Open All Hours (TV Series 1973–1985) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error Arkwright is a tight-fisted shop owner in Doncaster, who will stop at nothing to keep his profits high and his overheads low, even if this means harassing his nephew Granville. Arkwright's ... See full summary » Stars: Arkwright decides to take Nurse Gladys away to a hotel. This leaves Granville in a position to make his play for the milk round lady, but Arkwright, hands on as ever and never keen to be too far away... 8.2 To the envy of Granville who has never attended one,Arkwright is taking Nurse Gladys to a wedding and has taken his old suit out of moth-balls, but it still reeks of camphor. Nurse Gladys makes him ...

8.1 When Arkwright finds himself with a surplus of Jamaican Ginger cakes he tries various marketing ploys in order to sell them off, but hits the jackpot when he claims that the cakes contain drugs, ... 8.1 a list of 36 titles created 29 Dec 2011 a list of 42 titles created 19 Feb 2012 a list of 36 titles created 08 Jun 2013 a list of 45 titles created 30 Jan 2014 a list of 22 titles created 03 Jul 2014 Title: Open All Hours (1973–1985) 7.7/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. The prison life of Fletcher, a criminal serving a five-year sentence, as he strives to bide his time, keep his record clean, and refuses to be ground down by the prison system.

Stars: Ronnie Barker, Brian Wilde, Fulton Mackay Long running BBC comedy show consisting of sketches and humourous musical routines involving the large Ronnie Barker and the small Ronnie Corbett. Most sketches involved both men, but ... See full summary » Stars: Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, The Fred Tomlinson Singers Having inherited the shop from his uncle, it's business as usual for Granville at Arkwright's corner shop. Stars: David Jason, James Baxter, Stephanie Cole Victor Meldrew is a retiree who attracts bad luck. If he's not driving his long suffering wife Margeret crazy with his constant moaning, he's fighting with neighbors. Stars: Richard Wilson, Annette Crosbie, Doreen Mantle This prison comedy is based on the popular British television series of the same name. Long time Slade prison inmate Fletcher is ordered by Grouty to arrange a football match between the ... See full summary » Director: Dick Clement Classic 1960s British comedy series about a middle aged man and his elderly father who run an unsuccessful 'rag and bone' business (collecting and selling junk). Harold (the son) wants to ... See full summary » Stars: Wilfrid Brambell, Harry H.

Corbett, Frank Thornton Accident-prone Frank Spencer fails to navigate the simplest tasks of daily life, while also trying to look after his wife and baby. Stars: Michael Crawford, Michele Dotrice, Jessica Forte Going Straight (TV Series 1978) Comedy Following his release from Slade prison, Fletcher tries to stick to the straight and narrow, but it isn't easy! Stars: Ronnie Barker, Patricia Brake, Richard Beckinsale During WW2, in a fictional British seaside town, a ragtag group of Home Guard local defense volunteers prepare for an imminent German invasion. Stars: Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn Popular sitcom set in a seedy bedsit lorded over by the mean, vain, boastful, cowardly landlord Rigsby. In each episode, his conceits are debunked by his long suffering tenants. Stars: Leonard Rossiter, Don Warrington, Frances de la Tour Terry and Bob from The Likely Lads (1964) continue their life after Terry arrives home from serving in the Army to discover that Bob is about to marry his girlfriend Thelma. Can Thelma lead...

See full summary » Stars: James Bolam, Rodney Bewes, Brigit Forsyth The misadventures of a ragtag group of elderly Home Guard local defense volunteers at the onset of WW2. Director: Norman Cohen Edit Storyline Arkwright is a tight-fisted shop owner in Doncaster, who will stop at nothing to keep his profits high and his overheads low, even if this means harassing his nephew Granville. Arkwright's only weakness is his love - Nurse Gladys Emanuel. Written by Roy Clarke 20 February 1976 (UK) See more » Also Known As: Did You Know? Trivia In the pilot episode Granville's age is revealed as 25. However in the actual series he is 19. See more » Goofs Arkwright is supposed to be engaged (on and off) to Nurse Gladys Emmanuel, yet in several episodes, he is wearing a wedding ring. It's particularly noticeable when he's counting money from the till. See more » Quotes Granville : You won't let me buy firelighters. You say they're too expensive. Arkwright : They are in this damn shop. I'm not paying these prices! Get round the Co-op and buy some.

