andrew Lincoln
) and Milly (Amita Dhiri
) have been dating since they were at university together but their career choices create tension between them. Conscientious Milly is ambitious, spending a lot of time working with her older boss Mr O'Donnell. Egg suffers a crisis of dissatisfaction with a career in law, and soon resigns from the firm.
Anna (Daniela Nardini
) and Miles (Jack Davenport
) had a brief fling at university and Anna is fixated on the indifferent Miles. Their love-hate relationship
makes their work and home life frequently tense.
The other house-mate, Warren (Jason Hughes
), is an out
gay
man. He spends some time dealing with issues around his sexuality, especially in relation to "coming out
" to friends and family. In an unusual (at the time) plot device he is frequently seen discussing his feelings with a therapist (Gillian McCutcheon
) who is heard and only rarely seen by the viewer.
Miles appears, at times, to dislike Warren, and subjects him to occasional homophobic abuse when angered. Miles's manipulative girlfriend, the drug addicted and bulimic Delilah (Charlotte Bicknell), moves in with him. This results in conflict in the house. When Miles, who hasn't been practising safe sex
with Delilah, discovers that she is still sleeping with her heroin addict ex, Truelove, he has an HIV
scare. Millie clashes with Egg over his perceived lack of ambition, and becomes attracted to O'Donnell.
During the second season, storylines were expanded to include other connected characters. These included Ferdy (Ramon Tikaram
) - Warren's boyfriend briefly, Rachel (Natasha Little
) - new junior trainee at Milly's law firm and Francesca - Miles's girlfriend/fiancee - whilst previously secondary-characters Jo (Steve John Shepherd
) and Warren's cousin, Kira (Luisa Bradshaw-White
) feature more heavily as they embarked upon a relationship. Ferdy was a largely improvised, complex (and sometimes unwilling) bisexual
character and was seen as a replacement for Warren when Jason Hughes decided to leave the show (he did return for the final scene). Finding a relationship with Anna impossible, Miles began a relationship with Francesca, a woman nearly a decade older than he was. Miles proposed to Francesca, but still harboured feelings for Anna.
Rachel had a long-running passive-aggressive feud with Milly, although on the surface the pair were able to work together without mention of their mutual dislike. Milly's dislike of Rachel was very strong, viewing her as a threat to her relationship with O'Donnell, and disliking her apparently perfect demeanour. Milly confided in Anna that she found Rachel almost suffocatingly "nice". The tension between the two went unresolved throughout the second series, culminating in the final scene, in the episode "Apocalypse Wow!". At Miles and Francesca's wedding reception, Rachel is floored by a punch from Milly, after Milly learns that Rachel has told Egg about her affair with her boss, O'Donnell.
was involved in drafting storylines and early scripts for a third series, but the plans were aborted, and the decision was taken to end the programme "on a high". Series one and two are available on DVD from BBC Worldwide, as a box set and as two individual series volumes.
In 2001, NBC
Television broadcast a loosely adapted U.S. remake titled First Years. It attracted scathing reviews and low ratings, and vanished soon after.
The young production team behind This Life went on to further success:
and the original producers World Productions. This Life + 10 was written by Jenkins, directed by Ahearne and produced by Garnett. It gained 3.5 million viewers, with a 14% audience share.
BBC television drama
BBC television dramas have been produced and broadcast since even before the public service company had an officially established television broadcasting network in the United Kingdom...
that was produced by World Productions
World Productions
World Productions is a British television production company, founded in the early 1990s by acclaimed producer Tony Garnett. The company's first major series was the police drama Between The Lines , and throughout the decade they went on to produce a succession of highly successful drama series...
and screened 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...
. Two series were broadcast in 1996 and 1997 and a reunion special in 2007.
The series centres on the life of five twentysomething law graduates embarking upon their careers while sharing a house in south London.
Production
The series was created by, and some episodes written by Amy JenkinsAmy Jenkins
Amy Jenkins is an English novelist and screenwriter. She is the daughter of the late political journalist Peter Jenkins and the stepdaughter of The Guardian columnist and author Polly Toynbee....
