Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps | |
---|---|
Genre | Sitcom |
Created by | Susan Nickson |
Written by | Susan Nickson |
Directed by | Gareth Carrivick Becky Martin Nick Wood Geoff Posner |
Starring | Sheridan Smith Kathryn Drysdale Ralf Little Will Mellor Natalie Casey Luke Gell Beverley Callard |
Opening theme | "Two Pints of Lager Theme" by Christian Henson |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 9 |
No. of episodes | 80 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Production location | Runcorn, Cheshire |
Camera setup | Multi-camera |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Production company | BBC Television |
Original release | |
Network | BBC Two (2001) BBC Choice (2002) BBC Three (2003–2011) |
Release | 26 February 2001 – 24 May 2011 |
Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps is a British television sitcom that ran from 26 February 2001 to 24 May 2011. [1] First broadcast on BBC Two, it starred Sheridan Smith, Will Mellor, Natalie Casey, Ralf Little, Kathryn Drysdale, Beverley Callard and, later on in series 7, Luke Gell. The show was created and written by Susan Nickson and set in her hometown of Runcorn, Cheshire, it originally revolved around the lives of five twentysomethings. Little departed after the sixth series, and Smith and Drysdale left after the eighth series. The ninth and final series had major changes with new main cast members and new writers.
The core cast was augmented by various recurring characters throughout the series, portrayed by Beverley Callard, Lee Oakes, Hayley Bishop, Thomas Nelstrop, Freddie Hogan and Georgia Henshaw. The title was inspired by the 1980 song "Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Please" by punk rock band Splodgenessabounds. [2] On 23 July 2011, it was confirmed that the series would not return due to the BBC making room for new comedies and feeling that the series had come to a natural end after the departures of most of the main cast members. [3]
BBC Two announced the first series as one of the highlights of their Autumn 2000 schedule, although the premiere was eventually held back to 2001. [4] The first six series with the original cast including Ralf Little ran until 2006, with Jonny killed off-screen during the first episode of the seventh series.
An eighth series was confirmed by Mellor in an interview in the Metro on 21 April 2008, in which he said that they would be filming the series from November 2008 to January 2009. [5] In January 2009, the BBC announced recording dates for the next series at BBC Television Centre from 1 February to 3 April. Natalie Casey, Kathryn Drysdale, Luke Gell, Will Mellor and Sheridan Smith all returned and the new character of Wesley was played by Thomas Nelstrop. [6]
The outcome of the final episode of series 8 was decided by the public, who were asked to vote on whether Gaz should be with Donna or Janet. Following the finale of series 8, which was broadcast on 10 May 2009, [7] the audience chose Donna with 76.9% of the vote. The final episode concluded with Donna at Gaz's bedside.
Two special episodes of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps were filmed in 2009. [8] The first was set a few minutes after the ending of the previous episode, its cast being limited to Janet, Wesley and Tim, and was recorded on 13 August 2009 at BBC TV Centre. It was a musical extravaganza set entirely inside the Archer and was broadcast on 15 December 2009. The second, "Sliding Gaz", was recorded on 18 August 2009 and shown on 22 December 2009. [9] The cast consists of Donna and Gaz only and shows Donna in a "sliding doors" technique, imagining Gaz being healthy and also paralysed.