[pause] Arkwright : Go and open a packet. Granville : [leaves the room, to return a few seconds later] Not if they're going to count as my birthday present. (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews This is one of the best British sitcoms of all time and comes close to the likes of Porridge and Fawlty Towers. It's basically about a shopkeeper, Arkwright, who is a tight fisted old miser and is constantly trying to seek great attention from nurse Gladys Emanuel, his neighbour and so-called fiancé. Arkright runs a grocers shop on a quiet little street, set in early 1970's Doncaster. Each episode is mainly about the day-to-day running of the shop and Arkwrights' constant banter and disagreements with Granville, his nephew, employee and whipping boy. Granville is still a boy at heart, thanks to his uncle, who won't let him grow up. He is paid a pittance and is kept firmly at bay by his uncle from loose woman and any other form of socializing. The funniest moments in the show are the lengths Mr Arkwright will go to sell his products.

He will say just about anything to get his customers to spend their hard earned dosh in his shop. But the dialogue between all characters is superb and it's clearly a well written series. As the viewer, you really get used to the regular customers in the shop, and it's hilarious to see them be minipulated into buying items they didn't come in for. 10 Out Of 10 8 of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Shopkeeper who inspired Ronnie Barker's Arkwright character in Open All Hours dies aged 78 | Daily Mail Online Next Shopkeeper who inspired Ronnie Barker's Arkwright character in Open All Hours dies aged 78 Barker, who died in 2005, had a holiday home nearby and would pop into Meecham & Sons to buy Bull’s Sweets After show was a hit, owner became a local celebrity, nicknamed 'Arkwright' The shopkeeper who inspired Ronnie Barker’s Arkwright character in the sitcom Open All Hours has died, his daughter revealed today. Dedicated Brian Meecham stocked everything from carbolic soap to homemade ice-cream.

He ran Meecham & Sons in Crewkerne, Somerset, from 1965 until his retirement in 1998, becoming renowned for the lengths he would go to for his loyal customers. Brian Meecham in his shop, Meecham & Sons General store, in Crewkerne, Somerset (pictured with his wife, Doreen). He was the inspiration for Ronnie Barker's character in Open All Hours Ronnie Barker as Arkwright and a young David Jason in the hit 1970s' show. Barker, who died in 2005, had a holiday home in nearby Beaminster and would often shop at Meecham & Sons to buy Bull's Sweets The community stalwart passed away last week at the age of 78 after suffering from heart and kidney problems. But he has been immortalised by comedian Ronnie Barker who used Brian and his grocery store as an inspiration for the 1970s' sitcom Open All Hours. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Barker, who died in 2005, had a holiday home in nearby Beaminster and would often shop at Meecham and Son to buy Bull’s Sweets.

He was so impressed with the store’s layout that he replicated it for his shop in Open All Hours, which was based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The show became a nationwide hit and turned Mr Meecham into a local celebrity legend with residents nicknaming him Arkwright Mr Meecham and his wife Doreen, 76, would often perform improvised impressions of miserly Arkwright and his busty fiancee, nurse Gladys Emanuel (centre), in front of amused customers The community stalwart died last week at the age of 78 after suffering from heart and kidney problems The show, which co-starred David Jason, became a nationwide hit and turned Mr Meecham into a Crewkerne celebrity legend with locals nicknaming him Arkwright. Mr Meecham and his wife Doreen, 76, would often perform improvised impressions of miserly Arkwright and his busty fiancee, nurse Gladys Emanuel, in front of amused customers. He took over the store from his father George who had first opened the doors in 1928 - running it until his death in 1965 at the age of 90.

