British Comedy Guide
Bread. Image shows from L to R: Joey Boswell (Graham Bickley), Aveline Boswell (Melanie Hill), Nellie Boswell (Jean Boht), Grandad (Kenneth Waller), Shifty (Bryan Murray), Adrian Boswell (Jonathon Morris), Billy Boswell (Nick Conway), Freddie Boswell (Ronald Forfar). Copyright: BBC
Bread

Bread

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC One
  • 1986 - 1991
  • 74 episodes (7 series)

Liverpudlian Boswell family are experts at exploiting the system to get by in life, with plenty of dodgy deals and government handouts to help. Stars Jean Boht, Peter Howitt, Ronald Forfar, Jonathon Morris, Victor McGuire and more.

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Bread. Image shows from L to R: Adrian Boswell (Jonathon Morris), Joey Boswell (Peter Howitt), Grandad (Kenneth Waller), Nellie Boswell (Jean Boht), Jack Boswell (Victor McGuire), Julie (Caroline Milmoe), Billy Boswell (Nick Conway), Aveline Boswell (Gilly Coman), Freddie Boswell (Ronald Forfar). Copyright: BBC

Key details

Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
1986 - 1991
Channel
BBC 1
Episodes
74 (7 series)
Stars
Jean Boht, Peter Howitt, Ronald Forfar, Jonathon Morris, Victor McGuire, Gilly Coman, Nick Conway, Graham Bickley and more
Writer
Carla Lane
Directors
Susan Belbin, Robin Nash and John B Hobbs
Producers
Robin Nash and John B Hobbs
Company

The Liverpool-based Boswell family are experts at exploiting the system to get by in life. Despite the fact that none of the Boswells are officially employed, they manage to live a fairly good life thanks government handouts and various cash-in-hand jobs.

Family life for the Boswells centres around their God-fearing Catholic mother, Nellie. With her husband having left her for "a tart", she relies upon her eldest son, Joey, to play the father's role to her other three sons, Jack, Adrian and Billy, and her daughter Aveline.

Their ability to squeeze the DHSS dry, while the boys earn a living on the side, is legendary. But, although the family is the focus of their lives, they each have different reasons to be unhappy!

Additional details

Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Multi-camera
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Thursday 1st May 1986 at 9:30pm on BBC One
Most recent repeats

Recording details

  • Liverpool - 30 Elswick Street, L8 (Link)
  • BBC Television Centre

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