Benidorm is a British sitcom written and created by Derren Litten and produced by Tiger Aspect for ITV that aired for ten series from 1 February 2007 until 2 May 2018. The series features an ensemble cast of holiday makers and staff at the Solana all-inclusive hotel in Benidorm, Spain over the course of a week each year.
On 5 July 2018, series creator and writer Derren Litten confirmed that series 10 would be the last after the series was axed by ITV.[1]Benidorm Live, a stage adaptation written by Litten, was announced with 250 shows scheduled in theatres across the United Kingdom and Ireland.[2]
Plot
The series follows holidaymakers who spend a week at the Solana Resort Benidorm, Spain. It is usually the same people who go at the same time of year, usually by coincidence. As people say, those who come to Benidorm "can never stay away" or "never come back". Some higher-class people who come to the Solana are not satisfied with its facilities or the holidaymakers who go there, though others enjoy themselves, mostly due to the fact that it is all-inclusive.
In 2006, Derren Litten pitched a new comedy that he had devised for ITV, focusing on an all-inclusiveholiday resort, which was later confirmed to be titled Benidorm, and began airing on 1 February 2007.[3] After the first series concluded on 8 March 2007, ITV renewed it for a second series, which commenced in April 2008, with all the main characters returning for the eight-episode series.[4] As a result of the second series' finale being left on a cliffhanger, a special was broadcast on 31 May 2009,[5][6] to expand the events that occurred in the final episode of series 2, before a third series began on 2 October that same year, in a new 45-minute episode format.[7]
With the programme's success uprising, a fourth series was commissioned; it was later decided that the fourth series would air in 2011, with a Christmas special airing in December 2010.[8] After cast member Geoffrey Hutchings' sudden death in July 2010 from a suspected viral infection, the Christmas special was forced to be heavily rewritten, though did broadcast on 26 December 2010.[9] Hutchings' character was then killed off-screen at the conclusion of this episode, which was viewed by 7.41 million.[10] Despite speculation of a possible cancellation, Benidorm did return for its planned fourth series, which began 25 February 2011, in which has been considered as the best series of the show.[11] Litten then planned to conclude the show at the end of the fourth series, though high demands from viewers resulted in him rapidly reversing his decision.[12][13]
After the fifth series, broadcast between 24 February and 6 April 2012,[14] concluded, the programme took a year-long hiatus from television, with the sixth series beginning on 2 January 2014.[15] From then onwards, the programme would continue to see the average viewership decrease slowly across the next few series.[16] Series 7 was broadcast from 2 January to 13 February 2015,[17] series 8 from 11 January to 22 February 2016,[18][19] series 9 from 1 March to 3 May 2017,[20][21] and series 10 from 28 February to 2 May 2018.[22]
Casting
Jake Canuso (pictured here in 2015) portrayed the role of Mateo Castellanos. He was the only cast member to appear in every single episode
Series 1 introduced the main characters: the Garvey family, which included parents Mick (Steve Pemberton) and Janice (Siobhan Finneran), teenage daughter Chantelle (Hannah Hobley) and eight-year-old son Michael (Oliver Stokes); Janice's mother Madge (Sheila Reid); Jacqueline (Janine Duvitski) and Donald Stewart (Kenny Ireland); Kate (Abigail Cruttenden) and Martin Weedon (Nicholas Burns); Geoff Maltby (Johnny Vegas), who calls himself "The Oracle", and his mother Noreen (Elsie Kelly); Gavin Ramsbottom (Hugh Sachs) and Troy Ganatra (Paul Bazely) the Solana staff: barman Mateo Castellanos (Jake Canuso) and manageress Janey Yorke (Crissy Rock).[23]Niky Wardley appeared in a recurring role, portraying the role of Kelly, Mateo's lover, whilst Ella Kenion made a guest appearance in the third episode as an unnamed con artist.[23] All regular cast members returned for the second series, with Geoffrey Hutchings joining the cast as Mel Harvey, the new multi-millionaire boyfriend of Madge, and Chantelle's baby son "Coolio".[9] Furthermore, Wardley reprised her role as Kelly, with Wendy Richard making a guest appearance in one episode as her mother, a wheelchair-riding love rival for Madge; other guest stars included Margi Clarke as Dorothy, Gavin's estranged mother and Elliott Jordan portrayed Jack, a British bar-owner with whom Janice found temptation.[23]