After retiring in 1998, great-grandfather Brian converted the shop into a sitting room, and lived out his years on the premises with Doreen. His youngest daughter, Debra Spurway, 48, said: 'My father was born in the shop and it was always his plan to die there too. 'He would say "I came in to the world headfirst here so I want to go out feet first’. 'We were hoping to get him back from hospital so he could pass away at home but unfortunately he died a few hours before. 'He loved Ronnie Barker and was known to make people laugh, entertaining customers every day in his shop. 'There was nothing he couldn’t get for people in the days he ran the shop. Brian Meecham's delivery van for the general store.

His daughter said: 'He would go out in his van and deliver goods to people in other villages - everything from home-cooked ham to buckets' Brian took over the store from his father George (above) who had first opened the doors in 1928 - running it until his death in 1965 at the age of 90 'He would go out in his van and deliver goods to people in other villages - everything from home-cooked ham to buckets. 'Since his death, we’ve been inundated with messages from people we didn’t know saying how much they will miss him.' Mr Meecham will be returned to the store one more time on Thursday morning before he is transported to St Bartholomew Church in Crewkerne for the 11am service. Mr Meecham will be returned to the store one more time on Thursday morning before he is transported to St Bartholomew Church in Crewkerne for the 11am service BBC - Comedy - Open All Hours Open All Hours Open All Hours Originally conceived as the first of Ronnie Barker's 1973 pilot season Seven of One, it wasn't long before Open All Hours took on a life of its own.

Roy Clarke, who'd already created another hit Yorkshire-based sitcom in Last of the Summer Wine, once worked in a corner-shop and had realised its potential as a setting for comedy. But the central character of miserly grocer Arkwright was the invention of Ronnie Barker, whose other sitcom alter-ego Norman Stanley Fletcher (in Porridge) was already an established classic. It's even more impressive, then, that Barker was able to transform himself once more and make Arkwright, and Open All Hours another all-time British comedy favourite. Allied to his avarice and constant eagerness to make a quick buck, Arkwright's other goal in life is to secure the affections of his neighbour and unrequited love, Nurse Gladys Emmanuel, but at the same time he must be a reluctant father figure to his nephew and delivery boy, Granville. As well as balancing these two relationships, the role gave Barker the chance to exercise his verbal acting muscles, especially in bestowing upon Arkwright his trademark stutter, which was not only entirely convincing but always perfectly judged for comic effect.

More so than in Porridge he was also able to exercise his physical comedy skills, such as in a rare running gag in which Arkwright would attempt to outwit his cash till and its vicious spring mechanism. While the show couldn't have worked without the unique Barker, he found a perfect comic foil in David Jason's portrayal of the young Granville. The two actors had already worked together briefly in Porridge, immediately developing a strong chemistry, and now their double act was given space to flourish. Supposedly of Hungarian extraction, young Granville constantly yearns of finding love, glamour and exotic encounters in life but these dreams always remain out of reach, symbolised by his flirtatious yet never-consummated relationship with the local milkwoman. Here was the strongest evidence yet of Jason's own burgeoning acting talent, and of his rightful claim as heir to Barker's sitcom crown. The two bona fide stars were superbly supported throughout by Lynda Baron's performance as the kind-hearted Nurse Gladys, who shows the patience of a saint in suffering the endless carnal advances of Arkwright but is instead often more interested in the health of the battered and bruised Granville.

However, in a fine example of Clarke's beautifully judged writing while Gladys always spurns Arkwright's propositions she does so with charm and warmth, always leaving just the faintest hint that in the right circumstances there could one day be something in the air. In a trait that would perhaps be unrecognisable in corner shops today, Clarke also wrote into the scripts a steady stream of regular customers (such as the cold Mrs Featherstone) whom Arkwright would exchange gossip with while trying to fleece them of more money. Its comedy may have been gentle and located in an unassuming setting, but amongst the heady company of Britain's top sitcoms Open All Hours still sits easily as one of the best. Ronnie Barker - TV.com Ronnie Barker 9/25/1929, Bedford, Bedfordshire, England, UK Died Bob Ferris, Jonathan Cobbald, David Huggett, Gerald Wiley 9.8 Children: Charlotte, Larry and Adam. Trivia Awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire). Is well-known for his role in the radio comedy series, "The Navy Lark", in which he played various characters.

