My Family always looked for easy laughs. But for the millions who tuned in every week over eleven series, it was arguably the most successful British sitcom of the 2000s.
A traditional family sitcom, the show wore its heart on its sleeve, confident in its ability to set up immediate laughs in comfortable surroundings.
However, its longevity gave it additional strengths. The five-strong Harper family shared the decade with their viewers, and as our families grew and moved on, so did theirs.
Lovable idiot son Nick (Kris Marshall) became charmingly independent, and rebellious daughter Janey (Daniela Denby-Ashe) became a loving yet unconventional mother.
But a series that spans more than a decade is very often the story of its youngest child, and it was the youngest son, Michael’s story that made My Family memorable.
Viewers saw Michael (Gabriel Thomson) grow from a smart, geeky teenager to a young man at ease with his developing sexuality.
My Family appealed to a wide audience because, although the situations were often exaggerated, the relationships were not. It was a show that viewers could grow up with: a warm and reliable friend you could return to time and time again.
Ben Harper
Robert Lindsay Susan Harper
Zoë Wanamaker Michael Harper
Gabriel Thomson Janey Harper
Daniela Denby-Ashe Roger Bailey
Keiron Self Abi Harper
Siobhan Hayes Nick Harper
Kris Marshall Alfie Butts
Rhodri Meilir
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A traditional family sitcom, the show wore its heart on its sleeve, confident in its ability to set up immediate laughs in comfortable surroundings.
