Ain’t Misbehavin’

1 9 9 4 – 1 9 9 5 (UK)
12 x 30 minute episodes

Shy and naive Clive Quigley (Peter Davison) runs an office supplies showroom in Harrogate, Yorkshire, and is happily married – or so he believes – to Melissa (Lesley Manville in the first series and Karen Drury in the second).

Clive’s life is turned upside down when Sonia Drysdale (Nicola Pagett), the hard-nosed and tactless owner of a High Street hairdressing salon, tells him that his wife is having an affair with Sonia’s husband, Dave (John Duttine).

Despite his anguish, Clive will do anything not to have his marriage broken up. Sonia, meanwhile, is afraid that if she loses her husband in a divorce, she will also lose her big house and her hairdressing business.

The unlikely pair are thrown together as they join forces to save their marriages by sabotaging the illicit liaisons between their cheating spouses.

Further confusion abounds in the second series when Clive’s secretary, Mrs Whales (Polly Hemingway), suspects him of having an affair with Sonia and sets out to find out the truth, which in turn arouses the suspicions of her jealous and tough husband, Lester (Barry Stanton) – the Exterminator!

To top it all off, there was now also a private detective named Chuck Purvis (Paul Brooke) on the scene.

The Sunday night BBC series was written by Roy Clarke, creator of Keeping Up Appearances and Last of the Summer Wine. Six episodes aired from 20 March 1994, with a return series of a further six episodes the following year.

Clive Quigley
Peter Davison
Melissa Quigley
Lesley Manville (1)
Karen Drury (2)
Sonia Drysdale
Nicola Pagett
Dave Drysdale
John Duttine
Ramona Whales
Polly Hemingway
Lester Whales
Barry Stanton
Chuck Purvis
Ian McNeice (1)
Paul Brooke (2)
Mrs Tate
Judith Barker

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