Press Gang

1 9 8 9 – 1 9 9 3 (UK)
43 x 30 minute episodes

A group of kids make a newspaper for young people, the Junior Gazette.

Editor Lynda Day (Julia Sawalha, who would go on to comedy greatness as Edwina Monsoon’s uptight daughter Saffy in Absolutely Fabulous) is completely devoted to the paper and builds a great team of teenagers to produce it. Helping Lynda to run the paper is Assistant Editor, Kenny Phillips (Lee Ross).

Kenny is the Yin to Lynda’s abrasive Yang. He is the voice of reason and tries to keep a lid on Lynda’s rage in the newsroom, with limited success.

Sarah Jackson (Kelda Holmes) is one of the paper’s top reporters but is more concerned with her academic success than the paper.

Providing the comedy element to the series is Colin Mathews (Paul Reynolds) who is the financial brain behind the Junior Gazette. His never-ending get-rich-quick schemes always end in disaster and humiliation.

The rest of the team all come from Norbridge High, like Lynda, although some are forced to join at risk of being kicked out of school. Exhibit 1: School troublemaker James “Spike” Thomson (Dexter Fletcher), an American kid who wants nothing to do with the paper until he meets Lynda and falls for her instantly – much to Lynda’s disgust.

Written by ex-teacher Steven Moffat (who would eventually go on to head up writing for Doctor Who) – and based on an idea by his father, Bill – more than half the episodes were directed by Bob Spiers, a noted British comedy director who had previously worked on classics such as Fawlty Towers.

Lynda Day
Julia Sawalha
James ‘Spike’ Thomson
Dexter Fletcher
Colin Mathews
Paul Reynolds
Sarah Jackson
Kelda Holmes
Frazz Davis
Mmoloki Chrystie
Kenny Phillips
Lee Ross
Tiddler
Joanna Dukes
Julie Craig
Lucy Benjamin
Mr. Sullivan
Nick Stringer
Matt Kerr
Clive Wood
Sam Black
Gabrielle Anwar
Danny McColl
Charlie Creed-Miles
Billy Homer
Andy Crowe
Kevin
Jeremy Hodge
Chrissie Stuart
Angela Bruce

Video