British Comedy Guide
Rising Damp. Rupert Rigsby (Leonard Rossiter). Copyright: Yorkshire Television
Rising Damp

Rising Damp

  • TV sitcom
  • ITV1
  • 1974 - 1978
  • 28 episodes (4 series)

Rupert Rigsby is the grubby landlord of a seedy boarding house. His put-upon tenants include students Philip and Alan, and the glamorous Miss Jones. Stars Leonard Rossiter, Frances de la Tour, Richard Beckinsale, Don Warrington and Gay Rose

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Press clippings

"Rising Damp was sitcom gold - it could never be made today"

Fifty years since the first episode of Leonard Rossiter's comedy aired, we remember a series - and a star - like no other.

Gareth Roberts, The Telegraph, 1st September 2024

The 50 best TV comedies of all time - ranked

From cult classics to sitcom royalty, we've assembled the definitive list of TV comedy greats - but has Mrs. Brown's Boys made the grade?

Michael Hogan, The Telegraph, 20th June 2024

I am not an elderly white man. But you'd think so from my taste in TV comedy

Rising Damp, Only Fools And Horses, The Morecambe And Wise Show... I love them all, even though they haven't aged well.

Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, The Guardian, 13th March 2024

Don Warrington: 'Should Rising Damp be edited? No - its intentions were good'

He changed the face of British TV as Philip Smith in the revolutionary sitcom - but the actor's career has been far from plain sailing.

Claire Allfree, The Telegraph, 21st December 2022

Rising Damp was more than a sitcom

Writer Eric Chappell perfectly captured our all-too-human foibles, failures and frustrations.

Simon Evans, Spiked, 26th April 2022

Rising Damp writer says show seems like it's 'from another world'

Rising Damp creator Eric Chappell says it's odd looking back on the 1970s sitcom as it "appears to have been written by someone else, from another world".

The List, 22nd November 2021

How we made: Rising Damp

Interviews with Don Warrington and Eric Chappell about the making of the classic sitcom.

George Bass, The Guardian, 25th January 2021

BritBox shows Rising Damp with racist language warning

Classic 70s comedy Rising Damp will be shown on the BritBox streaming service with a warning that it contains offensive racist language. The ITV series starred Leonard Rossiter as seedy landlord Rigsby, who displays his prejudiced ignorance through racist barbs aimed at a well-spoken black tenant.

Adam Sherwin, i Newspaper, 25th November 2020

The top 10 British sitcoms of the 70s

The 1970s is rightly lauded as the golden age of British sitcom.

Greg Jameson, Entertainment Focus, 1st December 2018

The 8 best sitcom romances ever

With Valentine's Day approaching, love is in the air on Gold - so here is our list of comedy relationship favourites.

Chas Early, BT, 9th February 2017

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