Astronauts was the first post-Goodies sitcom written by Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie. It was script-edited by UK comedy greats Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais (Porridge, The Likely Lads, Auf Wiedersehen Pet).
Three mismatched characters – posh emotionally-distant scientist Dr Gentian Foster (Carmen Du Sautoy); Technical Officer David Ackroyd (Barrie Rutter), a working-class anarchist (pictured below right); and upper-middle-class Commander Malcolm Mattocks (Christopher Godwin, pictured below left) – were Britain’s first astronauts, living in a small, cramped space station orbiting the earth for six months, trapped together in close confines recalling The Goodies’ premise.
Sadly, the show failed to deliver the success of The Goodies.
Commander Malcolm Mattocks
Christopher Godwin Dr Gentian Foster
Carmen Du Sautoy Technical Officer David Ackroyd
Barrie Rutter Colonel Beadle
Bruce Boa Valerie
Mary Healey Mrs Ackroyd
Lesley Saweard
