# Benidorm series 5

The fifth series of the ITV television series Benidorm, which is a sitcom set in an all-inclusive holiday resort (The Solana) in Benidorm, Spain, began broadcasting on 24 February 2012, consisting of seven episodes. The series was directed by both John Henderson and Sandy Johnson, though was written by Derren Litten, Steve Pemberton and Neil Fitzmaurice. The series saw the returns of Garvey family, consisting of Mick (Steve Pemberton), Janice (Siobhan Finneran), Michael Garvey (Oliver Stokes) and Janice's mother Madge Barron (Sheila Reid); swingers Donald (Kenny Ireland) and Jacqueline Stewart (Janine Duvitski); Noreen Maltby (Elsie Kelly); hairdressers Gavin Ramsbottom (Hugh Sachs) and Kenneth Du Beke (Tony Maudsley); Sam Wood (Shelley Longworth) and Solana staff Mateo Castellanos (Jake Canuso), Les/Lesley Conroy (Tim Healy) and Liam Conroy (Adam Gillen). Sherrie Hewson and Michelle Butterly joined the cast of Joyce Temple-Savage, the new Solana manageress, and Trudy, the new holiday companion of Sam, respectively. Paul Bazely, Kathryn Drysdale and Selina Griffiths did not return; Crissy Rock did not return either, though did make a brief return during the sixth episode.
Initially, Litten did not want to write a fifth series, believing that the fourth series had allowed the programme to conclude on a high. However, due to popular demand, he agreed to write further episodes, with cast member Steve Pemberton, as well as Neil Fitzmaurice, agreeing to help him write episodes and storylines. Overall, the series received an average viewership of 7.06 million, with the opening episode receiving 6.84 million viewers. The series concluded on 6 April 2012, with the series finale attracting 5.66 million.

## Cast

* Sheila Reid as Madge Harvey
* Siobhan Finneran as Janice Garvey
* Oliver Stokes as Michael Garvey
* Steve Pemberton as Mick Garvey (episodes 2–7)
* Janine Duvitski as Jacqueline Stewart
* Kenny Ireland as Donald Stewart
* Jake Canuso as Mateo Castellanos
* Elsie Kelly as Noreen Maltby
* Hugh Sachs as Gavin Ramsbottom
* Tim Healy as Les/Lesley Conroy
* Adam Gillen as Liam Conroy
* Tony Maudsley as Kenneth Du Beke
* Shelley Longworth as Sam Wood
* Sherrie Hewson as Joyce Temple-Savage
* Michelle Butterly as Trudy
* Crissy Rock as Janey York (episode 6)