In the third series, all cast members once again returned, though Abigail Cruttenden only returned for the final two episodes, with Sheridan Smith portraying the role of Brandy, a brief replacement love interest for Martin.[23] Guest cast members in these series included Keith Barron, playing an English deputy Mayor; Tim Healy, playing Geoff's transvestite blind date Les (Lesley) Conroy; Robin Askwith playing Gary, a conman and a thief who was revealed as Brandy's lover; Una Stubbs made an appearance in the final episode as Martin's mother, Diana; Stuart McGugan played Donald's practical-joking friend Wink McAndrew, who electrocuted himself to death on-stage at Neptune's; whilst Lorraine Bruce appeared as one of Madge's estranged daughters.[23] Healy would go on to make a further guest appearance in the 2010 Christmas special, before becoming a cast regular in the fourth series.[23] Other guest stars in the Christmas special included Louie Spence, portraying the role of Marvin; Brian Murphy played the role of Noreen's love interest Clive Mitchell; whereas Su Pollard, Asa Elliott[af; arz] and Roy Wood appeared as themselves.[23]
A number of new characters were introduced for series 4, including Liam Conroy (Adam Gillen), the son of Les, the latter now also a cast regular; Sam Wood (Shelley Longworth) and her good friend Natalie Jones (Kathryn Drysdale); Kenneth Du Beke (Tony Maudsley), a hairdresser at Gavin and Troy's hair salon in Derbyshire, taking Troy's place on holiday with Gavin; and Pauline Maltby (Selina Griffiths), the daughter of Noreen on holiday with her in the place of Geoff.[23] The Garvey family (now only including Pemberton, Finneran, Reid and Stokes), Donald and Jacqueline (Ireland and Duvitski), Mateo (Canuso), Janey (Rock) returned from series 3.[23] There was also a variety of guest appearances, including Neil Fitzmaurice as "Lucky Kev", Cilla Black as herself, Bananarama as themselves, Denise Welch as "Scary Mary", Melvyn Hayes as "Mr Pink" and Ian Reddington as Johnny Neptune.[23]Michael Fenton Stevens was also introduced, making the first of his many guest appearances, as Sir Henry, the head of the British consulate.[23] Johnny Vegas, Hannah Hobley, Abigail Cruttenden and Nicholas Burns did not return; Paul Bazely did not return until the final episode, due to his filming commitments after joining the cast of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.[23]
Fifth series cast
Prior to the fifth series airing, Crissy Rock decided to leave in order to appear in the eleventh series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, though did make a one-off return.[24] As a result, Sherrie Hewson joined the cast, playing the role of Joyce Temple-Savage, the new manageress of the Solana.[25] Bazely, Drysdale and Griffiths were the only cast members of the fourth series to not return; Michelle Butterly was then cast in the role of Trudy, a character who accompanies Sam on holiday, thus acting as a replacement for Drysdale.[23] All the remaining cast members returned.[23] Alba Ortega had a brief role in the series, portraying the role of Carmen, the new colleague of Kenneth, who now owns a hair salon within the Solana.[23] Asa Eliott, Elliott Jordan and Michael Fenton Stevens reprised their roles as himself, Jack and Sir Henry, respectively.[23] This was the only series to feature Butterly, the last time Noreen featured until series 7 and Sam featured until series 9, and the last series to feature Sachs.[23]
In series 6, a new family was added to the show at this point. The Dykes, a lively family from Watford, consist of father Clive (Perry Benson), his wife Tonya (Hannah Waddingham), their son Tiger (Danny Walters) and their daughter Bianca (Bel Powley). The Garveys, Donald and Jacqueline, Mateo, Lesley, Liam, Kenneth and Joyce all returned, whilst Nicholas Burns reprised his role as Martin Weedon after a five-year absence, alongside his friends on a stag holiday.[23] There are guest appearances in this series, as Matthew Kelly plays Cyril Babcock (who also appeared in series 5), Elliott Jordan returns as Jack, Rustie Lee plays Queenie, Asa Elliott and The Krankies appear as themselves, legendary Hollywood star Joan Collins stars as Crystal Hennessy-Vass, the CEO of the Solana Hotel Group, Janet Street-Porter makes a cameo appearance as a news reporter, and Holly Earl plays local girl Elena.[23]
