Linda Smith's A Brief History Of Timewasting
First broadcast from 20010712 to 20020709. (* = BBC7).
Join Linda in her East London home, where she shares her daily routine with her near-resident builder, her nearly-dead neighbour and her rare collection of songbirds of Britain.
Comedy about life in an East London Tower block in 2001.
- Sometimes listed as A Brief History Of Timewasting
- No official titles, just ones agreed by collectors.
12 episodes
| Series | Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 01 | The Carpet Sweeper | 20010712 | * 20050406, * 20050407, * 20050414, * 20081121, * 20081122 | Buying a new carpet sweeper for her neighbour turns into a major operation. |
| 01 | 02 | East End Mafia | 20010719 | * 20030816, * 20040430, * 20050413, * 20081128, * 20081129 | Linda gets caught up in the dodgy dealings of the East End mafia, headed by the elusive and notorious Don Estelle. Linda goes to a Brit art exhibition and tries to get Betty's Jack the Ripper letters valued. Linda goes to a Brit art exhibition and tries to get Betty's Jack the Ripper letters valued. At an exhibition, Linda tries getting her neighbour's Jack the Ripper letters valued. At a Brit art exhibition, Linda tries getting her neighbour's Jack the Ripper letters valued. |
| 01 | 03 | Opera, Gas, And Gardening | 20010726 | * 20040507, * 20050420, * 20050421, * 20081205, * 20081206 | Corgi gas fitters, double-glazing salesmen and Alan Titchmarsh are all in the neighbourhood. While her live-in builder, Chris, is busy with her sunken garden, Linda's getting on with her bird building collection. Linda's live-in builder is busy with her sunken garden. When Betty gets involved with Ground Force, an unlikely team of gardeners arrives. When neighbour Betty gets involved with Ground Force, an unlikely team of gardeners arrives. |
| 01 | 04 | A Day Trip To Romney Marsh | 20010802 | * 20040423, * 20040514, * 20050427, * 20050428, * 20081212, * 20081213 | Linda and friends escape the heat of London and take a holiday beside the sea. Linda leaves the cares of the East End behind her as she takes a day trip to Romney Marsh by taxi. Linda and chums head to the coast, letting the train increase the strain. |
| 01 | 05 | Coffins, Funerals, And Nursing Homes | 20010809 | * 20040521, * 20050504, * 20050505, * 20081219, * 20081220 | Linda tries to break out of her daily routine, motivated by the antics of her live-in builder Chris and a request from her next-door neighbour to accompany her to a funeral. Meanwhile, neighbour Betty is planning to build a mausoleum. |
| 01 | 06 LAST | 999 Emergency | 20010816 | * 20040528, * 20050511, * 20050512, * 20081226, * 20081227 | Linda's builder is still procrastinating, her neighbour is still convinced she's probably moments from death, and Christmas is coming. Linda's live-in builder does something stupid with a drill and becomes a TV star. Linda's procrastinating live-in builder finds fame and Betty has worries. |
| 02 | 01 | A Fragile Peace | 20020604 | * 20060627, * 20060628, * 20071215, * 20071216, * 20080122, * 20080123, * 20090102, * 20090103 | Linda tries to broker a fragile peace between elderly neighbour Betty and live-in builder Chris. Linda Smith. Raconteur, comedian, writer, negotiator? Looks like it, as she brokers peace in our time. The comedian must broker a peace deal between her builder and East London neighbour Betty. The comedian must broker a peace deal between her builder and East London neighbour Betty. With Jeremy Hardy. From June 2002. |
| 02 | 02 | Poltergeist | 20020611 | * 20060704, * 20060705, * 20080129, * 20080130, * 20090109, * 20090110 | Linda's life of Riley is interrupted by an idle poltergeist after a Psychic Fayre, and live-in builder Chris reveals an unwanted gift. Linda Smith's 'life of Riley' is interrupted by an idle poltergeist after a Psychic Fayre. A poltergeist is unleashed and the comedian's builder Chris reveals an unwanted gift. A poltergeist is unleashed and the comedian's live-in builder Chris reveals an unwanted gift. |
| 02 | 03 | Museum Of East End Life | 20020618 | * 20060711, * 20060712, * 20080205, * 20080206, * 20090116, * 20090117 | A new museum of East End life, shaped like an enormous upturned whelk cup, means more structural damage to Linda's laid-back lifestyle. Linda finds her house transformed into a heritage centre when Chris finds his literary excursions thwarted. Linda Smith finds her house transformed into a heritage centre when Chris finds his literary excursions thwarted. An upturned whelk-shapid heritage centre causes more damage to the comedian's home-life. An upturned whelk-shaped heritage centre causes more damage to the comedian's home-life. |
| 02 | 04 | The New Islington | 20020625 | * 20060718, * 20060719, * 20080212, * 20080213, * 20090123, * 20090124 | Linda suddenly finds herself in 'The New Islington' as East End house prices go stratospheric. With London's East End house prices going stratospheric, the comedian gets a valuation. With Jeremy Hardy. From June 2002. |
| 02 | 05 | Neighbourhood Watch | 20020702 | * 20060725, * 20060726, * 20080219, * 20080220, * 20090130, * 20090131 | The Neighbourhood Watch group faces its stiffest challenge when Linda's tortoise, Sir Cliff, is sprung from his high-security facility. Linda Smith's tortoise, Sir Cliff, has been sprung from his high security facility. Can Neighbourhood Watch find the culprit? Sprung from his high-security facility, can Neighbourhood Watch find Sir Cliff the tortoise? With Jeremy Hardy. From July 2002. Can Neighbourhood Watch find Sir Cliff the tortoise? Can Neighbourhood Watch find Sir Cliff the tortoise? With Jeremy Hardy. From July 2002. Sprung from his high-security facility, can Neighbourhood Watch find Sir Cliff the tortoise? With Jeremy Hardy. From July 2002. |
| 02 | 06 LAST | The End Of Timewasting | 20020709 | * 20060801, * 20060802, * 20080226, * 20080227, * 20090206, * 20090207 | The time wasting has run out for Linda, Maggie, Chris and Wara as we reach the last in the series. A visit to the Hardbut Fair has romantic implications for Chris, and Sir Cliff the tortoise is about to get a refit. Romance at the fair beckons for Chris and Sir Cliff the tortoise is due for a bionic refit. Romance at the fair beckons for Chris and Sir Cliff the tortoise is due for a bionic refit. With Jeremy Hardy. From July 2002. |
Cast and Crew
- written by.... Linda Smith
- Linda Smith as Linda Smith
- Chris Neill as chris
- Femi Elufowoju jr as wara
- Margaret John as betty
- Jeremy Hardy
- Martin Hyder
- Don Estelle
- S01E05 Rob Newman
- Rabbi Lionel Blue & Jenni Murray
- S01E02 Don Estelle
- Colin Sell
- Hattie Hayridge
- S01E04 & S01E06 Mark Steel