Although a fine comic actor in his own right,… more Credits S 1: Ep 2 Episode 2 3/25/05 S 1: Ep 1 Episode 1 3/18/05 S 12: Ep 8 The Two Ronnies Night 7/16/99 S 12: Ep 7 The Two Ronnies Christmas Special 12/25/87 S 12: Ep 6 Episode 6 2/1/86 S 12: Ep 5 Episode 5 1/25/86 S 12: Ep 4 Episode 4 1/18/86 S 1: Ep 3 Episode 3 1/18/88 S 1: Ep 2 Episode 2 1/11/88 S 1: Ep 1 Episode 1 1/4/88 S 4: Ep 5 Happy Birthday Arkwright 9/29/85 S 4: Ep 4 The Errand Boy Executive 9/22/85 S 4: Ep 3 The Housekeeper Caper 9

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 5/2/69 S 1: Ep 1 The Beatles 9/8/68 S 2: Ep 1 Ringo Starr 3/29/70 S 1: Ep 6 Alexander 5/8/68 S 1: Ep 5 Talk of Angels 5/1/68 S 1: Ep 4 The Incredible Mister Tanner 4/24/68 S 1: Ep 3 The Fastest Gun in Finchley 4/17/68 S 1: Ep 2 Ah, There You Are 4/10/68 S 2: Ep 3 Women 4/13/67 S 2: Ep 2 Money 4/6/67 S 2: Ep 1 Frost over England 3/26/67 S 1: Ep 13 Trends 6/9/66 S 1: Ep 12 Food and Drink 6/2/66 S 3: Ep 8 The Two Ronnies 4/11/05 S 1: Ep 1 Porridge 6/9/03 S 1

: Ep 9 Open All Hours 3/6/04 S 1: Ep 7 Porridge 2/21/04 S 7: Ep 5 Ronnie Corbett 3/16/02 S 5: Ep 4 Ronnie Barker 12/28/00 S 3: Ep 2 Ronnie Corbett 12/19/00 S 1: Ep 2 Richard Briers: A Good Life 4/16/00 S 1: Ep 2 Richard Beckinsale 3/15/00 S 3: Ep 12 An Audience With Ronnie Corbett 10/25/97 S 35: Ep 2 Leslie Crowther 11/9/94 S 35: Ep 16 Richard Briers 3/9/94 S 2: Ep 6 1983 [4 Parts] 11/25/83 S 2: Ep 4 1982 [6 Parts] 11/26/82 S 15: Ep 2 Franklyn And Johnnie 4/23

/74 S 13: Ep 1 Idle At Work 1/14/72 S 7: Ep 1 A Midsummer Night's Dream 9/26/71 S 3: Ep 5 Episode 20 4/15/70 S 5: Ep 2 Charley's Aunt 11/23/69 S 11: Ep 4 When We Are Married 12/29/75 S 1: Ep 3 July 9, 1969 7/9/69 S 5: Ep 8 The Hidden Tiger 3/4/67 S 5: Ep 9 The Better Mousetrap 11/25/66 S 3: Ep 13 Bruno 12/19/65 S 1: Ep 2 A Pair of Socks 2/28/62 S 2: Ep 6 Rustless On Do-It-Yourself 8/14/70 S 1: Ep 6 Episode 6 2/8/88 S 1: Ep 5 Episode 5 2/

1/88 S 1: Ep 4 Episode 4 1/25/88 S 1: Ep 3 Episode 3 1/18/88 S 1: Ep 2 Episode 2 1/11/88 S 1: Ep 6 One Man's Meat 4/29/73 Become a contributor Important: You must only upload images which you have created yourself or that you are expressly authorised or licensed to upload.

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The miserly, late-middle-aged Arkwright (first name unknown; in one episode Granville calls him 'Albert' but the situation suggests he may have made it up) runs a general store in Balby, a suburb of Doncaster (both the shop and the street are real life places). An Honest John , he prides himself on never letting anyone leave his shop without buying something, and seems to take more pleasure in the thrill of the chase than becoming rich. His work obsession causes friction between him and his love interest/fianceé Nurse Gladys Emmanuel, a buxom midwife whom Arkwright attempts to convince to finally marry him (or at least to let him have his way with her.) Arkwright is aided and abetted by his long-suffering nephew Granville, possibly the son of a displaced Hungarian noble and certainly the son of a woman whose promiscuity is the butt of many of Arkwright's jokes, whose romantic and exotic dreams are invariably crushed by the grim reality of life in 1970s South Yorkshire.