Benson, Canuso, Duvitski, Gillen, Healy, Hewson, Maudsley and Walters all returned as regulars for series 7; Finneran, Pemberton, Reid and Stokes also returned, but only appeared in the first two episodes which were written specifically to end their time on the show,[26] whereas Waddingham and Powley did not return.[23] Following Kenny Ireland's death, his character Donald Stewart did not appear, though Duvitski did return, with Alan David replacing Donald as reluctant swinger Glynn Flint; to script in Donald's absence, Glynn's wife Rhiannon (played by Ruth Madoc) was holidaying in France with Donald. Leslie Jordan guest starred as Buck A. Roo for two episodes, playing an attorney who revealed the Garveys had inherited $30 million before whisking them off to Las Vegas. Johnny Vegas and Elsie Kelly returned during the series, whereas Denise Black guest starred as Gloria, Liam's mother.[27] Collins also made a guest appearance, as did Crissy Rock.[27] For series 8, Benson, Eaton and David did not return, whereas all others did, with Ireland's character being killed off-screen.[23] In series 8, Julie Graham, Steve Edge, Bobby Knutt, Josh Bolt and Honor Kneafsey joined the cast as new family, the Dawsons.[28]Jessica Ellerby and Nathan Bryon joined the cast as Amber Platt and Joey Ellis, respectively. Paul Bazely and Selina Griffiths returned, both having not appeared since series 4, whereas Sheila Reid re-appeared for a singular episode. Several previous guest stars returned, including Louis Emerick, Paul Chan, John Challis, Milanka Brooks and Joan Collins, while Kevin Bishop, Shane Richie and Leo Sayer appeared as new guests.[29]
During filming of series 9, Healy fell ill whilst filming, resulting in him being written out for the second half of the series.[30] All of the series 8 cast returned for the ninth series.[31][32][33][34]Shelley Longworth reprised her role as Sam Wood for the ninth series, having not appeared since series 5.[35] The following year, Laila Zaidi and Julian Moore-Cook joined the cast for series 10, whereas Vegas, Bazely, Walters and Kneafsey did not return, with Walters going on to join the cast of EastEnders.[36] In September 2017, actor Bobby Knutt died; however, filming had already finished; the first episode was dedicated to him.[37]
Filming
The Solana is the hotel featured in the show, where most of the characters stay. The pool scenes are filmed at the Sol Pelicanos Ocas Hotel in Benidorm, and the room scenes are filmed in the Acuariam II Apartments (which overlook the pool). The reception area and the salon is filmed in a studio set in a building opposite Benidorm Palace, known as "The Pink House".
Neptune's is an all-inclusive bar/restaurant featured in the show, and owned by The Solana. Most of the characters are seen here in the evening, where seemingly there is karaoke and live entertainment every night. Occasional guest appearances take place from singer Asa Elliott, and previously Shaun Foster Conley. Neptune's is filmed in Morgan's Tavern, near to Sol Pelicanos Ocas, where the pool scenes are filmed. Scenes showing cast members leaving Neptune's were filmed using a false facade on the bar area of Sol Pelicanos Ocas, forming a continuum with other outdoor scenes.
Cancellation
In July 2018, it was confirmed that Benidorm would not be returning for an eleventh series, just weeks after the tenth series had concluded.[1] Ratings had steadily declined throughout the last few series, with the events of series 10 acting as a conclusion to the characters' journeys.[1] Litten went on to create a new sitcom for BBC One, entitled Scarborough, which featured a variety of former Benidorm cast members.[38]
Television network FOX has commissioned an American adaptation of the sitcom, named The Big Package.[39][40] The adaptation will be set in a Mexican holiday resort, with the plot revolving around a Bostonian family, similar to the Garvey family, who go on holiday to escape their financial issues. The title of the adaptation derives from the three-star resort it is set at, which offers a "big package deal". Writers Chris Alberghini and Mike Chessler will be adapting Derren Litten's scripts for the show. As of October 2016 the show was slated for a 2017 debut,[41] but by June 2024 it has yet to air.
In 2017, dates were announced for a major theatre tour of the sitcom's stage adaptation. The tour began in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England at the Theatre Royal on 7 September 2018[2] Two hundred and thirty-five shows were scheduled to take place in various locations throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.[42]
Michael Joseph Pennington, better known as Johnny Vegas, is an English actor, comedian, director and writer. He is known for his thick Lancashire accent, husky voice, angry comedic rants, and use of surreal humour.
Janine Duvitski is a British actress, known for her roles in the BBC television sitcom series Waiting for God, One Foot in the Grave and Benidorm. Duvitski first came to national attention in the play Abigail's Party, written and directed in 1977 by Mike Leigh.
