The Liver Birds: Series 10, Episode 1

TV sitcom
BBC One
1969 - 1996
86 episodes (10 series)

Sitcom exploring the lives and loves of two young, single females sharing a flat together in Liverpool. Stars Nerys Hughes, Polly James, Elizabeth Estensen, Pauline Collins, Mollie Sugden and more.

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Series 10, Episode 1

Beryl and Sandra bump into each other at a slimming class, but it isn't until Sandra and her mother advertise for a tenant to share their house that Beryl turns up on the doorstep and history begins to repeat itself. Now they're back together, bruised by what life has offered them and refusing to admit to middle age.

Notes

Lucian is spelled "Lucien" on the credits of this series, and "Hennessey" is spelled without the second 's'.

Broadcast details

Date: Monday 6^th May 1996
Time: 8:30pm
Channel: BBC One
Length: 30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
Nerys Hughes	Sandra Hutchinson
Polly James	Beryl Hennessey
Mollie Sugden	Thelma Hutchinson
Michael Angelis	Lucian
Geoffrey Leesley	Rex
Lee Oakes	Gwyn

Guest cast
Beverley Hills	Slim Line Instructor
James Gallagher (as Jimmy Gallagher)	Removal Man
Josh Moran	Removal Man

Writing team
Carla Lane	Writer

Production team
Angie De Chastelai Smith (as Angela de Chastelai Smith)	Director
Philip Kampff	Producer
Carla Lane	Executive Producer
Geoffrey Perkins	Executive Producer
Mark Lawrence	Editor
John Asbridge	Production Designer
Judy Loe	Casting Director
Yves Barre	Costume Designer
Diane Chenery-Wickens (as Diane Wickens)	Make-up Designer
Graham Rimmington	Lighting Designer
Andy Carroll	Graphics

Press

The Liver Birds (BBC1) by Carla Lane, returning after more than 20 years, looks promising and the most promising thing was Beryl's passionate tears when she was alone at the end. It is not like Beryl to cry. She had told Sandra she had no children, but she has a brutishly vacant son in Borstal. "You're spoiling my life" she whispered, but he was wearing his personal stereo and didn't hear her.

Nancy Banks-Smith, The Guardian, 7th May 1996

Just two women behaving sadly

Nerys Hughes and Polly James were playing an equally dangerous sport on last night's The Liver Birds (BBC1). It was called "appearing in a Carla Lane sitcom" and their performances sent shudders of Brighton Belles] proportions down my spine, to the point that I found myself shouting at the screen "What did you do with the money?" (that is, the money their mothers gave them for acting lessons).

Victor Lewis-Smith, Evening Standard, 7th May 1996

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