. Other writers contributed scripts, including Joe Ahearne
Joe Ahearne
Joe Ahearne is a British television writer and director, best known for his work on several fantasy-based programmes including Ultraviolet and Doctor Who...
(who also directed some episodes — the only person to do both on the series), Ian Iqbal Rashid
Ian Iqbal Rashid
Born in 1971 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Ian Iqbal Rashid is a poet, screenwriter and filmmaker.In his early childhood, his family were forced to leave Tanzania. After failing to secure asylum in the UK and US, they settled in Canada...
, Amelia Bullmore
Amelia Bullmore
Amelia Bullmore is an English actress and writer. She was born in London and studied drama at the University of Manchester. Bullmore started working as an actor but turned to writing in 1995...
and Matthew Graham
Matthew Graham
Matthew Graham is a British television writer, and the co-creator of the BBC/Kudos Film and Television science fiction series Life on Mars, which debuted in 2006 on BBC One and has received international critical acclaim....
. Tony Garnett
Tony Garnett
Tony Garnett is a film producer who has worked in feature films and on British television. He was born in Birmingham, England, and studied psychology at the University of London....
was the executive producer and Jane Fallon
Jane Fallon
Jane Fallon is the author of four bestselling novels - Getting Rid of Matthew , Got You Back , Foursome and The Ugly Sister...
worked as a producer on both series.
When the first series was screened it was a modest critical success, rather than being a ratings 'hit'. Nevertheless, the original production agreement secured a second series. In the lead-up to the broadcast of the second series, the entire first series was repeated, helping to generate a critical 'buzz' around the programme, to the point that millions of viewers were waiting to discover the ultimate resolutions to the various plot-lines and generating front-page newspaper coverage.
Series one
This Life is based around life in a London law firm and barristers' chambersChambers (law)
A judge's chambers, often just called his or her chambers, is the office of a judge.Chambers may also refer to the type of courtroom where motions related to matter of procedure are heard.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :...
of a group of twentysomething trainee solicitors and pupil barristers
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, but essentially it is a character-driven drama.
Egg (Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln is an English actor, known for his roles in the TV series This Life, Teachers and Afterlife, and the films Love Actually and Heartbreaker...
) and Milly (Amita Dhiri
Amita Dhiri
Amita Emmanuelle Dhiri is an Anglo-Indian actress. She has two younger brothers, Viney and Sanjay. She speaks fluent French and Hindi. She has also performed ballet, contemporary and modern dance.- Career:...
) have been dating since they were at university together but their career choices create tension between them. Conscientious Milly is ambitious, spending a lot of time working with her older boss Mr O'Donnell. Egg suffers a crisis of dissatisfaction with a career in law, and soon resigns from the firm.
Anna (Daniela Nardini
Daniela Nardini
Daniela Nardini is a Scottish actress of Italian ancestry, best known for playing Anna Forbes in the BBC Two television series This Life. The role earned her a BAFTA Best Actress award in 1998 and also earned her a Scottish BAFTA...
) and Miles (Jack Davenport
Jack Davenport
Jack Davenport is an English actor, best known for his roles in the television series This Life, Coupling and as James Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. He has also appeared in many other Hollywood films such as The Talented Mr. Ripley...
) had a brief fling at university and Anna is fixated on the indifferent Miles. Their love-hate relationship
Love-hate relationship
A love–hate relationship is an interpersonal relationship involving simultaneous or alternating emotions of love and hate. This relationship does not have to be of a romantic nature, and may be instead of a sibling one...
makes their work and home life frequently tense.
The other house-mate, Warren (Jason Hughes
Jason Hughes (actor)
Jason Hughes is a Welsh actor born in Porthcawl, Wales in 1971 best known for playing lawyer Warren Jones in the BBC TV series This Life from 1996 to 1997 , and as Detective Sergeant Ben Jones in Midsomer Murders since 2005.Hughes was a very good rugby player, but was persuaded to take up acting...
