Porridge

The story

Porridge is a British situation comedy broadcast on BBC1 from 1974 to 1977, running for three series, two Christmas specials and a feature film also titled Porridge. 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, which established that Fletcher would not be going back to prison again. Porridge was voted number seven in a 2004 BBC poll of the 100 greatest British sitcoms.

Cast

R Ronnie BarkerNorman Stanley Fletcher R Richard BeckinsaleLennie Godber F Fulton MackayMr. Mackay B Brian WildeMr. Barrowclough S Sam KellyWarren T Tony OsobaMcLaren M Michael BarringtonGovernor Venables C Christopher BigginsLukewarm K Ken JonesIves P Paul McDowellMr. Collinson D David JasonBlanco P Patricia BrakeIngrid Fletcher

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B Brian GloverHeslop R Ronald LaceyHarris P Peter VaughanHarry Grout G Graham AshleyMr. Appleton E Eric DodsonMr. Banyard M Maurice DenhamRawley P Paul AngelisNavy Rum R Ralph WatsonLandlord R Royston TicknerSgt. Norris J John RutlandVerger J John BennettMedical Officer R Ray DunbobbinEvans J John QuarmbyPrison Officer S Steve IsmayPrison Warden P Philip JacksonMelvin 'Dylan' Bottomley R Robert GillespieVicar J Johnnie WadeScrounger A Arnold PetersChief Prison Officer E Emlyn PriceTolly P Peggy MasonNurse J June EllisIsobel Fletcher S Susan LittlerNorma A Andonia KatsarosIris R Rosalind ElliotElaine J John RudlingMr. Birchwood M Margaret FlintMrs. Godber P Peter JeffreyMr. Wainwright P Philip MadocWilliams M Madge HindleMrs. Hesketh T Tony AitkenChaplain I Ivor RobertsPrison Visitor B Barbara NewPrison Visitor G Geoffrey GreenhillPrison Visitor C Colin FarrellNorris T Terence SoallMedical Officer C Cyril ShapsJackdaw R Roy SampsonPT Instructor J John MooreSpider J John DairCrusher A Alun ArmstrongSpraggon D David DakerJarvis