The return of Brittas Empire. Some of the cast and writers, look back on the show’s rich history.
The Brittas Empire, the Chris Barrie helmed 90’s hit sitcom, experienced a bit of a renaissance this year with an all cast reunion to celebrate the re-opening of Ringwood Leisure centre where a lot of the show was filmed.
The cast reunion was very well received by fans, and a video of Chris stepping back in the part of Gordon Brittas for a BBC online special was one of the most watched online stories for two days running.
On Christmas day BBC Radio Solent will broadcast a special retrospective of the series at 16.00 (repeated on New Year’s day) with Chris Barrie, the cast and writers looking back on the series and the future. Hosted by Richard Latto, it looks like we’ll be in for a treat.
Meanwhile, rumours of a comeback of the show are looking more likely than ever with many of the cast and writer Richard Fegan keen to create new adventures for Gordon, Helen, Tim, Gavin and co.
Reason enough to get in touch with the cast and writers of the show to ask them about their best memories of the series and its place in LGBT history. Because did you know: this sitcom was the first and last BBC One prime-time show to feature an out gay couple! Writer Richard Fegan tells us about this: “I’m very proud of the way we portrayed Tim and Gavin and we got a lot of praise from gays who, as intended, laughed with them rather than at them. I think it was the first time that happened in a sitcom.”
Let’s see what the other cast members and writer Andrew Norriss have to say in our exclusive interview with them.
Andrew Norriss (Writer)
Where did the idea of Brittas Empire come from?
Hard to remember. I suppose everyone has met a Brittas or someone like him, and Richard and I were talking about someone we knew one day and… it went from there.
How/why did you create Tim and Gavin?
I think in episode one we wanted to see Brittas trampling on people’s feelings (unintentionally of course) and a gay couple meant that, given Brittas’s insensitivity, this was one way to show it.
Were you aware that their characters were unique on TV? (At the time and perhaps still.)
I wasn’t. I think maybe Richard was. I just liked the idea that the fact they were gay was never mentioned and never an issue Except accidentally, with Brittas, of course.
Were the BBC okay with the characters from the start or did you have to defend them?
Totally OK. Never even mentioned.
Did you hear any audience/LGBT response (positive or negative) back then or now about those roles?
We did get the odd message of approval – that it was nice to see an ordinary relationship with no add-ons to make it ‘funny’.
Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?
Absolutely no idea!
What is your favourite memory of the show?
My son, Johnny, was the baby in the drawer and was in each of the five series as he grew up. I remember watching him play trains on the floor in front of Carole’s desk, and he was in heaven. Not interested in the filming or anything. Just the trains…
What do you think is the most iconic scene?
My top favourite is the one where Brittas is killed by the water tank landing on him. Brilliant FX and the reaction of all the staff is so beautiful – funny and yet so sad. I loved it!
What is the strangest thing that ever happened during recording or rehearsal?
I remember at the end of one recording two girls in very skimpy dresses somehow escaped from the audience and wound up backstage where they asked me where they could find Chris Barrie. I had no idea that you could have ‘groupies’ for being in a sitcom. I’ve never asked if they found him, or what they offered if they did…
Would you like the series to return?
It might sound odd, but I’m not bothered one way or the other. I wouldn’t be able to write any of it if it does come back (too old, and busy doing other things now) and that would be the only fun bit for me. I know Richard’s keen, but I’m not interested myself.
Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?
The best thing about it was that he never had a clue. I’m sure he would have been deeply and embarrassingly supportive and understanding if he had, but… no, it passed him by completely.
Pippa Haywood (Helen Brittas)
How did you become part of the series?
I was invited to audition for the series and was actually asked to go up for a different part, but as soon as I read the part of Helen, I was really drawn to her, and so I asked if I could read for both. I was just fascinated by the idea of who could possibly live with a man like Brittas and why on earth would she stay with him for longer than five minutes! I then had a recall at which, I only read for Helen and then, to my great joy, the part was offered to me.
What did you think when you first read the script?
When I first read the script, I was amazed by its inventiveness and the wacky nature of the comedy. I was also fascinated by the character of Brittas and his relationships with others and the chaos that ensues. I thought there was scope for rich veins of humour and knew that it would be a romp.
What did you like most about the series?
Obviously, the incredibly clever and witty scripts and the opportunity to play so many extreme comedic situations were big factors in enjoying the series so much.
But for me, Brittas was my first TV series where I was playing a lead role and could begin to relax in front of the camera and learn my craft. It was also a romp because we all got on so well, many friendships developed which have lasted a lifetime (so far!) and Harriet and I both had babies during those years, so there were times when the green room was a crèche! So for me, it was an era that encompassed so much more than just the making of the series. Happy days!
