Time Gentlemen Please was a mechanism to transition comedian Al Murray’s iconic, ultra-patriotic, narrow-minded stand-up persona, Pub Landlord, into a narrative television format.
Unapologetically non-politically correct, the show is set entirely in a run-down British pub called The Swan, run by a xenophobic, fiercely opinionated, sexist, short-tempered landlord known simply as “Guv” (Murray) – short for The Guv’nor – whose wife and son have left him.
The Guv runs his pub with bizarre, aggressively old-fashioned rules that reflect a highly distorted view of how Britain should be governed, including a total ban on women drinking pints (women may only have a “glass of white wine or a fruit-based drink”) and an absolute refusal to serve trendy bar snacks or “nibbles” in favour of “good honest grillable pub food” like pies, egg, and chips.
A motley collection of loyal, eccentric regulars includes the flatulent and slightly unhinged loser Terry Brook (Phil Daniels, pictured at left), the elderly Pops (Roy Heather), who has been drinking at the bar for decades, and “Prof” (Andrew Mackay), the resident intellectual, who all treat the pub as their home.
Steve Crosby (Jason Freeman) is the naive, long-suffering barman, frequently abused by Guv, while feisty Australian barmaid Janet Wilson (Julia Sawalha, pictured below) constantly challenges Guv’s prejudices.
Ms. Vicky Jackson (Rebecca Front) is the stressed-out corporate representative from the Cheery Breweries chain that owns the pub, who tries – and fails – to keep Guv’s archaic business practices and accounting books under control.
Julia Sawalha left at the end of the first series, and Emma Pierson joined as the naive, airheaded new barmaid, Emma.
A third series was planned, but Murray and co-writer Richard Herring turned it down when Sky executives suggested moving the setting to Benidorm in Spain.
Guv
Al Murray Terry Brook
Phil Daniels Steve Crosby
Jason Freeman Pops
Roy Heather Prof
Andrew Mackay Lesley
Janine Buckley Leslie
Jeff Rudom Vicky Jackson
Rebecca Front Greg Thompson
Marc Bannerman Janet Wilson
Julia Sawalha
The Guv runs his pub with bizarre, aggressively old-fashioned rules that reflect a highly distorted view of how Britain should be governed, including a total ban on women drinking pints (women may only have a “glass of white wine or a fruit-based drink”) and an absolute refusal to serve trendy bar snacks or “nibbles” in favour of “good honest grillable pub food” like pies, egg, and chips.
Ms. Vicky Jackson (Rebecca Front) is the stressed-out corporate representative from the Cheery Breweries chain that owns the pub, who tries – and fails – to keep Guv’s archaic business practices and accounting books under control.
