Gimme Gimme Gimme | |
---|---|
Genre | Sitcom |
Created by | Jonathan Harvey |
Developed by |
|
Starring |
|
Opening theme | "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" by ABBA |
Ending theme | "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" by ABBA |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 3 |
No. of episodes | 19 (+1 Comic Relief sketch) (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producers | |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Production companies | Tiger Aspect Productions Hartswood Films (series 2) |
Original release | |
Network | |
Release | 8 January 1999 – 14 December 2001 |
Gimme Gimme Gimme is a BBC television sitcom by Tiger Aspect Productions that was first aired in three series from 1999 to 2001. It was written by Jonathan Harvey, who developed the series with Kathy Burke, who stars as loudmouthed Londoner Linda La Hughes, with James Dreyfus co-starring as her gay flatmate, actor Tom Farrell.
The title from the show stems from both the main characters' continual search for a male partner, and the theme music is a cover of ABBA's "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)". The first two series were originally shown on BBC Two and were deemed successful enough for the third series to be shown on BBC One.
Burke received two BAFTA nominations for Best Comedy Performance for playing the lead character, Linda La Hughes. The show received a nomination in the Best Scripted Comedy category for its third series.
Gimme Gimme Gimme centres on loudmouthed Londoner Linda La Hughes (played by comedian and director Kathy Burke) and her gay flatmate, actor Tom Farrell (played by James Dreyfus). A modern twist on the traditional "odd couple" format, much of Gimme Gimme Gimme's humour springs from its lubricious innuendo subplot, which comes from the mouths of both Tom and Linda.
Linda is characterised by her red hair, white glasses and plump, lycra-clad figure. Boorish, unattractive Linda is convinced she is a "stunner"; in series three she is finally diagnosed with reverse body dysmorphic disorder. It is suggested that Linda and Tom first met at a nightclub, bonded instantly (due to both being on ecstasy), and decided to live together. What follows is, as writer Jonathan Harvey describes, "one long comedown". Linda often tells humorous anecdotes about her family and childhood which suggest abuse or neglect (such as how she apparently slept on a doormat as a baby, lived in a kennel as a child, and was left in a car-boot for the two weeks her aunt went on holiday), but she always thinks of these as positive experiences. She also claims that her Daddy now lives in an iron lung, although the only proof she has is a photo of a sideboard. Linda also lived in a convent and was sent to a borstal as a teenager. She has crushes on Liam Gallagher (in whom she lost interest after series one as she "couldn't bring up another bird's child"), Robbie Williams, and both male members of Hear'Say. She also imagines having sex with Dale Winton in a toilet cubicle.
Tom is melodramatic yet fails in his desire to get acting roles. He believes himself to be truly gifted in the art of acting, and often blames his failures on his agent or society itself. He did appear in one episode of EastEnders and often brags about it, delaying for as long as he can the fact that he was in one scene, had one line, and did nothing but buy a cagoule from Bianca Jackson's market stall. He also appeared in Daylight Robbery as an extra, standing in a queue in the background. He had one line but it was cut due to timekeeping. He insists that the entire series was ruined due to the axing of his line. Tom has an obsession with appearing to be middle-class even though he hails from a working-class background, possibly because he also hates his parents. It is often suggested that Tom has no friends whatsoever (apart from Linda and his housemates) but unlike Linda he usually tries to pretend he is popular. Tom is in love with the actor Simon Shepherd.
Although they appear to loathe each other, Tom and Linda are beholden to each other due to the simple fact that nobody else can tolerate them. They are in many ways alike: selfish, unsuccessful, and physically and personally unattractive - although Tom less so. The hapless duo live in a Kentish Town flat (69 Paradise Passage, Kentish Town) rented from elderly ex-prostitute Beryl Merit (Rosalind Knight), who lives in the upstairs flat. Other regular characters are the middle-class, horny married couple Jez (Brian Bovell) and Suze (Beth Goddard), who live in the basement flat. Many of the storylines revolve around the fact that Tom and Linda find Jez sexually attractive and (particularly Linda) despise the oblivious Suze. Another recurring character is Sugar Walls (Elaine Lordan), Linda's celebrity sister. Many of the other characters can be just as hapless as Tom and Linda; Beryl still engages in sexual activities such as S&M and picking up young and married men, while Jez and Suze generally lack common sense. For example, they once cancelled their holiday to the Algarve and paid £500 to stay in their own back garden after Linda opened it up as a campsite.
On at least one occasion the fourth wall is broken when a previous series was referenced by Linda.
