Set in a small Yorkshire town where everyone knew everyone else’s business, A Bit Of A Do focused on the relationships between members of the Rodenhurst and Simcock families.
Laurence Rodenhurst (Paul Chapman) was a snobbish dentist while the socially inferior Ted Simcock (David Jason) ran an iron foundry.
The first ‘do’ which brought them together was the marriage of Laurence’s daughter, Jenny (Sarah-Jane Holm), to Ted’s scruffy son, Paul (David Thewlis).
During the reception, Ted enjoyed some extra-marital exercise with Laurence’s wife, Liz (Nicola Pagett), which resulted in an unplanned offspring and the break-up of Ted’s marriage to Rita (Gwen Taylor).
That set the tone for the series.
Other ‘dos’ the families attended included the Angling Club Christmas party, the Dentist’s dance, and the crowning of Miss Frozen Chicken UK at the Cock-A-Doodle Chickens event.
As the series progressed, Laurence died, Liz picked up with Widower Neville Badger (Michael Jayston), Ted’s business hit hard times, and Jenny married her brother-in-law, Elvis (Wayne Foskett).
Rodney and Betty Sillitoe (Tim Wylton and Stephanie Cole) were boozy regulars at every function, and also seen were barman Eric (Malcolm Hebden) and waitress Sandra (Tracy Brabin).
The episodes were dramatized by David Nobbs from his own novels. The theme song was sung by George Melly.
Ted Simcock
David Jason Rita Simcock
Gwen Taylor Elvis Simcock
Wayne Foskett Paul Simcock
David Thewlis Laurence Rodenhurst
Paul Chapman Liz Rodenhurst
Nicola Pagett Simon Rodenhurst
Nigel Hastings Jenny Rodenhurst/Simcock
Sarah-Jane Holm Neville Badger
Michael Jayston Rodney Sillitoe
Tim Wylton Betty Sillitoe
Stephanie Cole Carol Fordingbridge
Karen Drury Gerry Lansdown
David Yelland Corinna Price-Rodgerson
Diana Weston Geoffrey Ellsworth-Smythe
Malcolm Tierney Lucinda Snellmarsh
Amanda Wenban Eric
Malcolm Hebden Sandra
Tracy Brabin