What is your favourite memory?
It is impossible to pick out a favourite memory there are so many!
Having to learn how to ride a scooter and charging straight into a bush on my first attempt! Parachuting down into the leisure centre car park and having to wrap up an enormous length of parachute silk while delivering a speech (I seem to remember I got quite hysterical and too weak to gather it in!)
Being dropped from a crane into a pile of elephant dung – lovely!
Sitting sobbing outside the leisure centre (in character) and just really loving the scene we were playing.
All the cast at my house for a picnic in the garden – a perfect summer’s day, a perfect crowd of friends.
What do you think is the most iconic scene?
Just fire engines and explosions in general!
What is the strangest thing that ever happened during recording or rehearsal?
I don’t know about strangest, but the most embarrassing was coming in from the elephant dung scene with elephant dung all over me and being left with a towel in the ladies changing area to shower off the dirt. I quickly removed my silver suit and then got a bit confused trying to find my way to the showers as there was some dirt on my face and I didn’t want it to get into my eyes. Eventually, I found some showers and started to rinse off the dirt but when I turned around, realised that I was under the showers that you use before entering the pool. Anyone in the pool that day caught a glimpse of me starkers, apart from the remains of the dung, showering off in the entrance to the pool!! Luckily there weren’t many people swimming that day!
What did you think of the parts of Tim and Gavin, when you first heard about them?
I thought ‘about time’ that we have a gay couple in a sitcom that are just another couple and that the humour is arising from the situation and their characters but not because they are camp or the stereotypical gay characters we’d seen in the 70s and 80s.
Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?
I’m not sure, but it’s witty and outrageous, and I guess that appeals to the properly discerning comedy audience!
Why do you think people in general still love it?
I think everyone has a Gordon Brittas character somewhere in their life and so they love to release their frustration through the hilarity of the scrapes he gets himself into.
I think it has a warmth of wit and character that is sometimes lacking from present-day comedy and I think the extent of the ludicrous nature of the comedy was ahead of its time and still much appreciated today.
Would you like the series to return?
If so, would you be part of it?
I am very ambivalent about the return of the programme. I think sometimes comedy programmes suffer from being updated. If it could be updated in a way that allows it to be as fresh and hilarious as it was then but moves the series on to be contemporary then, yes. But you can’t just put all the old characters back in a leisure centre and carry on where we left off. We’re all too old and I think it would be much better just to enjoy the reruns.
Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?
OBVIOUSLY NOT!!
Jill Greenacre (Linda)
How did you become part of the series?
I became a part of the series because I was on tour with Chris Barrie in a play called Totally Foxed. Chris had just been cast as Mr Brittas and one night said that the director, Mike Stephens, was coming to see the play. I was actually quite tired that night and had been intending to cycle home to my digs and not go out. I had a strong intuition however that I should join the others and meet Mike. I played a robot in the play and so, had I not joined them, Mike would never have seen my face ( the robot was masked). I ended up sitting next to Mike and chatting away, and the next day my agent called me and said the Mike wanted me to come to London to meet the casting director and talk about playing Linda. The rest is history!
What did you think when you first read the script?
When I first read the script, I wasn’t sure what to think. My part was very small in the early days so I wanted to make the best impression I could with my few words. I did think the script very funny but had no knowledge of who the other actors were and how the characters would come off the page.
What did you like most about the series?
I most liked that it was whacky and farcical yet had a politically and morally sound ethic running through it.
What is your favourite memory?
I have many favourite memories. I loved the Noah’s Ark episode because the studio was full of animals… I loved kicking down the toilet door to find an ostrich who was actually one of our crew with an ostrich head and feet on and I loved the reaction of the audience when I tipped a bucket full of rats down the toilet (the rats were unharmed)
I also remember stroking a tarantula in the studio when it was brought into rehearsals!
What do you think is the most iconic scene?
The most iconic scene? There are so many! Maybe the chaos after the centre was blown up or when we were burying Gavin, only we hadn’t actually got a body, and the coffin was ridiculously small because Mr Brittas had said to save money… and Mrs Brittas had put the body of her dog which had just died in it without telling Mr Brittas…
What is the strangest thing that ever happened during recording or rehearsal?
Maybe just the fact that Seb Coe was with us for a week! I had known him only as a famous athlete, and there he was being chained, by us, to a railing!
What did you think of the parts of Tim and Gavin, when you first heard about them?
I was heartened that there was a Gay couple written into the cast. It was brave in those days.
Did you hear any audience/LGBT response back then or now about those roles?
No, strangely, I didn’t. It was just accepted.
Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?