In April 2010, it was revealed that the show was to return, albeit 'refreshed' by the BBC, after the departure of the creator of the show, Susan Nickson. [10] Original cast members Sheridan Smith and Kathryn Drysdale were written out of the series after deciding not to return for series 9, and their departures were mentioned in the first episode of series 9. On 25 July 2011 the BBC decided that the show would not return for a tenth series. [11]
Series | Episodes | Premier | Finale | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 6 | 26 February 2001 | 2 April 2001 | |
2 | 6 | 15 April 2002 | 2 May 2002 | |
3 | 10 | 23 February 2003 | 27 April 2003 | |
4 | 8 | 15 February 2004 | 4 April 2004 | |
5 | 14 | 2 January 2005 | 4 March 2005 | |
6 | 10 | 26 February 2006 | 30 April 2006 | |
7 | 8 | 13 January 2008 | 9 March 2008 | |
8 | 8 | 15 March 2009 | 10 May 2009 | |
9 | 6 | 26 April 2011 | 24 May 2011 |
Actor | Character | Duration | Episodes |
---|---|---|---|
Will Mellor | Gaz Wilkinson | 2001–2011 | 79 |
Natalie Casey | Donna Wilkinson née Henshaw | 2001–2011 | 78 |
Sheridan Smith | Janet Keogh née Smith | 2001–2009 | 73 |
Kathryn Drysdale | Louise Brooks | 2001–2009 | 70 |
Ralf Little | Jonny Keogh | 2001–2006 | 56 |
Luke Gell | Tim Claypole | 2008–2011 | 23 |
Actor | Character | Duration | Episodes |
---|---|---|---|
Beverley Callard | Flo Henshaw | 2001–2003 | 19 |
Jonathon Dutton | David Fish | 2003–2004 | 12 |
Lee Oakes | Munch Wilkinson | 2003–2005, 2008 | 24 |
Alison Mac | Kate | 2004 | 6 |
Hayley Bishop | Kelly Crabtree | 2004–2006 | 26 |
Thomas Nelstrop | Wesley Presley | 2009 | 7 |
Freddie Hogan | Billy McCormack | 2011 | 6 |
Georgia Henshaw | Cassie Claypole | 2011 | 6 |
Season | Date released | # of episodes | # of discs | Special features |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Complete First and Second Series | 18 August 2003 | 12 | 2 | |
The Complete Third and Fourth Series | 6 September 2004 | 18 | 4 | 2003 Musical special |
The Complete Fifth Series | 5 September 2005 | 14 | 3 | |
The Complete Series 1–4 | 24 October 2005 | 30 | 5 | |
The Complete Sixth Series | 4 September 2006 | 10 | 2 | Behind the scenes |
The Complete Series 1–6 | 16 October 2006 | 54 | 10 | |
The Complete Seventh Series | 21 April 2008 | 8 | 2 | Behind the scenes |
The Complete Eighth Series | 14 September 2009 | 9 | 2 | Comic Relief Special |
The Complete Ninth Series | 13 June 2011 | 6 | 2 | 2009 specials |
Kathryn Drysdale is an English actress. She gained prominence through her roles in the BBC sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (2001–2009) and the films Vanity Fair (2004) and St Trinian's (2007). Her other work includes the drama Tripping Over (2006), the fourth series of Benidorm (2011) on ITV, the Channel 4 parody The Windsors (2018–2020), and the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2020–).
Sheridan Caroline Sian Smith OBE is an English actress, singer and television personality. Smith came to prominence after playing a variety of characters on sitcoms such as The Royle Family (1999–2000), Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (2001–2009), Gavin & Stacey (2008–2010), and Benidorm (2009). She co-starred as Joey Ross in the drama series Jonathan Creek between 2009 and 2013, and went on to receive acclaim for starring in a succession of television dramas, such as Mrs Biggs (2012), Cilla (2014), The C Word (2015), Black Work (2015), The Moorside (2017), Cleaning Up (2019), and Four Lives (2022). Her film credits include Tower Block (2012), Quartet (2012), The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016), and The Railway Children Return (2022).
William Mellor is an English actor, singer and model. He is known for his roles as Jambo Bolton in Hollyoaks, Gaz Wilkinson in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Warren Stamp in EastEnders, DC Spike Tanner in No Offence, Steve Connolly in Broadchurch, Georgie in Barking! and Ollie Curry in White Van Man. He appeared in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street as Harvey Gaskell. In 2024, he appeared as sub-postmaster Lee Castleton in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, about the British Post Office scandal.