Ronnie Barker played Arkwright (a very common remark is that it's hard to believe he was simultaneously playing the very different character of Fletcher in Porridge ) while Granville was one of the first major roles of a young David Jason (who also played the very old Blanco in Porridge!). Production was done on a very small budget, with the result that the vast majority of the show takes place on the same shop set - this arguably forced the programme to devote its full attention to the verbal comedy, which is often praised. Barker also contributed Arkwright's famous stutter (absent in the original scripts). The character himself lampshades it at times: Arkwright: Ger-granville? How do you spell per-per-per-per-peppers? Is it six P's or seven? Ran for 4 series and 26 episodes , although there were actually thirteen years between the pilot and the final episode, and nine years between the first and last series. Came eighth in Britain's Best Sitcom .

After a successful one-off Revival episode in 2013 which scored the Christmas week's highest ratings, a full fifth series titled Still Open All Hours and featuring several of the original cast was commissioned, beginning on Boxing Day 2014. In this, Granville has taken over the shop following Arkwright's death . Contains examples of: Abhorrent Admirer : Mrs. Featherstone to Arkwright and Granville. Arkwright tends to squirm when she's around and Granville fears her after a case of miscommunication, she kisses him. Catch Phrase : "Granville! Fetch your cloth!" Chick Magnet : Leroy is a little more successful than his dad in the romance department, but still tends to fail with the ladies. Dodgy Toupee : One of the odd products Mark Williams salesman character attempts to peddle to Granville in Still Open All Hours is range of dodgy toupees for the customer too embarassed to consult a hair loss professional but who might impulse buy one at the counter of his local shop. Does Not Like Men : Mavis's sister Madge, whose failed relationships have embittered her on the entire male sex.

Granville keeps attempting to set her up with Gastric in order to give himself a clear run at Mavis. Dog Walks You : A recurring gag involves a local man sticking his head into the shop but being yanked away by his massive dog before Granville can find out what it was he came in for. Eccentric Townsfolk : About half of the customers. Expy : Kathy Staff's character Mrs Blewitt is, as the actress herself noted in a making-of documentary, essentially the same character as the one she plays in Last of the Summer Wine , Nora Batty (also written by Clarke). A reverse example - Last of the Summer Wine got the character of Auntie Wainwright, who is an obvious gender-flipped expy of Arkwright (and note the similar name) but less sympathetic and with the 'sell anything to anyone' ability turned Up to Eleven . The Faceless : Mr Bristow, never seen outside his motorcycle helmet and leathers. Actually, The Voiceless , too. Come to think of it, are we sure he isn't The Stig ? Failure Is the Only Option : The series is oddly depressing because of it.

Generation Xerox : Still Open All Hours shows that Granville did inherit the shop as promised and he's become a lot like Arkwright, with his son Leroy in his former position. He even pokes fun at the identity of Leroy's mother, just like Arkwright did with him. Honest John's Dealership : Arkwright and later, Granville as well. Hurricane of Euphemisms : Pretty much everything Arkwright says to Nurse Gladys is riddled with Unusual Euphemisms . Inner Monologue : Granville has several thoughts on the day as he starts closing up shop. Usually it's about charging people more than what he should have. Manipulative Bastard : Arkwright is highly skilled in conning people into buying useless junk, especially strangers or newcomers to the area. On one occasion he even manages to sell trayloads of groceries to a professional salesman - without, of course, ever buying any of the gentleman's products in turn.

