Episodes
| Series | Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 01 | A Desirable Residence | 19820301 | 20170824 (BBC7) 20170825 (BBC7) 20190923 (BBC7) 20190924 (BBC7) 20210514 (BBC7) 20230918 (BBC7) 20230919 (BBC7) | Helen and Ben disagree over restoring their home to its original character. Starring Paula Wilcox and David Wood. First of two sitcom series written by Simon Brett Helen - Paula Wilcox Ben - David Wood Mrs Kelly - Pat Heywood Alastair - Bruce Alexander Mr Juke - Arthur English First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1982 Helen and Ben disagree about getting their home restored to its original character. |
| 01 | 02 | A Nice Area | 19820308 | 20170831 (BBC7) 20170901 (BBC7) 20190930 (BBC7) 20191001 (BBC7) 20230925 (BBC7) 20230926 (BBC7) | An action committee is formed when a foreign owner applies to open a new restaurant in the area. Starring Paula Wilcox and David Wood. Sitcom written by Simon Brett Helen - Paula Wilcox Ben - David Wood Mrs Kelly - Pat Heywood Alastair - Bruce Alexander Roger - Ben Aris Mo - Penelope Nice Mr Mukerjee - Tariq Yunis First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1982. An action committee is formed when a foreign owner applies to open a new restaurant. |
| 01 | 03 | A Matter Of Life And Death | 19820315 | 20170907 (BBC7) 20170908 (BBC7) 20191007 (BBC7) 20191008 (BBC7) 20210528 (BBC7) 20231002 (BBC7) 20231003 (BBC7) | Following a school reunion, Ben is cajoled to sign up for life insurance. Subterfuge is called for Starring Paula Wilcox and David Wood. Sitcom written by Simon Brett Helen - Paula Wilcox Ben - David Wood Mrs Kelly - Pat Heywood Alastair - Bruce Alexander Willy - Robert Longden Blythe - Bryan Coleman First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1982. |
| 01 | 04 | The Quality Of Life | 19820322 | 20170914 (BBC7) 20170915 (BBC7) 20191014 (BBC7) 20191015 (BBC7) 20210604 (BBC7) 20231009 (BBC7) 20231010 (BBC7) | What has Alastair's being in love got to do with Ben's bad luck, and is there still a place for Tammy Wynette in all their lives? Starring Paula Wilcox and David Wood. Sitcom written by Simon Brett. Helen - Paula Wilcox Ben - David Wood Mrs Kelly - Pat Heywood Alastair - Bruce Alexander Perpetua - Patience Tomlinson First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1982. Alistair moves to the countryside to be with his new lover. Will Ben and Helen follow? |
| 01 | 05 | A Woman's Role | 19820329 | 20170921 (BBC7) 20170922 (BBC7) 20191021 (BBC7) 20191022 (BBC7) 20210611 (BBC7) 20231016 (BBC7) 20231017 (BBC7) | Helen's multiplying skills with a calculator mean that Ben is soon adding up all the repercussions. Starring Paula Wilcox and David Wood. Sitcom written by Simon Brett. Helen - Paula Wilcox Ben - David Wood Mrs Kelly - Pat Heywood Alastair - Bruce Alexander Laura - Anita Carey First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1982 Helen's multiplying skills with a calculator mean Ben is soon adding up the repercussions. Helen's multiplying skills with a calculator mean that Ben is soon adding up all the repercussions. Stars Paula Wilcox. From March 1982. |
| 01 | 06 | A Bit On The Side | 19820405 | 20170928 (BBC7) 20170929 (BBC7) 20191028 (BBC7) 20191029 (BBC7) 20210618 (BBC7) 20231023 (BBC7) 20231024 (BBC7) | What is the connection between Bagpuss and Beethoven's Fifth and what does it have to do with the Controller of BBC1? Ben and Helen wonder if they're missing out on adventures beyond the marital bed. Starring Paula Wilcox and David Wood. Sitcom written by Simon Brett. Helen - Paula Wilcox Ben - David Wood Mrs Kelly - Pat Heywood Alastair - Bruce Alexander Nigel - James Griffiths Blythe - Bryan Coleman Linda - Jill Lidstone Ben and Helen wonder if they are missing out on adventures beyond the marital bed. Ben and Helen wonder if they are missing out on adventures beyond the marital bed. Stars Paula Wilcox. From April 1982. |