), is an out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
man. He spends some time dealing with issues around his sexuality, especially in relation to "coming out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
" to friends and family. In an unusual (at the time) plot device he is frequently seen discussing his feelings with a therapist (Gillian McCutcheon
Gillian McCutcheon
Gillian McCutcheon is a British based actress who has appeared in many programmes over the years. She has played three parts in the ITV Soap opera The Bill, alone....
) who is heard and only rarely seen by the viewer.
Miles appears, at times, to dislike Warren, and subjects him to occasional homophobic abuse when angered. Miles's manipulative girlfriend, the drug addicted and bulimic Delilah (Charlotte Bicknell), moves in with him. This results in conflict in the house. When Miles, who hasn't been practising safe sex
Safe sex
Safe sex is sexual activity engaged in by people who have taken precautions to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS. It is also referred to as safer sex or protected sex, while unsafe or unprotected sex is sexual activity engaged in without precautions...
with Delilah, discovers that she is still sleeping with her heroin addict ex, Truelove, he has an HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
scare. Millie clashes with Egg over his perceived lack of ambition, and becomes attracted to O'Donnell.
Series two
Ramon Tikaram
Ramon Pramod Junior Tikaram is a British stage and screen actor of Indo-Fijian and Malaysian descent.-Early and personal life:...
) - Warren's boyfriend briefly, Rachel (Natasha Little
Natasha Little
Natasha Little is a British actress. She is best known for her work on British television, but has also featured in many film and theatre roles.- Early life :...
) - new junior trainee at Milly's law firm and Francesca - Miles's girlfriend/fiancee - whilst previously secondary-characters Jo (Steve John Shepherd
Steve John Shepherd
-Career:Shepherd first became known in 1996, when he played the role of Jo, the law clerk, in the critically acclaimed BBC drama This Life. He remained in the role for two series...
) and Warren's cousin, Kira (Luisa Bradshaw-White
Luisa Bradshaw-White
Luisa Bradshaw-White is an English actress, best known for her roles on Holby City and This Life.-Career:...
) feature more heavily as they embarked upon a relationship. Ferdy was a largely improvised, complex (and sometimes unwilling) bisexual
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
character and was seen as a replacement for Warren when Jason Hughes decided to leave the show (he did return for the final scene). Finding a relationship with Anna impossible, Miles began a relationship with Francesca, a woman nearly a decade older than he was. Miles proposed to Francesca, but still harboured feelings for Anna.
Rachel had a long-running passive-aggressive feud with Milly, although on the surface the pair were able to work together without mention of their mutual dislike. Milly's dislike of Rachel was very strong, viewing her as a threat to her relationship with O'Donnell, and disliking her apparently perfect demeanour. Milly confided in Anna that she found Rachel almost suffocatingly "nice". The tension between the two went unresolved throughout the second series, culminating in the final scene, in the episode "Apocalypse Wow!". At Miles and Francesca's wedding reception, Rachel is floored by a punch from Milly, after Milly learns that Rachel has told Egg about her affair with her boss, O'Donnell.
Legacy
The second series ended with a close-up of an advert for the house, and the original intention was to re-cast with new characters. The controversial stage writer Mark RavenhillMark Ravenhill
Mark Ravenhill is an English playwright, actor and journalist.His most famous plays include Shopping and Fucking , Some Explicit Polaroids and Mother Clap's Molly House . He made his acting debut in his monologue Product, at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe...
was involved in drafting storylines and early scripts for a third series, but the plans were aborted, and the decision was taken to end the programme "on a high". Series one and two are available on DVD from BBC Worldwide, as a box set and as two individual series volumes.
In 2001, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
Television broadcast a loosely adapted U.S. remake titled First Years. It attracted scathing reviews and low ratings, and vanished soon after.
The young production team behind This Life went on to further success:
- Jane Fallon went on to become Executive Producer on the Channel 4Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
series TeachersTeachers (UK TV series)Teachers is a British television sitcom, originally shown on Channel 4. The series follows a group of secondary school teachers in their daily lives....
which also starred Andrew LincolnAndrew LincolnAndrew Lincoln is an English actor, known for his roles in the TV series This Life, Teachers and Afterlife, and the films Love Actually and Heartbreaker...