Granville has clearly picked up a few tricks, as he shows in "Still Open All Hours." Master-Apprentice Chain : Arkwright > Granville > Leroy The Matchmaker : Granville for Gastric and Madge, largely so that with Madge out of the way, he can pursue Mavis. My Sister Is Off-Limits! : Granville and Mavis are keen to rekindle their feelings after she got divorced, but her sister Madge is even keener to keep him away. Newspaper-Thin Disguise : In Still Open All Hours, Granville tasks Leroy with tailing a local to find out where he is doing his shopping. Leroy does so clutching a magazine in front of his face as cover. Not What It Looks Like : Mr Bristow's head is stuck in his helmet, so Granville bends him over the counter and Arkwright produces a large axe (intending to prise it off with the handle)...then one of his best customers walks in. Leroy is about to bring out some trays of tomatoes for the outside display when he walks right into Mrs. Hussain and falls right on top of her...then Granville comes outside.

Once an Episode : In the revival, Granville points to Arkwright's portrait and quotes him (stutter and all) near the middle of every episode. Reverse Psychology : Arkwright gets rid of unwanted ginger cake by immediately announcing to customers as soon as they come through the door "I'm sorry, but I can only let you have one!" before implying they're an aphrodisiac. Granville shows how much he learned from the master in the revival when he does the same for "Yaggis" (Yorkshire's fictitious answer to haggis, actually a salami sausage plus some made-up-on-the-spur-of-the-moment patter). Really Gets Around : Arkwright makes constant cracks about Granville's mother along these lines. In the revival Granville says the same about his own son's mother (who eventually makes an appearance). Revival : "Still Open All Hours", a one-off Christmas special in 2013. Granville is now the proprietor of the shop (and every bit as miserly as Arkwright was), with his son as the new errand boy.

Role Reprisal : In addition to Granville, Still Open All Hours sees the return of Nurse Gladys Emmanuel, Granville's love interest Mavis, and Mrs Featherstone, all played by the original actresses. Running Gag : The till's tight spring that snaps back as soon as money is put into it, nearly chopping off fingers as it does. (This was originally just a spring clip inside the till, but the gag evolved.) In later episodes this always dislodges a tin that's balanced on top of the till, but Arkwright usually manages to catch it in mid-air. In the revival series it is suggested that the deceased Arkwright is haunting the till. Schmuck Bait : A lot. For example, in one episode Arkwright cons a condescending customer into believing that the town is infested with "frats" (ferret/rat hybrids) and that an old lantern he's been trying to get rid of is a "frat detector". Squirrels in My Pants : In episode 5 of Still Open All Hours, Granville persuades Gastric to dress up in his great grandmother's wedding dress and pose as Old Mother Hemlock to help sell a load of herbal remedies.

However, a mouse has taken up residence inside the dress which causes Gastric to go through some very odd gyrations, to the confusion of everyone watching. Stalker with a Crush : At times Arkwright, even though he and Nurse Gladys are supposed to be engaged. Title Drop : At the end of the final episode of the third series, while he's wondering if Nurse Gladys will ever marry him, Arkwright mutters, "I'll just have to stay open all hours." Transatlantic Equivalent : The very short lived early 80s ABC sitcom Open All Night was an American adaption of the show, changing the store to a 7-11/Kwik-E-Mart type of establishment, with an entire family running the place. Much like Arkwright struggles to keep Granville in line, his American counterpart Gordon struggles to keep his shiftless and nerdy stepson Terry motivated. Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist : Averted, despite everything counting against Arkwright like his treatment of Granville, his Scrooge-level miserliness and his Stalker with a Crush attitude to Gladys Emmanuel.

Clarke's writing and Barker's acting are good enough that Arkwright can be a sympathetic character even when his plans work (so he doesn't end up as The Woobie ). :: Indexes :: Actor David Jason on Ronnie Barker, Lynda Baron and Still Open All Hours Christmas series | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV | Daily Express TV & RADIO David Jason on Open All Hours: 'It was very emotional to return to the old hunting ground' LAST Christmas the BBC revived classic sitcom Open All Hours for a one-off festive special. This year, it has created a six-part series 00:01, Sat, Dec 20, 2014 BBC 'I’m really excited to be bringing back the show' Reviving an iconic TV series – particularly one that pulled in viewers in their millions during its heyday – is a risky endeavour. So when, last Christmas, the BBC decided to bring back Open All Hours, the much-loved corner shop sitcom starring Ronnie Barker and David Jason, fans were rightly sceptical. Should something that is so fondly remembered be tampered with?