| 02 | 01 | A Complete Break | 19821116 | 20111111 (BBC7) 20111112 (BBC7) 20121106 (BBC7) 20121107 (BBC7) 20140508 (BBC7) 20140509 (BBC7) 20171205 (BBC7) 20171206 (BBC7) 20191223 (BBC7) 20191224 (BBC7) 20210806 (BBC7) 20240430 (BBC7) 20240501 (BBC7) | Ben's exhausted after working hard on his company's new bedtime drink. So he and his wife Helen plan a holiday... Paula Wilcox and David Wood star in Simon Brett's sitcom. Helen - Paula Wilcox Ben - David Wood Mrs Kelly - Pay Heywood Alastair - Tony Millan Kevin - Stuart Organ Julian - Mark Wing-Davey Maureen - Miranda Forbes Doctor - Robert Rietty Upwardly mobile Ben and Helen plan a holiday. Simon Brett sitcom starring Paula Wilcox. Upwardly mobile Ben and Helen plan a holiday. Simon Brett sitcom starring Paula Wilcox and David Wood. From November 1982. |
| 02 | 02 | A Family Time | 19821123 | 20111118 (BBC7) 20111119 (BBC7) 20121113 (BBC7) 20121114 (BBC7) 20140515 (BBC7) 20140516 (BBC7) 20171212 (BBC7) 20171213 (BBC7) 20191230 (BBC7) 20191231 (BBC7) 20210813 (BBC7) 20240507 (BBC7) 20240508 (BBC7) | Ben and Helen squabble over them spending Christmas with her mother. Paula Wilcox and David Wood star in Simon Brett's sitcom. Helen - Paula Wilcox Ben - David Wood Mrs Kelly - Pay Heywood Alastair - Tony Millan Mr Cullingford - Michael Bilton Ben and Helen squabble over spending Christmas with her mother. Ben and Helen squabble over spending Christmas with her mother. Stars Paula Wilcox and David Wood. From November 1982. |
| 02 | 03 | A Liberal Education | 19821130 | 20111125 (BBC7) 20111126 (BBC7) 20121120 (BBC7) 20121121 (BBC7) 20140522 (BBC7) 20140523 (BBC7) 20171219 (BBC7) 20171220 (BBC7) 20200106 (BBC7) 20200107 (BBC7) 20210820 (BBC7) 20240514 (BBC7) 20240515 (BBC7) | Ben would like to swap his daughter for a Porsche. Or is private education the answer? Paula Wilcox and David Wood star in Simon Brett's sitcom. Helen - Paula Wilcox Ben - David Wood Mrs Kelly - Pay Heywood Alastair - Tony Millan Ben would like to swap his daughter for a Porsche. Or is private education the answer? Stars Paula Wilcox. From November 1982. |
| 02 | 04 | The Liberated Generation | 19821207 | 20111202 (BBC7) 20111203 (BBC7) 20121127 (BBC7) 20121128 (BBC7) 20140529 (BBC7) 20140530 (BBC7) 20171226 (BBC7) 20171227 (BBC7) 20200113 (BBC7) 20200114 (BBC7) 20210827 (BBC7) 20240521 (BBC7) 20240522 (BBC7) | 'Ours is the generation of freedom, of permissiveness. We aren't shocked by anything. I mean, we may not want to participate, but there's nothing we actually disapprove of...' Ben and Helen's marriage is at a standstill. Will Dick and Marian get it moving? Paula Wilcox and David Wood star in Simon Brett's sitcom. Helen - Paula Wilcox Ben - David Wood Mrs Kelly - Pay Heywood Alastair - Tony Millan Dick - David Gooderson Marian - Jean Trend Ben and Helen's marriage is at a standstill. Will Dick and Marian get it moving? Starring Paula Wilcox. From December 1982. |
| 02 | 05 | Charity Begins At Home | 19821214 | 20111209 (BBC7) 20111210 (BBC7) 20121204 (BBC7) 20121205 (BBC7) 20140605 (BBC7) 20140606 (BBC7) 20180102 (BBC7) 20180103 (BBC7) 20200120 (BBC7) 20200121 (BBC7) 20210903 (BBC7) 20240528 (BBC7) 20240529 (BBC7) | Helen and Ben fight the forces of materialism. Can they win when promotion beckons? Paula Wilcox and David Wood star in Simon Brett's sitcom. Helen - Paula Wilcox Ben - David Wood Mrs Kelly - Pay Heywood Alastair - Tony Millan Starring Paula Wilcox and David Wood. Sitcom written by Simon Brett. Helen and Ben fight the forces of materialism. Can they win when promotion beckons? Starring Paula Wilcox. From December 1982. |
| 02 | 06 | A Lack Of Moral Fibre | 19821221 | 20111216 (BBC7) 20111217 (BBC7) 20121211 (BBC7) 20121212 (BBC7) 20140612 (BBC7) 20140613 (BBC7) 20180109 (BBC7) 20180110 (BBC7) 20200127 (BBC7) 20200128 (BBC7) 20210910 (BBC7) 20240604 (BBC7) 20240605 (BBC7) | Christmas is coming and Ben is getting fat, but will going on a fibre diet with Helen raise his spirits? Starring Paula Wilcox as Helen and David Wood as Ben Written by Simon Brett Helen - Paula Wilcox Ben - David Wood Mrs Kelly - Pay Heywood Alastair - Tony Millan Neil - Nick Wilton Britt - Rosalind Adams Blythe - Bryan Coleman Christmas is coming and Ben is getting fat, but will dieting with Helen raise his spirits? Christmas is coming and Ben is getting fat, but will dieting with Helen raise his spirits? Starring Paula Wilcox. From December 1982. |