Derren Ronald Litten is an English comedy writer, actor and director, best known as the creator and writer of the sitcom Benidorm. He co-wrote The Catherine Tate Show, in which he plays several characters in the first two series and the 2005 Christmas special. He has acted in many TV comedy and drama series including Perfect World, French and Saunders, Spaced, EastEnders, Coronation Street, and Pie in the Sky with Richard Griffiths. Litten's first sitcom was Benidorm, which began airing on ITV in 2007. The series follows various groups of holiday makers and staff in the all-inclusive Solana resort located in Benidorm. The series received strong ratings and later extended its runtime, running for 10 series ending in 2018.
Siobhan Margaret Finneran is an English actress. She made her screen debut in the 1987 independent film Rita, Sue and Bob Too, and subsequently worked consistently in television drama including roles in Coronation Street (1989–1990), Clocking Off (2000–2002) and The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (2006). In 2005, Finneran originated the lead female role in the stage play On the Shore of the Wide World and was awarded the Manchester Evening News Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Also a comedy performer, Finneran appeared as Janice Garvey, a leading character in the first seven series of ITV sitcom Benidorm (2007–2015).
Paul Reginald Bazely is an English actor. He is known for portraying Troy in the ITV sitcom Benidorm. His other TV credits include Making Out, Emmerdale, Heartbeat, Doctors, Holby City, Vanity Fair, The IT Crowd and Cruella.
Sheila Reid is a Scottish actress, known for playing Madge Harvey in the ITV sitcom Benidorm (2007–2016). An original member of the Royal National Theatre in 1963, she played Bianca in the National's 1965 film version of Othello, with Laurence Olivier in the title role. Her other film appearances include Brazil (1985), The Winter Guest (1997) and Containment (2015).
Oliver Stokes from Kingston Upon Hull is an English actor. He is best known for playing the role of Michael Garvey in Benidorm, from 2007 to 2015.
Christine Murray, known professionally as Crissy Rock, is an English award-winning actress, stand-up comedian, and best-selling author, most notable for her role as Maggie Conlan in the 1994 film Ladybird, Ladybird, and as Janey York in Benidorm whom she played from 2007, until 2011 when she left the show, although she returned in Episode 6 of Series 5 for a cameo role, and then again for two episodes of Series 7 in 2015.
Tony Maudsley is an English actor. He is best known for his portrayal of hairdresser Kenneth Du Beke in the hit ITV sitcom Benidorm, and George Shuttleworth in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street (2020–present).
Elsie Kelly is an English actress. With a career spanning five decades, she has appeared in various television shows including Crossroads, The Famous Five and Harry and the Wrinklies, before taking on her best known role of Noreen Maltby in the ITV sitcom Benidorm.
The inaugural series of the ITV television series Benidorm, which is a sitcom set in an all-inclusive holiday resort in Benidorm, Spain, began broadcasting on 1 February 2007, consisting of six episodes. The entire series was directed by Kevin Allen and written by Derren Litten. The first series introduced the Garvey family, consisting of Mick, Janice, Chantelle, Michael and Janice's mother Madge Barron ; swingers Donald and Jacqueline Stewart ; mother and son Noreen and Geoff "The Oracle" Maltby ; homosexual couple Gavin and Troy Ramsbottom ; un-keen couple Kate and Martin Weedon ; and Solana staff Mateo Castellanos and manageress Janey York.
Jake Canuso is a Swiss-British actor, best known for his role in the ITV comedy series Benidorm, in which he played the Solana barman Mateo Castellanos from 2007 until 2018. Canuso was a professional dancer for eighteen years, working with artists Rozalla, Spice Girls, Annie Lennox and Elton John.
The fourth season of the ITV television series Benidorm, which is a sitcom set in an all-inclusive holiday resort, began broadcasting on 25 February 2011, consisting of six episodes. The entire series was directed by Sandy Johnson and written by Derren Litten. Multiple changes occurred within the cast this series, which saw the introductions of Shelley Longworth as Sam Wood, Tony Maudsley as Kenneth Du Beke, Kathryn Drysdale as Natalie Jones, Adam Gillen as Liam Conroy and Selina Griffiths as Pauline Mahmood. Furthermore, Tim Healy re-joined the cast, now on a permanent basis, whereas Cilla Black, Denise Welch, Bananarama, and Melvyn Hayes made brief guest appearances. Returning from the third series were the Garvey family, consisting of Mick, Janice, Michael and Janice's mother Madge Barron ; swingers Donald and Jacqueline Stewart ; Noreen Maltby ; homosexual couple Gavin and Troy Ramsbottom, though Bazely only appeared in the series finale; and Solana staff Mateo Castellanos and manageress Janey York.
