Nesbitts Are Coming, The

1 9 8 0 (UK)
6 x 30 minute episodes

The Nesbitts were a family of roving vagabonds and small-time crooks who travelled from town to town across the North East of England in a pick-up truck leaving mayhem behind with Detective Sergeant Arnold Nixon (Ken Jones) and his incompetent boys in blue hot on their heels.

Clive Swift (Richard from Keeping Up Appearances) was Ernie, the perpetually coughing father who rarely spoke except to make requests to be taken to the loo. Maggie Jones was his loud “Missus”.

Len (John Price) dressed at all times like a cowboy (like Tucker from Citizen Smith) and thought he looked like Clint Eastwood, while Marlene (Deidre Costello) threw herself at anything in trousers. Tom (Christian Rodska) was a dead ringer for Vyvian from The Young Ones.

The scripts of this short-lived Yorkshire TV series were laughter-free, the family unlikeable and the police idiots. And then they all started singing . . .

Ernie Nesbitt
Clive Swift
Mrs Nesbitt
Maggie Jones
Marlene Nesbitt
Deirdre Costello
Len Nesbitt
John Price
Tom Nesbitt
Christian Rodska
Detective Sergeant Arnold Nixon
Ken Jones
Station Sergeant Billy Machin
Tony Melody
PC Emlyn Harris
John Clive
WPC Kitty Naylor
Patsy Rowlands
PC Crowther
Arthur White