And, in the absence of the late Ronnie, whose portrayal of stuttering shopkeeper Arkwright was comedy gold, would the new instalment live up to the original? It was a gamble, but one that paid off for David, who reprised his role as Arkwright’s long-suffering nephew Granville, and his fellow original stars Lynda Baron and Maggie Ollerenshaw. The festive special, Still Open All Hours, marked the show’s 40th anniversary when it went out on Boxing Day and attracted 12.2 million viewers, making it the most watched comedy programme of the year. I’m really excited to be bringing back the show David Jason On the whole, reviewers felt it was a fitting tribute to Ronnie, and a six-episode series was commissioned. “I’m really excited to be bringing back the show,” says 74-year-old David, who has built a reputation as the king of classic British comedy in roles such as Del Boy Trotter in Only Fools And Horses and Pop Larkin in The Darling Buds Of May. “The feedback from our Christmas special has been so rewarding and encouraging.

It goes to prove that the corner shop is still open all hours.” Lynda, 75, who returns as no-nonsense nurse Gladys Emmanuel, admits she was astounded by the viewing figures. “I didn’t realise there were audiences that big anymore. It’s a lesson everyone in the business should take heed of – those audiences are out there, but they’re just not being shown what they want to see,” she says. “Open All Hours is a feel-good show. There’s no blood and bullets, it’s just lovely and light-hearted. It has a wonderful nostalgic, sentimental feel that really resonates with people.” Last year’s special followed a day in the life of the shop and its customers and for fans there were many reminders of the original – the brass-band theme tune, the delivery bike and the finger-threatening till. In the new series, Granville has inherited the Yorkshire shop from Arkwright and runs it with son Leroy (former Emmerdale actor James Baxter) – the result of a whirlwind romance Granville had in Blackpool more than 20 years previously.

And, as in the original, the bickering and bantering between the two acts as a running commentary for the day-to-day goings-on in the shop. BBC Granville (David Jason), Nurse Gladys Emmanuel (Lynda Baron) and Leroy (James Baxter) The new series, which airs on BBC1 this week, sees Granville continuing to come up with dubious money-making schemes, while his pursuit of old flame Mavis (Maggie Ollerenshaw), who lives across the road under the beady eye of her fiercely-protective sister, Madge (Brigit Forsyth), is as determined as ever. “Poor old Granville can’t get his love life sorted after all these years. He’s still head over heels for Mavis,” laughs Lynda.

“So he decides to distract Madge by match-making her with their new neighbour, Gastric, which of course ends up causing mayhem.” Also returning for the new series is the pessimistic “Wet” Eric (Johnny Vegas), always hoping for a thunderstorm so he can get a cuddle from his wife, village gossip Mrs Hussein (Nina Wadia) and the hapless Cyril (Kulvinder Ghir), who is continually talked into parting with money for one of Granville’s “special offers”. Written by Roy Clarke, the series began filming in September at the original location, a hair salon in Balby, Doncaster, where the cast was welcomed back with open arms by locals. “It was very emotional to return to the old hunting ground, but we were so pleased that the location and the people hadn’t changed,” says David. “Everyone was welcoming, nice and polite.” Lynda admits the highlight, for her, was working alongside David again. “David is such a silly thing, he makes me die laughing,” she says. “We can be having a very serious conversation one minute and the next he’ll do something that makes me double up.

He’s one of those physical actors – the way he tilts his head, uses his hands – all those little gestures that speak volumes.” The 2013 special gave a loving nod to Ronnie Barker, with his portrait hung on the wall above the shop’s counter, but Lynda says that it feels odd to be making the series without him. “It’s hard, but I think Ronnie would have loved the new series. He would have laughed,” says Lynda, who is full of praise for the way David has filled Ronnie Barker’s shoes and taken on the role of shopkeeper. “It’s amazing how David has managed to make the role his own,” she says. “Now you just expect him to come out of the shop door – that’s a real achievement.” Asked whether there are plans to make a second series of Still Open All Hours, Lynda is noncommittal. She says that it’s always been difficult to reunite the old crew, as everyone has other projects on the go. David has had a busy year with the release of his memoir, My Life, as well as voicing the main character in children’s show Pip Ahoy! and Lynda continues to work in TV and theatre.