At the end of series three, Tom finally got his big break in TV soap opera Crossroads . The last episode ended with Tom leaving the flat and Linda taking off her hair (revealing it to be a wig) and sitting in the flat alone.
Linda La Hughes (Kathy Burke) – Linda is portrayed as an unattractive middle-aged woman who usually wears skin tight, colourful clothing. Linda grabs any opportunity to bluntly flirt with any man she sees. She is delusional about her appearance. Her age is uncertain as she has announced different ages through the three series.
Thomas Thessalonius "Tom" Farrell (James Dreyfus) – Tom is a 30-year-old wannabe (but bad) actor who has only had small roles on TV and on stage. Tom is openly gay and seizes every possible opportunity to get a boyfriend.
Beryl Merit (Rosalind Knight) – Beryl is the elderly landlady of 69 Paradise Passage. She is a retired prostitute but stays involved in criminal activities such as shoplifting and bootlegging.
Jez Littlewood (Brian Bovell) – Jez is Tom and Linda's hunky middle-class neighbour.
Suze Littlewood (Beth Goddard) – Suze is Jez's ditzy wife. She can sometimes be nice but on other occasions she can be hyperactive and rather irritating, unintentionally coming off as a burden. Tom and Linda loathe Suze for standing in the way of their pursuit of Jez.
Norma (Doña Croll) – Tom's agent who features in every series.
Sharon Hughes/Sugar Walls (Elaine Lordan) is Linda's famous sister. She is a model, but is more famous for her promiscuity than her modelling career. She appears in series 1 and returns in series 2.
Simon Shepherd is Tom's celebrity crush. Simon is famous for starring in Peak Practice . He appears in every series.
The series was filmed in front of a live studio audience in Studio 2 at The London Studios, South Bank, London.
Writer Jonathan Harvey appeared in three episodes; as a guest at the series 1 wedding, once as make-up artist Louis, and then as a customer in a sofa store.
Gimme Gimme Gimme has broadcast three series and 19 episodes in total. The first series premiered on BBC Two on 8 January 1999 and lasted for six episodes, concluding on 12 February 1999. Following this, a Millennium special was screened at the end of the year on 29 December 1999. A second series commenced on 14 January 2000 and finished on 18 February 2000, again including six episodes. A short sketch included as part of Comic Relief was broadcast on 16 March 2001. Due to the high viewing figures and success the show received, it was moved to BBC One for a six-episode third series which was the last. Each episode was written by Jonathan Harvey and directed by Liddy Oldroyd for the first two series and the special; the third series was directed by Tristram Shapeero.
Series | Timeslot | Episodes | First aired | Last aired | Network | Rank | Avg. viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Friday 9:00 pm | 6 | 8 January 1999 | 12 February 1999 | BBC Two | 1 | 6.01 |
2 | Wednesday 9:00 pm (special) Friday 9:00 pm | 7 | 29 December 1999 | 18 February 2000 | 2 | 6.62 | |
3 | Friday 9:30 pm | 6 | 2 November 2001 | 14 December 2001 | BBC One | N/A | N/A |
Series 1 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Air date | Ratings [1] | |
Viewers | Rank | |||
1 | "Who's That Boy" | 8 January 1999 | 6,550,000 | 1 |
2 | "The Big Break" | 15 January 1999 | 6,290,000 | 1 |
3 | "Legs and Co." | 22 January 1999 | 5,950,000 | 1 |
4 | "Do They Take Sugar?" | 29 January 1999 | 6,100,000 | 1 |
5 | "Saturday Night Diva" | 5 February 1999 | 5,840,000 | 2 |
6 | "I Do, I Do, I Do" | 12 February 1999 | 5,350,000 | 2 |
Series 2 | ||||
No. | Title | Air date | Ratings [1] | |
Viewers | Rank | |||
S | "Millennium" | 29 December 1999 | 3,980,000 | 3 |
1 | "Teacher's Pet" | 14 January 2000 | 6,790,000 | 1 |
2 | "Stiff" | 21 January 2000 | 5,420,000 | 3 |
3 | "Prison Visitor" | 28 January 2000 | 5,570,000 | 2 |
4 | "Dirty 30" | 4 February 2000 | 6,160,000 | 1 |
5 | "Glad to be Gay?" | 11 February 2000 | 4,720,000 | 2 |
6 | "Sofa Man" | 18 February 2000 | 7,100,000 | 1 |
Series 3 | ||||
No. | Title | Air date | Ratings [1] | |
Viewers | Rank | |||
1 | "Down and Out" | 2 November 2001 | 6,790,000 | 22 |
2 | "Lollipop Man" | 9 November 2001 | <6,150,000 | — |
3 | "Secrets and Flies" | 23 November 2001 | <5,830,000 | — |
4 | "Trauma" | 30 November 2001 | <5,960,000 | — |
5 | "Singing in the Drain" | 7 December 2001 | <5,920,000 | — |
