Bob Ferris (Likely Lads)

Robert Andrew Scarborough "Bob" Ferris is a fictional character in British sitcoms The Likely Lads, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? and The Likely Lads film played by Bingley born actor Rodney Bewes. He is single in The Likely Lads, marries Thelma Chambers in Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? and is still married to her in the film. He works as an electrician and later as a civil engineer. Bob is a long-term friend of Terry Collier.

Early life

Bob was conceived in Scarborough (hence his middle name) by unmarried parents, the day before his father was posted to Catterick by the British Army. Bob was born on 22 February 1944 into a working-class family. Once he started school, he proved to be an impressionable child, on his own being conscientious, but being easily coaxed into trouble by friends, particularly Terry. At an early age Bob and Terry got into mild trouble, stealing Dinky toys and a hosepipe from Woolworths. Bob left school to become an electrical apprentice with Ellisons Electrical. While serving his apprenticeship, he also attended night school, eventually becoming a qualified electrician. In the last episode of the Likely Lads, he signed up for the British Army, but was discharged for having flat feet. Terry, who had signed up to be with Bob, was accepted and went to serve in West Germany.

Personality

Bob was keener than Terry to mask his working class roots. After marrying Thelma Chambers, Bob aspired to be accepted into the middle class, much to Terry's disgust. Bob enjoyed playing squash with wife Thelma, but equally enjoyed drinking with Terry. He often blamed his drinking and smoking on Terry, and also his poor diet. Although that was in part true, Bob needed little persuasion to stay out drinking with Terry rather than going home to his wife.

Bob was hard working, conscientious, and fairly conventional; and unlike Terry, he was ambitious, although he was usually in need of guidance in order to achieve his ambitions. However, he was not particularly assertive, which made him easily led by his headstrong wife Thelma and equally headstrong friend Terry.

Despite Bob's ambition and enjoyment of his new-found status, he has often defended Terry's 'down to earth' and 'unpretentious' ways, on one occasion even offending a friend of his and Thelma's in order to defend Terry.