. - Joe Ahearne later went on to write and direct the cult Channel 4 series UltravioletUltraviolet (TV serial)Ultraviolet is a 1998 British television serial written and directed by Joe Ahearne and starring Jack Davenport, Susannah Harker, Idris Elba and Philip Quast. It was produced by World Productions for Channel 4.-Synopsis:...
(1998) which also starred Jack DavenportJack DavenportJack Davenport is an English actor, best known for his roles in the television series This Life, Coupling and as James Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. He has also appeared in many other Hollywood films such as The Talented Mr. Ripley...
. He also directed episodes of the first series of the revived Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, starring Christopher EcclestonChristopher EcclestonChristopher Eccleston is an English stage, film and television actor. His films include Let Him Have It, Shallow Grave, Elizabeth, 28 Days Later, Gone in 60 Seconds, The Others, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra...
, in 2005. - Matthew GrahamMatthew GrahamMatthew Graham is a British television writer, and the co-creator of the BBC/Kudos Film and Television science fiction series Life on Mars, which debuted in 2006 on BBC One and has received international critical acclaim....
co-created the BBC One series Life on MarsLife on Mars (TV series)Life on Mars is a British television series broadcast on BBC One between January 2006 and April 2007. The series combines elements of science fiction and police procedural....
(2006) and has written episodes of HustleHustle (TV series)Hustle is a British television drama series made by Kudos Film and Television for BBC One in the United Kingdom. Created by Tony Jordan and first broadcast in 2004, the series follows a group of con artists who specialise in "long cons" – extended deceptions which require greater commitment, but...
, SpooksSpooksSpooks is a British television drama series that originally aired on BBC One from 13 May 2002 – 23 October 2011, consisting of 10 series. The title is a popular colloquialism for spies, as the series follows the work of a group of MI5 officers based at the service's Thames House headquarters, in a...
and an episode of Doctor Who in 2006 - Ian Iqbal RashidIan Iqbal RashidBorn in 1971 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Ian Iqbal Rashid is a poet, screenwriter and filmmaker.In his early childhood, his family were forced to leave Tanzania. After failing to secure asylum in the UK and US, they settled in Canada...
went on to write and direct the feature films Touch of PinkTouch of PinkTouch of Pink is a 2004 film directed and written by Ian Iqbal Rashid. and takes its name from the Cary Grant film That Touch of Mink.-Synopsis:...
(Sony Picture Classics, 2004) and How She MoveHow She MoveHow She Move is a 2007 drama film directed by Ian Iqbal Rashid and starring Rutina Wesley, Clé Bennett and Romina D'Ugo. The film showcases the street culture of step dancing...
(Paramount Vantage, 2008).
This Life + 10
In 2006, the BBC reconvened the original cast for a special one-off 80-minute special, looking at what had happened to the lead characters in the intervening ten years. The resulting new episode, entitled + 10 onscreen with the original title sequence used intact making the title of the programme simply This Life as before and the title of the episode "+ 10", was screened on 2 January 2007, and was a co-production between BBC WalesBBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
and the original producers World Productions. This Life + 10 was written by Jenkins, directed by Ahearne and produced by Garnett. It gained 3.5 million viewers, with a 14% audience share.
Lead cast
- Miles Stewart (Jack DavenportJack DavenportJack Davenport is an English actor, best known for his roles in the television series This Life, Coupling and as James Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. He has also appeared in many other Hollywood films such as The Talented Mr. Ripley...
) - Djamila "Milly" Nassim (Amita DhiriAmita DhiriAmita Emmanuelle Dhiri is an Anglo-Indian actress. She has two younger brothers, Viney and Sanjay. She speaks fluent French and Hindi. She has also performed ballet, contemporary and modern dance.- Career:...
) - Egg (Edgar Cooke) (Andrew LincolnAndrew LincolnAndrew Lincoln is an English actor, known for his roles in the TV series This Life, Teachers and Afterlife, and the films Love Actually and Heartbreaker...
) - Anna Forbes (Daniela NardiniDaniela NardiniDaniela Nardini is a Scottish actress of Italian ancestry, best known for playing Anna Forbes in the BBC Two television series This Life. The role earned her a BAFTA Best Actress award in 1998 and also earned her a Scottish BAFTA...