6 | "Decoy" | 14 December 2001 | <5,550,000 | — |
Year | Award Show | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1999 | British Comedy Awards | Best TV Comedy Actress | Kathy Burke | Nominated | [2] |
Best TV Sitcom | Gimme Gimme Gimme | Nominated | |||
2000 | Best TV Comedy Actress | Kathy Burke | Nominated | [2] | |
2001 | BAFTA TV Awards | Best Comedy Performance | Kathy Burke | Nominated | [3] [2] |
2002 | Best Comedy Performance | Kathy Burke | Nominated | [4] [2] | |
Best Scripted Comedy | Francis Matthews Tristram Shapeero Jonathan Harvey | Nominated | |||
British Comedy Awards | Best TV Comedy Actress | Kathy Burke | Won | [5] [2] | |
National Television Awards | Most Popular Comedy Performer | Kathy Burke | Nominated | [2] |
Gimme Gimme Gimme' has been released entirely on VHS and DVD on Region 2 in the United Kingdom via Video Vision Ltd. and Universal Home Entertainment. Each series were released as individual sets and a complete collection. The original DVD sets were made available on the same days as the VHS sets. On Region 4 in Australia, where only the first two series are available, the sets are have identical content to the UK releases. The series was re-released on Region 2 DVD under Universal's subsidiary, Universal Playback.
Series | Release date | Features | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
VHS & Region 2 | Region 2 (reissue) | Region 4 | ||
The Complete First Series | 1 October 2001 [6] [7] | 30 April 2007 [8] | 22 April 2003 [9] [10] |
|
The Complete Second Series | 17 November 2003 [11] | 27 August 2007 [12] | 3 June 2009 [13] [14] |
|
The Complete Third Series | 11 November 2002 [15] | 27 August 2007 [16] | — |
|
The Complete Collection | 17 November 2003 [17] | 13 November 2006 [18] | — |
|
From November 2020, the entire series was made available on BBC iPlayer for one year. In December 2022, it became available to stream on BritBox. [19]
Absolutely Fabulous is a British television sitcom based on the French and Saunders sketch "Modern Mother and Daughter", created by Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. The show was created and written by Saunders, who also stars as one of the main characters. Its cast includes Joanna Lumley and Julia Sawalha.
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated superhero television series based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. Developed by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation, it originally aired on Fox Kids from September 5, 1992, to September 15, 1995, with a total of 85 episodes. Mid-way through the series' run, it was re-titled The Adventures of Batman & Robin.
My Hero is a British television sitcom, created by Paul Mendelson, and produced for the BBC between 2000 and 2006. The series follows the exploits of an alien superhero known as "Thermoman" - a multi-powered superhero who originates from the planet Ultron - during his time between missions after falling in love with a British nurse he rescued. Although incredibly intelligent amongst his kind, Thermoman is unfamiliar with human life, which not only leads others to consider him dim-witted and idiotic, but also causes problems due to his many misunderstandings.
K-9 and Company is a one-episode television pilot, for a proposed 1981 television spin-off of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features former series regulars Sarah Jane Smith, an investigative journalist played by Elisabeth Sladen, and K9, a robotic dog voiced by John Leeson. Both characters had been companions of the Fourth Doctor, but they had not appeared together before. The single episode, "A Girl's Best Friend", was broadcast by BBC1 as a Christmas special on 28 December 1981, but was not taken up for a continuing series.
My Family is a British sitcom created and initially co-written by Fred Barron, which was produced by DLT Entertainment and Rude Boy Productions, and broadcast by BBC One for eleven series between 2000 and 2011, with Christmas specials broadcast from 2002 onwards. My Family was voted 24th in the BBC's "Britain's Best Sitcom" in 2004 and was the most watched sitcom in the United Kingdom in 2008. As of 2011, it is one of only twelve British sitcoms to pass the 100-episode mark. In April 2020, BBC One began airing the series from the first episode in an 8 pm slot on Friday nights; along with this all 11 series were made available on BBC iPlayer.
