British Comedy Guide
Artsnight: A Tribute To Carla Lane. Carla Lane. Copyright: BBC
Comedy Classics: Bread, Butterflies & Liver Birds

Comedy Classics: Bread, Butterflies & Liver Birds

  • TV documentary
  • Channel 5
  • 2024
  • 1 episode

Documentary celebrating Carla Lane's celebrated sitcoms, The Liver Birds, Butterflies and Bread. Also features Wendy Craig, John Nettles, Peter Howitt, Melanie Hill, Nick Conway 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
Documentary
Broadcast
2024
Channel
Channel 5
Episodes
1
Features
Wendy Craig, John Nettles, Peter Howitt, Melanie Hill, Nick Conway, Nina Myskow, Sarah Hadland, Sherrie Hewson and more
Directors
Kevin Hylands
Producers
Kevin Hylands, Emma Clarke and Matt Crook
Company

Carla Lane was a sitcom pioneer. Writing female driven shows that powered through the 1960s,70s and 80s. In this 90-minute special we pay tribute to her three most famous shows. From the flat-sharing young girls-about-town in The Liver Birds, to the bored, frustrated housewife Ria in Butterflies, and the Boswell family in 80s hit Bread.

Featuring classic clips along with recollections from the stars and fans, we hear from Wendy Craig how Butterflies nearly never made it on air due to its adultery storyline. John Nettles remembers being cast in one of his very first TV roles as Sandra's boyfriend Paul in The Liver Birds.

Peter Howitt, Melanie Hill and Nick Conway remember their time on Bread, where the family vibe was as strong off screen as on and they talk about Jean Boht mothering them, recalling the time that Paul and Linda MacCartney appeared in an episode. We hear about the practical jokes they played and how cast changes saw the new actors struggle to adapt. Above all, Carla's friends pay tribute to this unique, pioneering writer and the shows that remain favourites to this day.

Catch-up

Additional details

Also known as
  • Bread, Butterflies & The Liver Birds: Carla Lane's Comedy Classics (Billed title)
Production
Location
Camera set-up
Single camera
Picture
Colour

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Saturday 13th January 2024 at 8:30pm on Channel 5
Episode length
90 minutes
All previous repeats
  • Saturday 27th July 2024 at 5:05pm on C5

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