This year she appeared with Reece Shearsmith in the hit ITV drama Chasing Shadows and has just signed up to star in the play Stevie alongside Zoë Wanamaker at Hampstead Theatre. It will later transfer to New York for a three-month run. “I’m busier than I’ve ever been and I’ve had to turn down a lot of work, which in this profession is a real novelty, especially as I’m now too old for many roles,” says Lynda. “I suppose once you get to a certain age and you can still remember what you are talking about, you’re in demand! “I don’t know how next year is going to work out, but if I am asked to do another series of Still Open All Hours I’ll do whatever I can to be there. “Filming the show again has been an absolute joy.” Still Open All Hours, Boxing Day, 6.25PM, BBC1 Related articles Still Open All Hours sees Sir David Jason and Johnny Vegas resume roles | Daily Mail Online comments Sir David Jason larked around on set as he began filming a new series of Still Open All Hours, the sequel to the much-loved BBC sitcom Open All Hours, on Monday.

The 74-year-old actor - best known for his role as Del Boy Trotter in Only Fools and Horses - pulled funny faces as he threw himself into the character of Granville alongside co-star Johnny Vegas, during filming in Doncaster. Following the success of last year's Christmas special which saw him inheriting the South Yorkshire shop from his late Uncle Arkwright, played in the original series by late comedy legend Ronnie Barker, the show has been commissioned for a new season. Scroll down for video Reprising his role: David Jason started filming the new series of Still Open All Hours in Doncaster on Monday Valued customer? David, in character as Granville, filmed scenes with Johnny Vegas, who stars as Wet Eric, his most irritating customer Vegas, who reprised his role as Wet Eric, first seen in the Christmas special. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Crews began setting up last Friday night at the Beautique Salon in Balby, Doncaster which has been used for exterior shots since the original series began. David was clad in a stained overcoat with dark trousers and dusty shoes on his feet. Deep in thought!

Granville appeared to be pondering on something as filming continued on Monday Greeting his public: Streets have been sealed off for filming but fans may still be able to get a wave off their favourite actor He may be well into his seventies but he clearly has the energy of a much younger man if his antics on set are any indication. David was spotted larking around with Vegas, 44, in between takes showing that their onscreen chemistry clearly has a foundation in their offscreen friendship. Vegas, of course, plays Wet Eric, Granville's most annoying customer. While exterior filming is taking place at the salon, interior shots will be filmed in Teddington Studios, Middlesex later in the year. Happy to be there: Sir David looked happy to have reprised his role as Granville, the nephew of the original owner Last year's Christmas special, transmitted on Boxing Day, was the most-watched show of that day, returning to screens after almost 30 years. Some viewers felt that it was a fitting tribute to the late star of the show, Ronnie Barker, who died of heart failure in 2005 aged 76.

The BBC confirmed in January this year that a six part series of Still Open All Hours had been commissioned. Strange salon: A tiny salon in Doncaster has been transformed into Arkwright's grocery store for two weeks Inspecting his goods: Sir David surveyed the goods sold on his shop front during filming of Still Open All Hours Made-up: Johnny Vegas rejoins the show and looks happy to be having his make-up touched up onset Meanwhile, Vegas, 44, whose real name is Michael Pennington, recently received an honorary doctorate from Edge Hill University. Further stars from the original series are expected to make an appearance, including another annoying customer Mavis, who was played by Maggie Ollerenshaw. Stephanie Cole who appeared as Mrs Featherstone, and her love rival Nurse Gladys Emmanuel, played by Lynda Baron, will also appear. Joking around: David used props from the store to make people laugh as he joked around between takes Talking all hours: Sir David and Johnny must have had a lot to catch up on following the Christmas special The sound of silence: It looks like the stars may have run out of conversation Much-loved: Sir David Jason and the late Ronnie Barker in the original series of Open All Hours

Question: What character was played by Ronnie Barker in the TV series "Open All Hours"?
Answer: Arkwright