Shameless

Like a pair of well-worn, knock-off designer trainers, Shameless has seen better days. But those of us who revelled in its glory years will be taking a nostalgic stroll - baseball bat in hand - around the Chatsworth estate tonight as the 11th and final series kicks off.

Familiar faces from the past will pop up later in the run but tonight's mix of potty-mouths and pathos is centred around a shock revelation regarding Jamie Maguire's parentage.

The comic relief is provided by David Threlfall's Frank Gallagher and his encounter with a brace of luxuriously upholstered harlots called Sherilee and Derilee. You know, like the cheese.

It felt like a breath of fresh air when it burst onto our screens in 2004, but as it girds its loins for a final hurrah, the rambunctious drama feels as stale as Frank Gallagher's rasping breath after a heavy night.

Any warmth for the characters departed long ago and we're just left with a queasy mix of filthy laughs and stabs at poignancy. There's both in the storyline of Jamie Maguire (Aaron McCusker) discovering that Paddy wasn't his father.

The details of the revelation aren't suitable for the pages of Radio Times, but as Jamie struggles with identity issues, he becomes a fixed point amid the usual screaming vortex of lusty abandon.

As the final series of Shameless begins, does the Chatsworth Estate still know how to throw a party? Well, yes it does. But increasingly, it's one of those parties where there's sick in the bathroom sink, fag ends bobbing in every half-finished drink and someone's having a psychedelic meltdown in the corner. In other words, it's been fun, but it's clearly time to leave now.

Shameless is now almost entirely about the Maguires who've gone from being cookie-cutter hard nuts to the heart of the show. It's a weight they can't carry - tonight's opener involves that old chestnut, the paternity crisis. Might Jamie really walk away from the firm now he knows how tenuously related he is? More to the point, would it really matter if he did?

Shameles is stumbling over the finishing line rather than enjoying its lap of honour. A pity because this once-exhilarating show deserved better.

Ironically, Shameless comes to an end just as the BBC's latest fly-on-the-wall ­documentary People Like Us causes the residents of another Manchester suburb to complain they're being made to look like a bunch of criminals, alcoholics and benefits scroungers.

But as the eleventh and final series begins tonight, Frank Gallagher (David Threlfall) kicks off proceedings with a brand new poem in which he dares to compare himself to Her Majesty the Queen. And the residents of Chatsworth have strung out the bunting to celebrate their estate being presented with one of the Olympic rings.

But local pride soon turns into a riot when the icon that's unveiled turns out to be a more accurate symbol of Chatsworth's value than locals had bargained for.

While Frank and the Jockey pub remain the only links to the first series, when Shameless still smelled fresh, many viewers will agree that Paul Abbott's creation is now past its sell-by date.

But it still has some surprises up its sleeve. The biggest of these tonight is reserved for Jamie Maguire (Aaron McCusker) when mum Mimi (Tina Malone) drops a bombshell that will cast a magic mushroom-shaped cloud over his entire life.

The 11th and final series of the cult Mancunian drama arrives. We're promised an epic 14-part run, with many of the departed stars (including Anne-Marie Duff) returning for the finale. In this colourful opener, it's a double celebration on the Chatsworth Estate: the residents have been awarded an Olympic ring from London 2012 (well, sort of), while the Maguire family toast the expansion of their dodgy empire. Meanwhile, Frank Gallagher (the brilliant David Threlfall) has become a school caretaker.

After nine years, Shameless begins its drunken lurch off our screens with the premiere of its 11th and final series this week. The focal point of the first episode is Jamie Maguire (Aaron McCusker), who begins to question himself after making a shocking discovery about his family.

Elsewhere, everyone's favourite pissed-up reprobate Frank Gallagher (David Threlfall) continues his transformation into an honest working man... while mingling with some of the area's finest prostitutes. Also, keep an eye out this series for the return of departed Chatsworth favourites such as Monica (Annabelle Apsion) Lip (Jody Latham), Carl (Elliott Tittensor) and Fiona (Anne-Marie Duff), all of whom will be showing their faces before the Shameless final curtain.

Shameless Frank's Gallagher a big fan of Queen

Shameless scrounger Frank Gallagher will kick off the Channel 4 show's final series by comparing himself to the Queen.

David Threlfall talks about life as Frank

As Shameless begins its final series on Channel 4 this week, TV&Satellite Week caught up with David Threlfall to talk about his 10 years as TV's favourite layabout, Frank Gallagher...

David Threlfall interview

Frank Gallagher is probably the most famous layabout on TV, but after almost a decade on-screen, Shameless is coming to an end. The 11th series is the last chance to catch up with the goings on of the residents of the Chatsworth estate. TV Choice caught up with David Threlfall, who has played Frank since 2004.

Jason Orange in Shameless guest appearance

Take That star Jason Orange will play DJ called Scouse Mouse in the final series of Shameless.