Ricky Tomlinson

Ricky Tomlinson: Retire? No way, I'd go round the bend

At the age of 73 and despite having had a quadruple heart bypass, Ricky Tomlinson says he has more energy than ever.

There's been room for a while in the schedules for a show that reflects the relentless mickey-taking that bonds groups of young males, and this is it. Set in Stockport, amid the world of pub outings, iffy jobs and the faintest hint of recession, it's cheery, cosy stuff, driven by a frantic banjo soundtrack and the assurance of Ricky Tomlinson as the pub landlord. Tonight, our four lads plan a night out, but it's Hodge who literally draws the short straw after a drink-spiking caper goes wrong, forcing him to stand in as chauffeur to a local hardman's drunken girlfriend.

ITV has a great reputation of making drama, but not such a great reputation for comedy. Great Night Out seems to fall somewhere in between; not bad, but not great either.

The series follows four friends from Stockport: self-appointed leader Hodge (Lee Boardman), divorcee Beggsy (William Ash), nervous Glyn (Craig Parkinson), and pessimistic Daz (Stephen Walters). The quartet each spend a big night out, often with their wives, girlfriends and love interest, while getting impractical advice from their local pub landlord Warren (Ricky Tomlinson).

In this opening episode, Hodge has cocked-up his anniversary party, which is being held at a big hotel in Manchester (the entrance into which results in a chorus of boos from the Stockport Four). As Hodge parks his car he thinks he knocks over someone, but it turns out that the person is a drunk wanting to go to London. He, Beggsy and Daz get him on the train, only to find out he is a groom who has ditched his wife at the altar. The two rush to get him off the train, but (perhaps all too predictably), they don't get him off the train in time and they find themselves going to London. Meanwhile, Glyn "stalks" his childhood sweetheart to her salsa class, with help from Warren.

As I mention, some of the plot elements do seem to be somewhat predictable, as are some of the characters. For example, there is the instant dislike of the Australian man now married to Beggsy's ex, who has also taken his daughter down under. However, there are some nice visual gags, such a roadside seller of fridges called "Sellfridges", and other odd moments such as accusations that Fireman Sam might be gay.

These moments are fleeting, however, in a show that will probably not receive the kindest of obituaries...

The thirtysomething comedy-drama has been a holy grail for ITV ever since Cold Feet shuffled off-screen almost a decade ago. The channel's latest foray into the genre follows a quartet of mismatched but tightly knit Stockport chums enjoying a farcically disjointed weekly get-together while the long-suffering women in their lives show them how it should be done. It's pretty dated in its attitudes (boys go to the football then the pub, girls go on the razzle in a wine bar), and a certain goofy charm can't compensate for an absence of either many laughs or much drama. This in spite of spirited efforts from a cast including Ricky Tomlinson, Rebekah Staton and Craig Parkinson. Inoffensive but equally inconsequential.

Comedy drama from the makers of The Worst Week Of My Life, with four 30-ish lads from Stockport, each cut from a different stereotype - cuckolded husband, brash divorcee, shambling singleton and erm, the other one - venturing on a night out. This week's caper finds the quartet stuck on a London-bound train with a reluctant groom, and on cuckolded husband's anniversary, too. Light on gags but strong performances (including turns from Ricky Tomlinson and Isy Suttie) elevate this into watchable territory.

This new sitcom comes from the same writing team that gave us The Worst Week Of My Life, but despite a cast which includes Ricky Tomlinson as the local pub landlord, Great Night Out offers more gentle and much more obvious laughs.

Set in Stockport, it's a male bonding comedy about four ­life-long friends and Stockport County supporters played by William Ash, Lee Boardman, Craig Parkinson and Stephen Walters.

Their not-so-great night out this week finds them in Manchester's posh Midland Hotel attempting to celebrate the fifth wedding ­anniversary of their unofficial leader, Hodge.

The cast, which also includes Susie Blake and Isy Suttie in peripheral roles as well as Jessica Gunning as the Friend From Hell, should provide plenty of material for more misadventures each week. But when the biggest laughs of the episode go not to any of the leads but to a character billed only as Train Attendant, then ­something's gone a bit wrong somewhere.

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