The Royle Family is a British sitcom produced by Granada Television for the BBC, which ran for three series from 1998 to 2000, and specials from 2006 to 2012. It centres on the lives of a television-fixated Manchester family, the Royles, comprising family patriarch Jim Royle, his wife Barbara, their daughter Denise, their son Antony and Denise's fiancé David.
Katherine Lucy Bridget Burke is an English actress and comedian. She appeared in sketch shows such as French and Saunders (1988–1999), played a recurring role as Magda on the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012), and performed frequent collaborations with fellow comedian Harry Enfield. From 1999 to 2001, she starred as Linda La Hughes on the BBC sitcom Gimme Gimme Gimme, for which she received a British Comedy Award and two BAFTA nominations.
Birds of a Feather is a British sitcom originally broadcast on BBC One from 16 October 1989 to 24 December 1998, then revived on ITV from 2 January 2014 to 24 December 2020. The series stars Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson, with Lesley Joseph. It was created by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, who also wrote many of the episodes.
Bad Girls is a British television drama series that was broadcast on ITV from 1 June 1999 until 20 December 2006. It was created by Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus of Shed Productions, who initiated the idea of developing a series primarily focusing on the inmates and staff of the fictional women's prison, Larkhall, located in the South London region. Following the success of previous series Within These Walls and the Australian-imported Prisoner: Cell Block H, both of which screened on ITV, Bad Girls was commissioned by the network and was viewed as a realistic, modern portrayal of life in a women's prison. The series featured a large ensemble cast, including Linda Henry, Claire King, Simone Lahbib, Mandana Jones, Debra Stephenson, Jack Ellis, Alicya Eyo, Helen Fraser, Kika Mirylees, Victoria Alcock, James Gaddas, Victoria Bush, Dannielle Brent and Liz May Brice.
The Liver Birds is a British sitcom, set in Liverpool, North West England, which aired on BBC1 from April 1969 to December 1978, and again in 1996. The show was created by Carla Lane and Myra Taylor. The two Liverpudlian housewives had met at a local writers club and decided to pool their talents. Having been invited to London by Michael Mills, the BBC's then Head of Comedy, and asked to write about two women sharing a flat, Mills brought in sitcom expert Sydney Lotterby to work with the writing team.
Peep Show is a British television sitcom starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, and created by Andrew O'Connor, Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain. The series was written by Armstrong and Bain, with additional material by Mitchell and Webb, among others. It was broadcast on Channel 4 from 19 September 2003 to 16 December 2015. In 2010, it became the longest-running comedy in Channel 4 history in terms of years on air.
Elizabeth Jane Goddard is a British actress known for her role as Suze Littlewood in the BBC comedy series Gimme Gimme Gimme.
The Upper Hand is a British television sitcom with dramatic elements broadcast by ITV from 1 May 1990 to 14 October 1996. The programme was adapted from the American sitcom Who's the Boss?
At Home with the Braithwaites is a British comedy-drama television series, was created and written by Sally Wainwright. The storyline follows a suburban family in Leeds, whose life is turned upside down when the mother of the family wins £38 million on the lottery. The show was broadcast on ITV and produced by Yorkshire Television for 26 episodes, from 20 January 2000 to 9 April 2003.
Goosebumps is a children's horror anthology television series based on R. L. Stine's best-selling book series of the same name. It is an anthology of stories involving children and young adults in otherworldly situations. The series is centered around the same supernatural or occult elements featured in the novels, with most episodes being direct adaptions of the books.
The Demon Headmaster is a British television series based on the children's books by Gillian Cross of the same name. Made for CBBC, the drama was first broadcast between 1996 and 1998. The first series contained six episodes, and aired twice weekly from 2 to 18 January 1996, the second series contained seven episodes and aired weekly from 25 September to 6 November 1996, and the third series contained six episodes and aired twice weekly from 6 to 22 January 1998.
Susan Nicola Vertue is an English television producer, mainly of comedy shows, including Mr. Bean and Coupling. She is the daughter of producer Beryl Vertue.
The ninth season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 1 January 1972 with Day of the Daleks, and ended with The Time Monster. This is the third series of the Third Doctor, played by Jon Pertwee, as well as the third to be produced by Barry Letts and script edited by Terrance Dicks.
The third series of the British television sitcom Absolutely Fabulous premiered on BBC One on 30 March 1995 and concluded on 11 May 1995, consisting of six episodes. The third series was originally intended to be the final series of Absolutely Fabulous. However, the following year, Jennifer Saunders decided to write a two-part special titled "The Last Shout", serving as an official finale to the third series. The series was later revived five years later in 2001.