British Comedy Guide
Keep It In The Family. Image shows from L to R: Muriel Rush (Pauline Yates), Dudley Rush (Robert Gillespie). Copyright: Thames Television
Keep It In The Family

Keep It In The Family (1980)

  • TV sitcom
  • ITV1
  • 1980 - 1983
  • 31 episodes (5 series)

Cartoonist Dudley lives in an upstairs flat with his wife, while his daughters live in the flat below. Stars Robert Gillespie, Pauline Yates, Glyn Houston, Stacy Dorning, Jenny Quayle and more.

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Keep It In The Family. Image shows from L to R: Susan Rush (Stacy Dorning), Dudley Rush (Robert Gillespie), Muriel Rush (Pauline Yates), Jacqui Rush (Sabina Franklyn). Copyright: Thames Television

Key details

Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
1980 - 1983
Channel
ITV
Episodes
31 (5 series)
Creator
Brian Cooke
Stars
Robert Gillespie, Pauline Yates, Glyn Houston, Stacy Dorning, Jenny Quayle, Sabina Franklyn and Anita Graham
Writers
Brian Cooke, Dave Freeman and Greg Freeman
Directors
Mark Stuart and Robert Reed
Producers
Mark Stuart and Robert Reed
Company

After 18 years in their home, the sitting tenant in their ground floor flat dies, aged 85, leaving Dudley and Muriel Rush with a search for their next resident.

Dudley begins searching, but it soon becomes apparent that his teenage daughters have a better idea of who it should be let to: them!

After careful thought - not at all influenced by the opportunity of turning their existing bedroom into a very pleasant artists' studio for his own work - Dudley's persuaded to keep it in the family by allowing Jacqui and Susan to move downstairs. Can the two daughters really maintain their independence?

In the main upstairs flat, meanwhile, cartoonist Dudley - creator of Barney the Bionic Bulldog - prevaricates, delays and procrastinates, much to the continued annoyance of his gruff Welsh editor, Duncan.

However, Dudley's silly sense of humour and child-like sense of fun are a constant source of amusement and entertainment (if not also occasional frustration) to the girls, and to Muriel.

Additional details

Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Multi-camera
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Monday 7th January 1980 at 8pm on ITV1
Most recent repeats
  • Wednesday 7th August 2019 at 12:05am on Forces TV - Series 5, Episode 5
  • Tuesday 6th August 2019 at 11:35pm on Forces TV - Series 5, Episode 4
  • Tuesday 6th August 2019 at 6:30pm on Forces TV - Series 5, Episode 5

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