The Brittas Empire
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| The Brittas Empire | |
|---|---|
| Genre | live action/sitcom |
| Creator(s) | Richard Fegen Andrew Norriss |
| Starring | Chris Barrie Pippa Haywood Julia St John Mike Burns Russell Porter Tim Marriott Harriet Thorpe Judy Flynn |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 51 + 2 Short Specials (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Mike Stephens |
| Running time | 30 mins |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | BBC One |
| Original run | January 3, 1991 – February 24, 1997 |
| Links | |
| Official website | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
The Brittas Empire was a British television sitcom, that ran between 1991 and 1997. It starred Chris Barrie as the title character, Gordon Brittas, the petty-minded manager of Whitbury New Town Leisure centre. The main adversary was Councillor Drugget. Barrie appeared in this series concurrent with his co-starring role on Red Dwarf.
Contents |
[edit] Cast
[edit] Main cast
- Gordon Brittas - Chris Barrie
- Helen Brittas - Pippa Haywood
- Laura Lancing - Julia St. John (series 1-5)
- Colin Weatherby - Michael Burns
- Gavin Featherly - Tim Marriott
- Tim Whistler - Russell Porter
- Carole Parkinson - Harriet Thorpe
- Linda Perkin - Jill Greenacre
- Julie Porter - Judy Flynn (series 2-7)
[edit] Recurring Cast
- Angie - Andrée Bernard (series 1)
- Pam - Frances Low (series 1)
- Councillor Dapping - Jo Kendall (series 1-2)
- Horatio Brittas - Richard Braine (series 3-5)
- Michael T Farrell III - David Crean (series 3-5)
- Councillor Drugget - Stephen Churchett (series 4-7)
- Penny Bidmead - Anouschka Menzies (series 6)
[edit] Characters
- Gordon Brittas — the manager of Whitbury New Town Leisure centre. Despite having an amazing amount of self-esteem and conviction to his work, Mr. Brittas is completely oblivious to the subtleties of life. This notwithstanding, the staff still listen to him and put up with it... within certain limits.
- Helen Brittas — Gordon's long suffering wife who is constantly popping pills and is slowly driven insane by Gordon. She knows how to handle him even if he is condescending and doesn't always let her speak at all. She tends to have a bit on the side... well, quite a lot on the side, really.
- Laura Lancing — The Deputy Manager (Dry). She is very calm and organised, and is almost the only person who seems to be able to deal with Brittas. During her stay, she pretty much runs the centre.
- Colin — The Deputy Manager (Wet). Colin is grotty, yet is qualified in many things, apparently. He cut his hand the weekend before the first episode started, and it did not heal through the entire show. Colin was a great advocate of natural remedies which never seemed to cure the assorted ailments he suffered from. He was also invariably late for staff meetings, often with an excuse that was less than pleasant. The bandage covering the wound on his hand tended to be a dirty looking colour and invariably came off as he was shaking hands with someone.
- Gavin — One of the male staff members. He's fairly quiet and shy, but blossoms (somewhat pompously) on his promotion to Acting Senior Deputy Manager. He has a tendency to be caught in compromising situations with members of either sex.
- Tim — Usually very cheerful, but quite easily reduced to tears and panic attacks. He's confident, yet very clingy to Gavin, his lover. Somehow Mr Brittas never realises this fact, yet all the other staff members know, and support them.
- Carole — The unfortunate and often tearful receptionist. She has a tendency to bring her children to work and keeps them locked inside cupboards and drawers. Gordon always manages to upset her, no matter what the circumstance; for all that, she seems rather a favourite of his, and she becomes quite devoted to him... fortunate, as he is the unknowing father of her twins.
- Linda — The perkiest staff member, a young lady with boundless energy and enthusiasm, who nevertheless always seems to get the short end of the stick. She's interested in alternative therapy and animal rights, and has ambitions of joining the clergy.
- Angie — Gordon's first secretary, a young woman who is kind to those in need but mostly contemptuous of "Head Girl".
- Julie — Angie's replacement is a sharp-tongued, incurably insubordinate young woman with contacts in the underworld and a serious disinclination to do any work, and who seems to manage to enjoy herself thoroughly in the chaos of the centre.
[edit] Details
- Written by: Richard Fegen, Andrew Norriss, Paul Smith, Terry Kyan, Tony Millan, Mike Walling, Ian Davidson, Peter Vincent
- Directed by: Mike Stephens, Christine Gernon
- Produced by: Mike Stephens
- Theme music by: Frank Renton
- 7 series, 52 episodes
- Transmitted: 1991-97
- TV Channel: BBC1
- Filming Location: Ringwood Leisure Centre, Hampshire
[edit] Episodes
See main article List of The Brittas Empire episodes
