1 9 9 8 (UK)
6 x 30 minute episodes
1 x Christmas special 2 0 0 0 (UK)
6 x 30 minute episodes
After a lifetime in uniform, ex-army cook and Falklands veteran Harry Springer (Auf Wiedersehen Pet star Tim Healy) now owned and ran the seedy Olympic Hotel in Birmingham.
He had bought the hotel (with his severance pay from the army) to capitalise on Birmingham’s failed bid to host the 1992 Summer Olympics and themed the place accordingly – the rundown premises featured rooms such as The Torvill and Dean Lounge, The Geoff Capes Room, The Eddie the Eagle Suite, The Fatima Whitbread Grill and the Sebastian Coe Penthouse (which was on the ground floor).
With the aid of dogsbody Debbie (played by Zita Sattar in the 1998 episodes and Rina Mahoney in 2000), Harry now provided DSS-funded accommodation to those down on their luck, including asylum seekers, drunks and veterans.
Among the permanent guests were left-wing Glaswegian teacher Duggie Strachen (Clive Russell), a compulsive gambler who had served in the Falklands with Harry, Baker (Kim Wall), a Care in the Community guest, and Harry’s irritating, broken-hearted nephew Simon Thorpe (Peter Gunn).
Harry’s chauvinistic and narrow-minded views on sex and race were frequently ridiculed in a building occupied by Buddhists, Kurds, Africans, and Indians.
Guest stars included Nicholas R Bailey as the freshly deposed African prince Prince Ekoku and Tracie Bennett and Sally Dexter as models Rita and Yvonne, who – unlike most of the guests at the Olympic – actually paid for their stay.
Written by Only Fools and Horses‘ John Sullivan with newcomer Steve Glover, the BBC comedy ran for two series and a Christmas special. The show was directed by Only Fools and Horses alumni Gareth Gwenlan, who also served as producer, and Tony Dow.
Harry Springer
Tim Healy Duggie Strachen
Clive Russell Simon Thorpe
Peter Gunn Debbie
Zita Sattar (1)
Rina Mahoney (2) Baker
Kim Wall Morgan
Ifan Huw Dafydd Scouse
Stephen Aintree Mrs Musket
Madeleine Moffat Mr Hussan
Kae Bahar Mr Chander A Singh
Kaleem Janjua Mrs Chander A Singh
Adlyn Ross
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With the aid of dogsbody Debbie (played by Zita Sattar in the 1998 episodes and Rina Mahoney in 2000), Harry now provided DSS-funded accommodation to those down on their luck, including asylum seekers, drunks and veterans.
Guest stars included Nicholas R Bailey as the freshly deposed African prince Prince Ekoku and Tracie Bennett and Sally Dexter as models Rita and Yvonne, who – unlike most of the guests at the Olympic – actually paid for their stay.