) - Warren Jones (Jason HughesJason Hughes (actor)Jason Hughes is a Welsh actor born in Porthcawl, Wales in 1971 best known for playing lawyer Warren Jones in the BBC TV series This Life from 1996 to 1997 , and as Detective Sergeant Ben Jones in Midsomer Murders since 2005.Hughes was a very good rugby player, but was persuaded to take up acting...
) - Ferdy (Ferdinand Garcia) (Ramon TikaramRamon TikaramRamon Pramod Junior Tikaram is a British stage and screen actor of Indo-Fijian and Malaysian descent.-Early and personal life:...
) - Michael O'Donnell (David Mallinson)
- Kira (Luisa Bradshaw-WhiteLuisa Bradshaw-WhiteLuisa Bradshaw-White is an English actress, best known for her roles on Holby City and This Life.-Career:...
) - Jo (Steve John ShepherdSteve John Shepherd-Career:Shepherd first became known in 1996, when he played the role of Jo, the law clerk, in the critically acclaimed BBC drama This Life. He remained in the role for two series...
) - Rachel (Natasha LittleNatasha LittleNatasha Little is a British actress. She is best known for her work on British television, but has also featured in many film and theatre roles.- Early life :...
) - Graham (Cyril NriCyril NriCyril Nri is a British actor, writer and director. He attended the Young Vic Youth Theatre in Waterloo, London. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and is probably best known for playing the role of Superintendent Adam Okaro, now Chief Superintendent, in the long-running ITV police...
) - Hooperman (Geoffrey Bateman)
Supporting cast
- The OfficeThe Office (UK TV series)The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious...
and Sherlock star Martin FreemanMartin FreemanMartin John C. Freeman is an English actor. He is known for his roles as John in Love Actually, Tim Canterbury in the BBC's Golden Globe-winning comedy The Office, Arthur Dent in the film adaptation of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Dr. John Watson in Sherlock and Mr. Madden...
appeared early in the second series, pictured stealing money from Milly and Egg's bedroom after a party, and accidentally drinking Egg's urineUrineUrine is a typically sterile liquid by-product of the body that is secreted by the kidneys through a process called urination and excreted through the urethra. Cellular metabolism generates numerous by-products, many rich in nitrogen, that require elimination from the bloodstream...
from a can, believing it to be beer. - Ralph InesonRalph InesonRalph Ineson is an English actor best known for playing the character of Chris Finch on the BBC television programme The Office. He has a rich Yorkshire accent and is an avid supporter of Leeds United A.F.C. Ralph Ineson was educated at Woodleigh School, North Yorkshire...
, also from The Office, featured in an early episode as a client of Milly. - EastEndersEastEndersEastEnders 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 Nitin GanatraNitin GanatraNitin Ganatra is a Kenyan born British actor. He is known internationally as Prince Pondicherry in the Tim Burton film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He also appears in the Gurinder Chada film Bride and Prejudice as Kholi Saab and The Mistress of Spices as Haroun...
appeared in an episode of the second series playing a prospective housemate who manages to upset Milly. - Another later well-known actor appearing early in the second series is Martin HancockMartin HancockMartin Hancock is an English actor well known for his role as Emily Bishop's nephew Geoffrey "Spider" Nugent in the British soap Coronation Street and Reg Lund in Holby City....
, who went on to star in Coronation StreetCoronation StreetCoronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
as Spider, followed by Holby CityHolby CityHolby City, stylised as Holby Ci+y, is a British medical drama television series that airs weekly on BBC One.The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama Casualty, and premiered on 12 January 1999...
as Reg Lund. - Clare CliffordClare CliffordClare Clifford is a British actress.She remains best known for her appearances in the television dramas Angels and This Life.Other credits include Doctor Who, Bergerac, Cardiac Arrest, Peak Practice, The Bill, Torchwood, Doctors and Casualty.Clifford has made the transition from actor to feminist...
played lesbian lawyer Sarah Newly in five episodes. - Tony CurranTony CurranAnthony "Tony" Curran is a Scottish actor.Curran was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He is an alumnus of Holyrood Secondary School and is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama....
