The Bachelors – brothers Dec and Con Cluskey and John Stokes – made their first foray into TV comedy in this seven-part BBC1 series, playing three Irish labourers who toiled by day in a tunnel under the Thames, digging the new Waterloo underground line, and spent their evenings and weekends getting into trouble.
Outside work, they were interested in fast cars, fast girls, drink and nightclubs.
The trio were on the fiddle and picked up six pay packets instead of three since nobody ever came down into the tunnel to count the workers.
The Irish singing group were signed to the series following a good reception given to their pilot Comedy Playhouse production of Over and Under shown without prior announcement on 8 January 1971 as a replacement for the first edition of That’s Your Funeral which was postponed.
Despite all three Bachelors hailing from Dublin, John Stokes played a protestant from Ulster to allow for north/south banter and jokes of a Catholic v Protestant nature.
Episodes were written by David Climie and Austin Stele (the authors of the Oh Brother! series).
Dec Cluskey
Himself Con Cluskey
Himself John Stokes
Himself Landlord
Tommy Godfrey Lord Brentwood
Bob Keegan Murphy
Robert Bridges Pamela
Therese McMurray Humphrey
Dan Meaden Hawkins
Jack Smethurst Pat
Richie Stewart
