Great Night Out

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Great Night Out
Great Night Out titlecard.jpg
Genre Comedy drama
Created byMark Bussell
Justin Sbresni
Written byMark Bussell
Justin Sbresni
Steve Turner
Jonathan Harvey
Directed by Elliot Hegarty
Iain B MacDonald
Starring Lee Boardman
William Ash
Craig Parkinson
Stephen Walters
ComposerVince Pope
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes6
Production
Camera setup Single camera
Running time60 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production company Hat Trick Productions
Original release
Network ITV
Release11 January (2013-01-11) 
15 February 2013 (2013-02-15)

Great Night Out is a British comedy drama which aired on ITV in 2013. It was created by Mark Bussell and Justin Sbresni and starred Lee Boardman, William Ash, Craig Parkinson and Stephen Walters. [1] The series was axed by ITV after one series.

Contents

Background

The series follows the misadventures of four thirty-something former school friends from Stockport, Matthew 'Beggsy' Begg (William Ash), Paddy 'Hodge' Hodgkinson (Lee Boardman), Glyn Thwaite (Craig Parkinson), and Darren 'Daz' Taylor (Stephen Walters). All four love football and are lifelong fans of Stockport County. Hodge has been married for five years prior to the first episode, whilst Daz is in a long-term relationship. Glyn and Beggsy both get girlfriends as the series progresses. They frequent their local pub, the Admiral Nelson, where they often tease and banter with the landlord Warren Peterson (Ricky Tomlinson).

Actor Stephen Walters, who plays Daz in the series, described the show by saying: "Great Night Out is a positive and upbeat comedy-drama series and audiences love that sort of escapism. People don't always want to sit though something dark and hard-hitting and depressing. There's a place for those sort of shows, but at a time when people are tightening their belts this series is all about warmth, friendship and pure escapism." [2]

Jimmy Mulville, executive producer of the series, said: "I hope we do justice to the brilliant scripts and wonderful cast. This is a laugh-out-loud comedy about friendship, love and Stockport!” [1]

L-R: Naomi Bentley, Stephen Walters, Rebekah Staton, Lee Boardman, William Ash, Christine Bottomley and Craig Parkinson Great Night Out cast photo.jpg
L-R: Naomi Bentley, Stephen Walters, Rebekah Staton, Lee Boardman, William Ash, Christine Bottomley and Craig Parkinson

Cast and characters

Episodes

#TitleDirectorWriter(s)Original airdateViewers
(millions)
1"Episode 1"Elliot HegartyMark Bussell & Justin Sbresni11 January 2013 (2013-01-11)3.77
Hodge and Kath's seemingly carefully planned wedding anniversary celebrations go slightly awry when some of the guests are waylaid. Meanwhile, Glyn goes to the extreme lengths of taking salsa lessons in an attempt to catch the eye of his gorgeous school sweetheart Julie, and the lads help a worse-for-wear comrade in need, with disastrous consequences.
2"Episode 2"Elliot HegartyMark Bussell & Justin Sbresni18 January 2013 (2013-01-18)3.20
When the lads try to pep Daz up after yet another row with girlfriend Colleen, Glyn's first day in his new job as a chauffeur for local psycho gangster Mad Tony is badly affected. Hodge's questionable fashion choice inadvertently lands the lads in more than a spot of bother and when Glyn's car gets stolen, they are in deep trouble.
3"Episode 3"Elliot HegartyMark Bussell & Justin Sbresni25 January 2013 (2013-01-25)2.75
Beggsy gets a surprise visit from his ex-wife Mandy, and quickly realises that the embers of their relationship are still smouldering. Meanwhile Glyn learns that honesty really is the best policy when trying to win the affection of Julie. Meanwhile, a schoolboy row over their teacher resurfaces between Daz and Hodge, threatening to disrupt Glyn's fancy dress birthday party plans. [3]
4"Episode 4"Iain B MacDonaldMark Bussell & Justin Sbresni1 February 2013 (2013-02-01)3.22
Daz moves into Colleen and Bev's place, using Beggsy as his bargaining tool to clinch the deal after Hodge fits him a wet room upstairs which then proceeds to wreck his house when it falls into his downstairs living room. Glyn's new bromance with an old friend unsettles the group who are suspicious of his motives. Hodge finds himself in unfamiliar territory when Kath broaches the subject of starting a family, and further 'man problems' arise from this. [4]
5"Episode 5"Iain B MacDonaldMark Bussell & Justin Sbresni8 February 2013 (2013-02-08)3.42
Hodge & Kath's romantic countryside weekend away turns out to be anything but when some unexpected visitors join them. Add some very posh fellow campers, and a crazy shotgun-wielding singing farmer, whilst Beggsy finds himself finally enjoying the spoils he's been missing out on in the single life. Colleen's frisky new ways have Daz asking himself some difficult questions. [5]
6"Episode 6"Iain B MacDonaldMark Bussell & Justin Sbresni15 February 2013 (2013-02-15)3.61
Glyn scuppers the lads' plans to go to the biggest football game in history meaning he'll have to go to big lengths to make it up to them. Hodge & Kath have a trial-course of parenting only to learn it's not all it's cracked up to be and Daz has to enlist the help of Colleen's eccentric housemate Bev to spring a surprise on his girlfriend.

International broadcast

Great Night Out premiered on BBC First in Australia on 29 January 2015. [6]

References

  1. 1 2 "New comedy takes viewers on a lads' night out" . Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  2. "About Great Night Out - British Comedy Guide". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  3. Metro, News (8 February 2013). "The Last Leg and Great Night Out: TV picks". Metro. Retrieved 25 June 2018.{{cite web}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  4. Metro, News (8 February 2013). "The Graham Norton Show, Room 101, and Great Night Out: TV Picks". Metro. Retrieved 25 June 2018.{{cite web}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  5. News, Metro (8 February 2013). "The Graham Norton Show and When Albums Ruled the World: TV picks". Metro. Retrieved 25 June 2018.{{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  6. "JANUARY: 200+ new and returning Foxtel show". Foxtel. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2015.