, who later played Vincent Van GoghVincent van GoghVincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
in two episodes of Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, appeared in seven episodes as handyman Lenny. - Juliet CowanJuliet Cowan-Career:She may be recognizable to fans of ITV1 cop drama The Bill when she guest starred in over 20 episodes as Julie Saunders, the mother of the boy who accused PC Tony Stamp of sexual assault...
played Nicki in 15 episodes. She was later a finalist in the 1999 So You Think You're FunnySo You Think You're FunnySo You Think You're Funny? is an annual stand-up comedy competition for new acts. The competition began in 1988 and has become the longest running best comedy newcomer award in Great Britain....
competition and played Chrissie Jackson in The Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen...
.
Locations
- The opening scenes show the house as being on Benjamin Street, which is in EC1 in ClerkenwellClerkenwellClerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
. However, the building is actually Anchor TerraceAnchor TerraceAnchor Terrace is a large symmetrical building on the east side of Southwark Bridge Road in London, situated very close to the River Thames. It was built in 1834, and its original inhabitants were senior employees of the nearby Anchor Brewery, Southwark, which was then owned by Barclay Perkins &...
, a terraced houseTerraced houseIn architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
on Southwark Bridge RoadSouthwark Bridge RoadSouthwark Bridge Road is a road in Southwark, London, England, between Newington Causeway near Elephant and Castle and Southwark Bridge across the River Thames, leading to the City of London, in a meandering route...
. As the characters are often seen commuting from South London it is unclear why the Benjamin Street sign was filmed. The house has since been converted into luxury flats. - The law firm's offices were filmed on High HolbornHigh HolbornHigh Holborn is a road in Holborn in central London, England. It starts in the west near St Giles Circus, then goes east, past the Kingsway and Southampton Row, and continues east. The road becomes Holborn at the junction with Gray's Inn Road....
near the junction with Chancery LaneChancery LaneChancery Lane is the street which has been the western boundary of the City of London since 1994 having previously been divided between Westminster and Camden...
. The location for external shots of Moore Spencer Wright are at the bottom end of Borough High Street, now the FTC KaplanFTC KaplanKaplan Financial Ltd was founded in 1958 and is one of the UK’s leading providers of training in accountancy and financial services. Kaplan Financial is part of Kaplan Inc., a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company ....
offices. - The barrister's chambers external shots were filmed outside Verulam Buildings on Gray's Inn RoadGray's Inn RoadGray's Inn Road, formerly Gray's Inn Lane, is a major road in central London, in the London Borough of Camden. It is named after Gray's Inn, one of the main Inns of Court. The road starts in Holborn, near Chancery Lane tube station and the boundaries of the City of London and the London Borough...
, part of Gray's Inn; the interior scenes were filmed in the Anchor Terrace house (see above). - The café that Egg works in, and later runs, is on Victoria Road in North Acton next to the Tube stationNorth Acton tube stationNorth Acton tube station is in North Acton, west London in the London Borough of Ealing. The station is on the Central line of the London Underground, between East Acton and Hanger Lane...
. - The café where the characters are often seen having lunch was actually just further down Southwark Bridge Road from the Anchor Terrace house (on the same side). It was called the Island Cafe.
- The job centre Egg visits is on Borough High Street, Southwark, London.
- Miles' country house in the 2007 reunion (Whithurst Park in Sussex) is the same location used in Lewis Series 1 episode 1 "To Whom the Gods Would Destroy".
Other
- A then largely unknown Ricky GervaisRicky GervaisRicky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
, partner of producer Jane Fallon, was credited as "Music Advisor" for the series, and it was he who commissioned the theme tune, written by The Way Out.
External links
- This Life at World ProductionsWorld ProductionsWorld Productions is a British television production company, founded in the early 1990s by acclaimed producer Tony Garnett. The company's first major series was the police drama Between The Lines , and throughout the decade they went on to produce a succession of highly successful drama series...
- This Life at the British Film InstituteBritish Film InstituteThe British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...