Jam & Jerusalem
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| Jam & Jerusalem | |
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 Opening Credits of Jam & Jerusalem |
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| Genre | Sitcom |
| Creator(s) | Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders |
| Starring | Jennifer Saunders Sue Johnston Pauline McLynn Joanna Lumley Dawn French |
| Country of origin |  United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 7 to date |
| Production | |
| Running time | 6x30 minutes 1x40 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | BBC One |
| Original run | 24 November 2006 – |
| Links | |
| IMDb profile | |
Jam & Jerusalem is a British sitcom written by Jennifer Saunders and starring Sue Johnston. The programme co-stars Saunders, Dawn French and Joanna Lumley. In the United States, it airs as Clatterford.
The show centres on a Women's Guild in a small West Country village. It first aired on 24 November 2006. In an appearance on The New Paul O'Grady Show in December 2006, Dawn French revealed that a second series of Jam & Jerusalem has been commissioned.
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[edit] Production details
The first episode of Jam & Jerusalem was shot in Autumn 2005 as a pilot (not broadcast at the time), and led to the BBC commissioning of the rest of the six-part series and a Christmas Special which were filmed in Autumn 2006. It was filmed in North Tawton, Devon [1], on nearby Dartmoor, and in Staines.
The programme is one of a group of shows being filmed in High-Definition for a trial run in November on the BBC. The theme tune is a version of The Kinks' The Village Green Preservation Society sung by Kate Rusby, whose songs are also used as incidental music. The show is also unusual in that it does not feature a studio audience or laugh track.
The daughter of Jennifer Saunders' character Caroline is played by Saunders' real life daughter, Freya Edmondson.
[edit] Cast
- Sue Johnston - Sal Vine
- Pauline McLynn - Tip Haddem
- Dawn French - Rosie Bales
- Joanna Lumley - Delilah Stagg
- Jennifer Saunders - Caroline Martin
- Maggie Steed - Eileen Pike
- David Mitchell - Dr. James Vine
- Sally Phillips - Tash Vine
- Doreen Mantle - Queenie
- Salima Saxton - Yasmeen Vine
- Patrick Barlow - Vicar
- Rosie Cavaliero - Kate Bales
[edit] Plot
Jam & Jerusalem is set in the small West Country village of Clatterford St. Mary[2] and is based around Sal, a local practice nurse. The surgery's indiscreet receptionist, Tip, is also her best friend, and both are at the centre of community life. Despite this, Sal isn't a member of her local Women's Guild, but after the death of husband, the local GP, and the loss of her job, she soon joins[3]. The chairman of the Women's Guild is Eileen Pike, who always wears of her chains of office. Other members include lollipop lady Queenie, elderly church organist Delilah Stagg, wealthy Caroline and Rosie, who has an alter ego called Margaret.
[edit] Episodes
[edit] Series One (2006)
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Dr Michael Vine (played by Hywel Bennett) dies of a heart attack, and at the funeral his son Dr. James announces that his wife will be the new practice nurse, putting his mother Sal out of a job. She then struggles to occupy her time, so joins the local Women's Guild, as does Kate Bales, a bereavement councillor. |
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The women decide they want a coffee room room at the local church so they have somewhere to meet up after the morning's service. To pay for the health and safety standards, they decide to put together a bring and buy sale to raise money. Sal finally gets rid of her deceased husband's clothes, donating them to the fundraiser; as her children are unwilling to help, the Guild decide they will. |
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Sal and Tip accidentally find out on Genes Reunited that Eileen was adopted, and they give her the contact details of a blood relative. Although initially angry, Eileen is happy when she discovers she has a brother. Tash asks Sal to take care of Ralph for six months. Rosie forgets to order the pasties for a village picnic so they have to make them themselves. Guest starring Nigel Lindsay. |
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Delilah gets her car seat stuck. Sal and Tash have a major argument about Tash, who wants to do a Circus Skills course, refusing to get a job. However, they later make up. At the surgery, Tip devises a successful plan to get Sal her old job back, by having James' ex-headmistress Joyce Midge (played by Miriam Margolyes) come in for a smear. Guest starring Nigel Lindsay. |
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Rosie, Eileen and Queenie help the Vicar prepare for the harvest festival. When Rosie sees the face of Jesus in a potato, her alter-ego Margaret comes to the surface after the Vicar tells her the face isn't there. Meanwhile, the Vicar tries to get some peace and Caroline injuries herself at the pony trials. | |
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During Kate "Silver Surfers" group, Eileen comes in and reads a letter saying that Guild inspector Lady Anne Crump will be at their meeting that evening, which makes Eileen panic thinking they will be closed. Meanwhile, the Guild help an old man called Elijah whose wife recently died and Rosie goes on a celebrity diet. |
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[edit] Christmas Special (2006)
| Airdate | Length | Overview | Viewers |
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The Guild are organising Cinderella, the village pantomime, and Tash wants to play the lead role as she always does. However, Eileen thinks that, at 36, Tash is too old. However, Sal persuades Eileen to let Tash have the role, while James and the Vicar play the Ugly sisters. On the night, Tip goes to the pub rather than perform as the Wicked Stepmother, while Tash gets on well with Prince Charming. Meanwhile, Sal gets help when she decides how to scatter Mike's ashes. |
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[edit] Other countries
Jam & Jerusalem began airing in the United States under the name Clatterford in March 2007. [10]
[edit] DVD releases
The first series and 2006 Christmas Special of Jam & Jerusalem will be released in the US (Region 1), under the name Clatterford: Season 1, on 8 May 2007.[11]
[edit] References
- ^ "Not just Jam and Jerusalem...", BBC, 27 November 2006.
- ^ "BBC Comedy", BBC.
- ^ "BBC Press Office", BBC, 18 July 2006.
- ^ "Jam and Jerusalem a hit, Blunder flops", The British Sitcom Guide, 27 November 2006.
- ^ "'Celebrity' final brings in 9.5 million for ITV", digitalspy, 4 December 2006.
- ^ "ITV1's Friday not so great", Media Guardian, 11 December 2006.
- ^ "Quizshow gets Unanimous rejection", Media Guardian, 18 December 2006.
- ^ "Pirates take Boxing Day treasure", BBC, 27 December 2006.
- ^ "7m seek Saddam news on BBC", Media Guardian, 2 January 2007.
- ^ "BBCA taps 'Fabulous' team", Variety, 4 December 2006.
- ^ "Clatterford - Season 1", Warner Bros., 4 December 2006.
