Bottle Boys
| Bottle Boys | |
|---|---|
 A screenshot of the title sequence | |
| Created by | Vince Powell |
| Starring | Robin Askwith |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | London Weekend Television |
| Release | 1 September 1984 – 24 August 1985 |
Bottle Boys is a British sitcom which ran for two series on ITV in 1984 and 1985.[1] Starring Robin Askwith as football-mad milkman Dave Deacon, the series mined comedy of the broadest sort from randy Dave's amorous adventures, in a style familiar to viewers from the Confessions films (which had also featured Askwith).
However, as well as the sexual innuendo of his earlier big-screen adventures, Askwith was equally likely to find himself embroiled in more off-the-wall exploits, and found himself at various points in the series dressing up as a cow, inadvertently engaged to Sharon the secretary, and meeting then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (played by an actor).
The part of Dave Deacon was originally written for Jim Davidson, who was by this time already expanding into sitcom territory with Up the Elephant and Round the Castle, also on ITV. It was future BBC controller John Birt, during his tenure at London Weekend Television, who suggested that Askwith take the part.
Critical reception
The series has acquired something of a reputation as one of the worst British sitcoms ever produced. Mark Lewisohn, writing in the Radio Times Guide to Comedy observes that "ITV sitcoms had often plumbed the depths, but this was the limit", and also notes that Bottle Boys was reputedly despised by comedy executives at ITV. Furthermore, he goes on to pick Bottle Boys as his "worst ever" British sitcom.
Writer Vince Powell was no stranger to working on shows that attracted a bad press, however, having created two of the most controversial comedy shows of the 1970s - Love Thy Neighbour and Mind Your Language.
The programme also made number 97 in Channel Four's 100 Greatest TV Moments from Hell list show, a retrospective of television's low points of the last fifty years.
Cast
- Robin Askwith - Dave Deacon
- David Auker - Billy Watson
- Oscar James - Joe Phillips
- Phil McCall - Jock Collins
- Richard Davies - Stan Evans
- Eve Ferret - Sharon Armstrong
- Patrick Newell - Mr Dawson
- Leo Dolan -Wilf Foley
- Ann Michelle (one episode)
- Zara Nutley (one episode)
- Candy Davis (one episode)
- Pam St. Clement (one episode)
- Don Henderson (one episode)
- Bernie Winters - himself (one episode)
Episodes
Series One (1 Sep - 6 Oct 1984):
- Fools Rush In
- God Save Our Dairy
- Danger Women at Work
- All in a Day's Work
- One Good Turn
- Here Comes the Groom
Series Two (13 July - 24 Aug 1985)
- Things That Go Bump in the Night
- I Gotta Horse
- Out of the Frying Pan
- If the Cap Fits
- High Noon
- I Love Paris
- The Milk Cup Runneth Over