The fifth series of the ITV television series Benidorm, which is a sitcom set in an all-inclusive holiday resort in Benidorm, Spain, began broadcasting on 24 February 2012, consisting of seven episodes. The series was directed by both John Henderson and Sandy Johnson, though was written by Derren Litten, Steve Pemberton and Neil Fitzmaurice. The series saw the returns of Garvey family, consisting of Mick, Janice, Michael Garvey and Janice's mother Madge Barron ; swingers Donald and Jacqueline Stewart ; Noreen Maltby ; hairdressers Gavin Ramsbottom and Kenneth Du Beke ; Sam Wood and Solana staff Mateo Castellanos, Les/Lesley Conroy and Liam Conroy. Sherrie Hewson and Michelle Butterly joined the cast of Joyce Temple-Savage, the new Solana manageress, and Trudy, the new holiday companion of Sam, respectively. Paul Bazely, Kathryn Drysdale and Selina Griffiths did not return; Crissy Rock did not return either, though did make a brief return during the sixth episode.
Benidorm Live is the stage adaptation of British sitcom Benidorm, written by its writer and creator Derren Litten. The tour began in Newcastle, England at the Theatre Royal on 7 September 2018, and concluded in Canterbury, England at the Marlowe Theatre on 20 April 2019, spanning a total of 250 shows.
Scarborough is a British television sitcom set in the North Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough, England. The series was aired on BBC One, and revolves around the lives of a group of friends who regularly meet up in a pub for karaoke on a Friday night.
The second series of the ITV television series Benidorm, which is a sitcom set in an all-inclusive holiday resort in Benidorm, Spain, began broadcasting on 28 March 2008, consisting of eight episodes. The entire series was directed by Sandy Johnson and written by Derren Litten. Returning from the first series were the Garvey family, consisting of Mick, Janice, Chantelle, Michael and Janice's mother Madge Barron, whereas Geoffrey Hutchings was introduced as Mel Harvey, Madge's new fiancé; swingers Donald and Jacqueline Stewart ; mother and son Noreen and Geoff "The Oracle" Maltby ; homosexual couple Gavin and Troy Ramsbottom ; un-keen couple Kate and Martin Weedon ; and Solana staff Mateo Castellanos and manageress Janey York.
The sixth series of the ITV television series Benidorm, which is a sitcom set in an all-inclusive holiday resort in Benidorm, Spain, began broadcasting on 2 January 2014, consisting of seven episodes. The entire series was written by Derren Litten whereas both Sandy Johnson and David Sant were credited as individual directors throughout the series. Returning from the fifth series were the Garvey family, consisting of Mick, Janice, Michael Garvey and Janice's mother Madge Barron ; swingers Donald and Jacqueline Stewart ; hairdressers Liam Conroy and Kenneth Du Beke ; and Solana staff, consisting of barmen Mateo Castellanos and Les/Lesley Conroy, and manageress Joyce Temple-Savage. A new family was introduced – the Dykes from Watford, consisting of married couple Clive and Tonya and their children Tiger and Bianca.
The seventh series of the ITV television series Benidorm, which is a sitcom set in an all-inclusive holiday resort in Benidorm, Spain, began broadcasting on 2 January 2015, consisting of seven episodes. The entire series was written by Derren Litten whereas both Sandy Johnson and David Sant were credited as individual directors throughout the series. This was the final series to feature the Garvey family, consisting of Mick, Janice, Michael Garvey and Janice's mother Madge Barron, though Reid did briefly return in the eighth series. Furthermore, it was the first series not to feature Donald Stewart, due to Ireland's diagnosis of cancer and subsequent death. Janine Duvitski reprised her role of Jacqueline Stewart, the character's wife, who was joined by newcomer Glynn. Other returning cast members included Tiger and Clive Dyke, who were joined by Terry Dyke ; hairdressers Liam Conroy and Kenneth Du Beke ; and Solana staff, consisting of barmen Mateo Castellanos and Les/Lesley Conroy, and manageress Joyce Temple-Savage. Elsie Kelly and Johnny Vegas, who are both original cast members of the programme, also reprised their roles during the seventh series.
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