Porridge

The first in a series mapping the history of some of the nation's favourite comedy shows journeys through forty years of television and explores the connections between The Frost Report, The Likely Lads, Up Pompeii and Porridge. From the moment it hit our screens, Porridge was hailed as a sitcom classic. But if the BBC had followed Ronnie Barker's instinct, they would have made a series called I'll Fly You for a Quid instead. Interviews with Ronnie Barker, cast members, writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, and director/producer Sydney Lotterby uncover the inside story of how the series was conceived and commissioned. Once the gates of Slade Prison are locked for the final time, this programme follows creators and stars of Porridge to Open All Hours, 'Allo, 'Allo, Eldorado, Fraggle Rock and all the way to Hollywood.