British Comedy Guide
Shelley. James Shelley (Hywel Bennett). Copyright: Thames Television
Shelley

Shelley

  • TV sitcom
  • ITV1
  • 1979 - 1992
  • 71 episodes (10 series)

Highly intelligent but inherently lazy, Shelley is one of life's constant philosophers, never quite achieving a stable life. Stars Hywel Bennett, Belinda Sinclair, Josephine Tewson, Garfield Morgan, Caroline Langrishe and more.

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Shelley. Image shows from L to R: James Shelley (Hywel Bennett), Frances Smith/Shelley (Belinda Sinclair). Copyright: Thames Television

Key details

Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
1979 - 1992
Channel
ITV
Episodes
71 (10 series)
Creator
Peter Tilbury
Stars
Hywel Bennett, Belinda Sinclair, Josephine Tewson, Garfield Morgan, Caroline Langrishe, Andrew Castell and David Ryall
Writers
Peter Tilbury, Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin
Director
Anthony Parker
Producer
Anthony Parker
Company

James Shelley is highly educated and has a PhD in geography; he's bright, will philosophise for hours, and can turn his mind to almost anything. He is also unemployed and has no intention of working.

Living with his girlfriend Fran in a bedsit at the home of Mrs Hawkins (known as Mrs. H), the series follows his misadventures as he ducks, dodges and tries as hard as possible not to be caught up in Thatcher's Britain - or at very least, just to continue to avoid working.

Additional details

Also known as
  • The Return Of Shelley (Series 7)
Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Multi-camera
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Thursday 12th July 1979 at 9:30pm on ITV1
Most recent repeats
  • Saturday 24th December 2022 at 3:35pm on TPTV - Series 3, Christmas Special
  • Thursday 15th December 2022 at 7:30pm on TPTV - Series 3, Christmas Special
  • Saturday 10th August 2019 at 2:30am on Forces TV - Series 1, Episode 6

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