## Episodes

| No. overall | Episode | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) |
| 29 | "Episode 1" | John Henderson | Derren Litten | 24 February 2012 (2012-02-24) | 7.72 |
| Chaos reigns at the Solana Hotel as Mateo and Les find it hard to keep control. Les/Leslie’s son Liam is now working as the hotel’s caretaker. Meanwhile, some Solana guests (including Gavin and Noreen) are not happy, after learning their luggage has been mysteriously lost on the coach. Back at the pool bar, Spanish barman Mateo ends up teaching Liam the art of chatting up pretty women. Kenneth and Gavin comfort lately widowed Jacqueline, but get a nasty shock when they think they have seen the ghost of Donald. Joyce Temple-Savage (Sherrie Hewson), the new manager of the hotel, secretly watches everything that is going on, as she is determined she can earn the Solana a 4-star rating. Wild holidaymaker Sam is back, this time with a new Liverpudlian friend, Trudy. First appearance of Sherrie Hewson as Joyce Temple-Savage and Michelle Butterly as Trudy. Absent: Steve Pemberton as Mick Garvey. Guest starring Asa Elliott [af; arz] ||||||
| 30 | "Episode 2" | John Henderson | Derren Litten | 2 March 2012 (2012-03-02) | 7.42 |
| New manager Joyce organises a dance competition for the guests, and everyone is eager to take part - to win a €100 voucher for Kenneth's salon. Rehearsals are supervised by her old flame Cyril Babcock (Matthew Kelly), an ageing playboy, whose impatience with the talentless contestants leads to a dance-off with Mateo. At the new Solana salon, Kenneth hires an assistant - but her minimal knowledge of hairdressing and English leads to an unfortunate accident with her first client. Kenneth also tries to cheer up Gavin, who is missing Troy. At the pool bar, Janice is shocked to see her stalker, Jack (Elliott Jordan), but he pretends not to remember her. Guest Starring Matthew Kelly and Elliott Jordan ||||||
| 31 | "Episode 3" | John Henderson | Steve Pemberton | 9 March 2012 (2012-03-09) | 7.56 |
| Mick is not happy that his brother Pete is due in Benidorm with their dad for a stag party. Thinking that Troy has broken up with him, Gavin agrees to go on a date with young Spanish waiter Emilio. After Kenneth discovers that Gavin has misunderstood a text from Troy, he attempts to stop him from making a huge mistake - but is he too late? Meanwhile, Trudy comes up with an idea to try to get intimate with Mateo, but things don't go according to plan. Absent: Elsie Kelly as Noreen Maltby. Guest starring Shaun Dooley and David Bradley ||||||
| 32 | "Episode 4" | John Henderson | Neil Fitzmaurice | 16 March 2012 (2012-03-16) | 7.06 |
| The Garveys have heard that there have been organ thieves around Benidorm, but it doesn't worry them that much. Meanwhile, Madge has been kidnapped on her way to the supermarket, which Michael witnessed - but can the Garveys save her in time? Back around the poolside, Sam bets Trudy €20 to act ladylike until midnight - no farting, swearing, burping or violence. Meanwhile, new hotel manager Joyce invites Costa Class Magazine's hotel critic and instructs Mateo to cook an authentic paella for him - but will a snag with the ingredients change the dish altogether? ||||||
| 33 | "Episode 5" | John Henderson | Steve Pemberton | 23 March 2012 (2012-03-23) | 6.41 |
| The British Olympic Synchronised Swimming team are in the local area to train, and Joyce has managed to persuade them to stay at the Solana. Hazel, the team's strict coach, is not impressed by the facilities, but agrees to Joyce's idea for a gala display in the hotel pool. Liam ends up escorting the girls on a tour along the coast - but was it actually a sightseeing trip? Madge is keen on Mohammed, the son of a wealthy property developer who knew Mel - but Mick and Janice are surprised when they find out that she wants to marry him. Back on the boat, Liam is unable to persuade the young swimmers to head back to the Solana. Do they mess up the gala performance? Guest starring Siobhan Redmond ||||||
| 34 | "Episode 6" | Sandy Johnson | Steve Pemberton | 30 March 2012 (2012-03-30) | 6.90 |
| Madge is getting ready for her wedding, but after Mick and Michael find Mohammed in a sports bar and watching him in a commercial, they think that he is not quite what he seems. Joyce believes that somebody in the hotel is giving negative stories about the Solana to the local press, and she recruits Donald and Jacqueline to spy on the staff. A trick is played on Sam by Liam and Trudy, and they convince her that she had unprotected sex with Liam while she was drunk. One-episode return of Crissy Rock as Janey York. ||||||
| 35 | "Episode 7" | Sandy Johnson | Derren Litten | 6 April 2012 (2012-04-06) | 6.37 |
| Mick finally admits to his family that they are broke, when all the uninsured sunbed shops have burnt down. Joyce's eviction of Kenneth for non payment of rent backfires, when she needs him to impress the guest she believes to be the hotel assessor. Meanwhile, the British consul who convicted Donald asks for his help just as Donald's old prison enemy turns up at the Solana. Joyce makes an offer the hotel assessor cannot refuse so that the Solana can finally get its fourth star. Last appearance of Hugh Sachs as Gavin Ramsbottom, Elsie Kelly as Noreen Maltby, Shelley Longworth as Sam Wood and Michelle Butterly as Trudy. Guest starring Kate O'Mara and Michael Fenton Stevens ||||||
| Sport Relief sketch (2012) ||||||
| N–A | "Benidorm's Got Talent" | Johnathan Bullen | Derren Litten | 23 March 2012 (2012-03-23) | 5.92 |
| Mick has formed a boy band, consisting of Kenneth, Mateo, Michael and Liam. He brings them to the Britain's Got Talent auditions, in which he hopes the judges will be impressed with by their performance. Guest starring Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon, David Walliams, Carmen Electra and Ant and Dec ||||||

## Ratings

| Episode | Running time (exc. adverts) | Original air date (United Kingdom) | ITV SD ratings (millions) | ITV HD ratings (millions) | ITV +1 ratings (millions) | Weekly rank | Rating increase / decrease |
| 1 | 46 minutes | 24 February 2012 | 6.48 | 0.75 | 0.49 | 14 | N/A |
| 2 | 46 minutes | 2 March 2012 | 6.21 | 0.62 | 0.58 | 14 | Decrease |
| 3 | 46 minutes | 9 March 2012 | 6.28 | 0.73 | 0.55 | 14 | Increase |
| 4 | 46 minutes | 16 March 2012 | 5.99 | 0.64 | 0.43 | 14 | Decrease |
| 5 | 46 minutes | 23 March 2012 | 5.32 | 0.54 | 0.54 | 16 | Decrease |
| 6 | 46 minutes | 30 March 2012 | 5.83 | 0.65 | 0.42 | 14 | Increase |
| 7 | 46 minutes | 6 April 2012 | 5.66 | 0.71 | N/A | 13 | Decrease |
| Series average | Series average | 2012 | 7.06 | 0.66 | 0.50 | — | — |