1 9 8 9 (UK)
6 x 30 minute episodes
1 9 9 1 (UK)
6 x 30 minute episodes
This children’s series from Yorkshire Television pitched two branches of a family against each other, vying to inherit the fortune of their filthy rich and eccentric Uncle Bob (Frankie Howerd), a shortbread biscuit magnate.
Uncle Bob’s only two living relatives were Fabia London (Maggie Steed) and Brian Oldfield (Tony Haygarth) and he loathed them both equally.
The Londons lived in London and were toffee-nosed yuppies with mobile phones and a Mercedes, who thought all northerners wore miner’s lamps to see in the gloom, while the Oldfields were from ‘oop north, ran a greasy caff and talked like Coronation Street.
The storyline in the first series saw the Londons and the Oldfields swapping homes and lives in a game of musical families to see who could cope best – as per the terms of Uncle Bob’s video will – with the winner taking all his money.
The 1991 series saw the two families working together in a factory that produced pottery gnomes. Bobby Knutt replaced Tony Haygarth as Brian Oldfield.
Uncle Bob
Frankie Howerd
Fabia London
Maggie Steed
Maggie Oldfield
Pam Ferris
Brian Oldfield
Tony Haygarth (1)
Bobby Knutt (2)
Vicky Oldfield
Donna Durkin
Nathan Oldfield
Robert Ellis
Charles London
David Quilter
Polly London
Lisa Butler
Julian London
William McGillivray
Aunt Fanny
Peggy Mount
Henry Herewith
Roger Milner
Hornbeam
Andrew Normington
