Birds Of A Feather Series 12, Episode 1 - Knocking On Heaven's Door - British Comedy Guide (original) (raw)

Birds Of A Feather. Image shows left to right: Sharon Theodopolopodous (Pauline Quirke), Tracey Stubbs (Linda Robson), Vince (Martin Kemp), Dorien Green (Lesley Joseph). Credit: Alomo Productions, Retort

Tracey's ex-husband dies and she has to decide what kind of a send-off to give him. Sharon wants it to be nice for the boys, Dorien has got the perfect outfit, and Chigwell's criminal fraternity want to make it special.

Further details

Darryl, Tracey's ex-husband and father to Travis and Garth, has died whilst doing what he loved - burglary.

Darryl's passing brings the ladies together with some undesirable local characters, including Sharon's would-be suitor, Lenny, for a big Essex funeral.

Meanwhile gangster Vince catches Dorien's eye.

Broadcast details

Date

Thursday 7th January 2016

Time

8:30pm

Channel

ITV1

Length

30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast

Pauline Quirke Sharon Theodopolopodous
Linda Robson Tracey Stubbs
Lesley Joseph Dorien Green
Charlie Quirke Travis Stubbs
Samuel James Garth Stubbs

Guest cast

Jamie Foreman Lenny
Mark Powley D.S. Barry Farmer
Martin Kemp Vince
Seun Shote Vicar

Writing team

Laurence Marks Writer
Maurice Gran Writer
Gary Lawson Writer (Additional Material)
John Phelps Writer (Additional Material)

Production team

Martin Dennis Director
Humphrey Barclay Producer
Jon Rolph Executive Producer
Steve Sheen Executive Producer
Jon Blow Editor
Heather Gibson Production Designer
Irving Berlin Composer
David Arch Composer
Ian Masterson Composer

Press

The resuscitated comedy commences its 12th series, which begins with Tracey receiving news that her ex-husband has left this mortal coil. A send-off paid for and attended by "every dodgy geezer in east London" follows. A very traditional sitcom, but well crafted and far more snappily scripted than when it first returned. To wit, Dorien spots a handsome silver fox of a gangster (Spandau Ballet's Martin Kemp) and asks: "Is that a gun in his pocket? Or ..." Sharon: "It's a gun, keep walking." Boom, boom!

Jonathan Wright, The Guardian, 7th January 2016

Radio Times review

The First Ladies of Essex return with their panto style of comedy. Gags and situations are set up with as much subtlety as Dorien's outfits (in this episode she sports a supremely tasteless funeral frock), but there are some good lines as well as guest appearances from former EastEnders Jamie Foreman and Martin Kemp.

Sharon, Tracey and Dorien are at a funeral attended by what they describe as the "Don Corleone Appreciation Society" and featuring a spectacularly decorated hearse. Plus as Dorien's publisher has described her latest bonkbuster Eighty Yards of Ecstasy as "more like 70 yards of yawn", she seizes the opportunity to do some erotic research.

Jane Rackham, Radio Times, 7th January 2016