Beverley Jane McEwan is an English actress, known for her role as Liz McDonald in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street and Flo Henshaw in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.
Ralf Alastair John Little is an English actor, writer, presenter, narrator and former semi-professional footballer. He has worked mainly in television comedy, including playing Antony Royle in The Royle Family and Jonny Keogh in the first six series of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (2001–2006). He was the narrator of Channel 5's documentary series Our Yorkshire Farm (2018–2022) and its spin-off, Beyond The Yorkshire Farm: Reuben and Clive. From 2020 to 2024, he starred as Detective Inspector Neville Parker in Death in Paradise.
Jamie Davis is an English actor and writer. He is known for his roles as Harley Lawson in the ITV drama Footballers' Wives (2004–2005) and its spin-off Extra Time (2005), Leon Taylor in the Sky One series Hex (2004–2005), and Max Walker in the BBC medical soap Casualty (2013–2018), and for writing the miniseries You & Me.
Natalie Casey is a British actress, presenter, narrator and singer. She portrayed Carol Groves in the television show Hollyoaks (1996–2000) and Donna Henshaw in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (2001–2011).
Grownups is a BBC Three sitcom written by Susan Nickson, who also created hit BBC Three sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. It follows the trials and tribulations of a group of twentysomething friends in Manchester, facing the decision to either carry on partying or settle down.
Jonathon Dutton is an Australian actor and director. From 1998 to 2002, Dutton played Tad Reeves in Neighbours. He later returned to the show as a director. Dutton has also appeared in MDA, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and Packed to the Rafters.
Susan Nickson is an English screenwriter and executive producer.
Paul William Mayhew-Archer MBE is a British writer, producer, script editor and actor for the BBC. He is best known as the co-writer of The Vicar of Dibley and Esio Trot alongside Richard Curtis. His solo writing career includes My Hero and Office Gossip, which he created. He was the script editor for Old Harry's Game, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Grownups, Home Again, Coming of Age and Big Top.
Jennifer Hennessy is an English actress. She has made numerous television appearances, including as Mrs. Brazendale in the BBC TV series Lilies.
Coming of Age is a British sitcom, written by Tim Dawson, produced in house by BBC Productions, and broadcast on the former channel BBC Three. The show takes a direct look at five sixth form students, Jas, Ollie, Matt, Chloe and DK, as well as, from series three, new character Robyn Crisp, who are living in Abingdon. Their lives rotate around the fictional Wooton College, their bedrooms, and Ollie's garden shed. A pilot originally aired in 2007, followed by the first series in 2008, a second series in 2010, and a third beginning in January 2011. In 2011, the show was cancelled along with other long running BBC Three programmes including Ideal, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Hotter Than My Daughter, and Doctor Who Confidential. The first series was released on DVD on 26 October 2009, however, no further series have been released on DVD.
Alison Mac is a British actress from North East England. She has played Wilf in the short lived BBC Wildlife Drama Series Badger from 1999 to 2000. She is probably best known for her portrayal of Kate in the BBC Three comedy series Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, which she was in for one series in 2004. She was one of the main characters in the short-lived drama Rescue Me, which ran for one series in 2002.
Luke Martin Gell is an English former actor. He was educated at The Kings School in Nottingham and trained at Central Independent Television's Television Workshop. He has been described as a "young Peter Kay" and is most well known for the role of Tim in the BBC Three sitcom, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps from 2008 to the show's end in 2011.
Martin Delaney is an English actor and filmmaker. He has appeared in films such as Zero Dark Thirty, Judas Ghost, and Amar Akbar & Tony.
Tim Dawson is a British screenwriter, best known for his work on a number of television comedies.
Thomas Nelstrop is an English actor, comedian, and voiceover artist. He plays Julian in the NBC series Brave New World. In 2007, he played Ben Wainright in the Doctor Who episode "Blink" and Wesley Presley in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.