1984 saw the prolific Eric Chappell notch up his fourth successful sitcom for Yorkshire Television, 'Duty Free', written in collaboration with his secretary Jean Warr. It was very popular at the time but seems now to have been somewhat forgotten.
The humour in the show was on a different level to Chappell's earlier work, most notably his most famous creation, 'Rising Damp'. Keith Barron played David Pearce, who has recently been made redundant and is in the throes of a mid-life crisis. He and his wife Amy decide to take a package holiday to Spain. Staying at the same hotel at them is Linda and Robert Cochrane, a toffee nosed middle-class couple. Upon meeting Linda, David becomes smitten by her.
Over the course of the series' run David and Linda attempt to elope to begin a new life, with Amy ( who still loves her husband ) stepping up to sabotage the affair. Also in the cast was Carlos Douglas as the harassed waiter of the hotel.
Despite complaints from some viewers that the show was filmed in a studio rather than on location in Spain ( with the exception of the Christmas special ), 'Duty Free' was regarded highly enough to run to three seasons. Keith Barron played well the love-sick David. He later appeared in another Eric Chappell scripted sitcom, the less than hilarious 'Haggard'. The lovely Gwen Taylor played Amy in much the same way as she played Rita Simcock in David Nobbs' enjoyable comedy serial 'A Bit Of A Do' ( also made by Yorkshire Television ). Neil Stacey and Joanna Van Gyseghem ( whom I recall from the witty television play 'The Giftie' ) had a good rapport together as the snooty Cochranes.
A number of famous guests were eager to take part in the show as a result of the show's popularity on ITV which included the late Diane Bull, Roger Sloman, Fraizer Hines, Judith Chalmers, John Barron and Tony Selby. A few years ago, 'Duty Free' toured theatres in Britain, reuniting the cast except Joanna Van Gyseghem. I did not see it but had no real interest to anyway. I feel it was the kind of thing that was of its time.
'Duty Free' was an innocuous sitcom which raised light laughs rather than belly laughs. Not particularly great but still miles better than the frightful 'Home To Roost'.
The humour in the show was on a different level to Chappell's earlier work, most notably his most famous creation, 'Rising Damp'. Keith Barron played David Pearce, who has recently been made redundant and is in the throes of a mid-life crisis. He and his wife Amy decide to take a package holiday to Spain. Staying at the same hotel at them is Linda and Robert Cochrane, a toffee nosed middle-class couple. Upon meeting Linda, David becomes smitten by her.
Over the course of the series' run David and Linda attempt to elope to begin a new life, with Amy ( who still loves her husband ) stepping up to sabotage the affair. Also in the cast was Carlos Douglas as the harassed waiter of the hotel.
Despite complaints from some viewers that the show was filmed in a studio rather than on location in Spain ( with the exception of the Christmas special ), 'Duty Free' was regarded highly enough to run to three seasons. Keith Barron played well the love-sick David. He later appeared in another Eric Chappell scripted sitcom, the less than hilarious 'Haggard'. The lovely Gwen Taylor played Amy in much the same way as she played Rita Simcock in David Nobbs' enjoyable comedy serial 'A Bit Of A Do' ( also made by Yorkshire Television ). Neil Stacey and Joanna Van Gyseghem ( whom I recall from the witty television play 'The Giftie' ) had a good rapport together as the snooty Cochranes.
A number of famous guests were eager to take part in the show as a result of the show's popularity on ITV which included the late Diane Bull, Roger Sloman, Fraizer Hines, Judith Chalmers, John Barron and Tony Selby. A few years ago, 'Duty Free' toured theatres in Britain, reuniting the cast except Joanna Van Gyseghem. I did not see it but had no real interest to anyway. I feel it was the kind of thing that was of its time.
'Duty Free' was an innocuous sitcom which raised light laughs rather than belly laughs. Not particularly great but still miles better than the frightful 'Home To Roost'.
