Young At Heart

1 9 8 0 – 1 9 8 2 (UK)
19 x 30 minute episodes

Particularly popular among pensioners, for obvious reasons, Young At Heart depicted the humorous side of retirement.

The sitcom was essentially a two-hander for a pair of very familiar faces: Sir John Mills, 72 at the time the series began, and Megs Jenkins.

Albert Collyer (Mills) is a strongly principled man forced to retire, much against his wishes, from a job he has held for 50 years, man and boy, at a pottery works in Stoke-on-Trent (where the series is set). He is 65, and the law’s the law – he has to quit work.

Albert looks forward to a marvellous future but can’t quite reach out and grab it; he’s active but doesn’t have any interest to pursue beyond football, the pub, the neighbours’ Barbara and Norman, and occasional sightings of his grandchildren.

He’s a penny-pincher, moaning about the inadequacies of his pension; he mopes about in his flat cap, smoking his pipe and getting under the feet of his wife Ethel (Jenkins).

The series was written by Vince Powell.

Albert Collyer
John Mills
Ethel Collyer
Megs Jenkins
Barbara Charlton
Carol Leader
Norman Charlton
David Neilson
Barman
James Duggan