This short-lived BBC comedy series was written by David Nobbs. the author of The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin and revolved around a group of British exiles who had bought villas on a Mediterranean island off the coast of Spain, hoping for an idyllic existence.
The motley collection of expat Brits included Peter Halliday (Donald Churchill) who planned business projects for which he had no permit; his wife Helen (Zena Walker), who worked for the local English-language newspaper – the Island News – which was run by Harold (David Garth); Horace (Graham Crowden), a retired diplomat who had dropped bricks in every continent; his wife Fiona (Joan Benham) who occasionally put down her gin and tonic to help pick some of them up; and Robert (Derek Waring), a retired weather forecaster who had hoped for fame when he appeared on TV but had now retired in shame and was having an on/off affair with the vulgar and perky merry widow, Gloria (Jo Rowbottom).
They all met in Ken’s Bar, which was keeping the paella at bay with the best cottage pie on the island.
Despite a strong cast it was a feeble effort and achieved the lowest recorded audience for any sitcom in the history of BBC 1.
Peter Halliday
Donald Churchill Helen Halliday
Zena Walker Harold
David Garth Horace
Graham Crowden Fiona
Joan Benham Robert
Derek Waring Gloria
Jo Rowbottom Ken
Peter Schofield
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Paradise Island 1 9 7 7 (UK) 7 x 30 minute episodes This short-lived comedy series from Thames Television starred Bill Maynard and…
The motley collection of expat Brits included Peter Halliday (Donald Churchill) who planned business projects for which he had no permit; his wife Helen (Zena Walker), who worked for the local English-language newspaper – the Island News – which was run by Harold (David Garth); Horace (Graham Crowden), a retired diplomat who had dropped bricks in every continent; his wife Fiona (Joan Benham) who occasionally put down her gin and tonic to help pick some of them up; and Robert (Derek Waring), a retired weather forecaster who had hoped for fame when he appeared on TV but had now retired in shame and was having an on/off affair with the vulgar and perky merry widow, Gloria (Jo Rowbottom).