I think, apart from Tim and Gavin, the show has a big LGBT following because of the larger than life characters… especially Carole and Julie whom I think were LGBT favourites.
Why do you think people in general still love it?
I think people still love it because it stands the test of time. It’s still funny, still relevant; the characters are all loveable. The style is very much that of farce, and that’s universally humorous. The concept of having a character (Mr Brittas) whom everybody outside the centre “hates ” but he is unaware of this and whom the staff might complain about but are fiercely loyal to seems to always work.
Would you like the series to return?
If so, would you be part of it?
I’d LOVE the series to return with all us original cast, and YES, I would definitely like to be a part of it!
Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?
No, I don’t think Mr Brittas ever realised that Tim and Gavin were gay ….and he never will !!
Tim Marriott (Gavin)
How did you become part of the series?
I was sent to an interview by my agent with the producer, which I thought was a total disaster as I was nervous and stuttered my way through the script… When I left, I went straight out to the nearest telephone box (this was before mobiles) and called my agent to apologise for having messed up the interview. She said, “that’s strange, they’ve just offered you the part”! I think something in my befuddled naivety must have appealed to them…
What did you think when you first read the script?
I thought it was very fresh, original and different to the ‘two armchairs and a sofa’ style sitcoms around at the time…
What did you like most about the series?
The farcical, off the wall humour, the best episodes and most fun to do were the most extreme, like blowing up the centre or defending ourselves from a rampant emu loose in the corridors!
What is your favourite memory?
Every year going down to Bournemouth to location film for three weeks… our director always kept a really happy atmosphere, he used to call it our annual holiday!
What do you think is the most iconic scene?
To me, it would have to be when we thought Brittas had been flattened by the water tank after the centre collapsed, such blissfully dark humour, but there are so many… in the first series I got spear gunned to a door, that’s a memory you don’t forget!
What is the strangest thing that ever happened during recording or rehearsal?
Everything we did was pretty strange! Sharks in the pool to a vengeful psychotic choirmaster… but Gavin RIP was a pretty odd episode, turning up at my own grave and asking if the funeral was for “anyone I knew!”
What did you think of the parts of Tim and Gavin, when you first heard about them?
There wasn’t much to them, to begin with, the characters weren’t really established, this was something we worked out over time. I don’t think We really thought too deeply about the impact of being the first openly gay couple on TV, it was just seemed natural for that to be there, and we played it that way.
Was there ever a moment you felt unsure about portraying a gay character?
I got the occasional nasty comment, which makes you think, but to be honest, these were pretty rare and only make one more determined anyway.
Did you think about how you wanted to play the part?
I knew we wanted to present them as natural and normal as we could as part of the micro-society the cast presented.
Did you hear any audience/LGBT response (positive or negative) back then or now about those roles?
Not really. Anyone commenting to me on our roles as Tim and Gavin has only really been supportive and appreciative of the show and our roles within it.
Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?
Because it was colourful, fun, intelligent and imaginative, and like-minded people who are colourful, fun, intelligent and imaginative enjoyed it!
Why do you think people in general still love it?
It was in many ways ahead of its time. Somewhat under celebrated back then, the comedy hasn’t really dated. Also, we had quite a strong young audience following who are, perhaps, now in their thirties and forties and, perhaps, remember us fondly and with a bit of nostalgia? I hope so, anyway!
Would you like the series to return?
Yes, I’d love a second shot at it. It was great fun!
If so, would you be part of it?
Not my decision, but if it was offered, I was available, and the scripts were as strong as the original, then I’d love to.
Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?
Never!! He was utterly blinkered!
Judy Flynn (Julie)
How did you become part of the series?
I had worked with my Mike Stephens the director before. I wasn’t cast in the first series, and when Mr Brittas needed a new secretary at short notice, Mike got in touch with my agent to offer me the role.
What did you think when you first read the script?
Well, first of all, I was very excited to be offered the job. I found the scripts very funny. There is an element of farce but also a sad desperation to them which makes them funnier still. The writing is very clever. Each episode had a great story. The situation is set up and builds to a real climax.
What did you like most about the series?
Apart from the great writing, I loved being part of a company. To know that you are going to be meeting up with everyone, cast and crew, each year was fantastic. The studio audience aspect could be a bit nerve-wracking, but once you’d got one scene done, you could just enjoy it.
What is your favourite memory?
There was a scene where Brittas dies and when he gets to heaven St. Peter turns him away. He is accompanied to the pearly gates by two small children holding a basket between them that contains a shining orb. We filmed the scene once, and then we went to do another take. One of the little boys Jack (Harriet Thorpe’s son) who was about three or four at the time burst into tears and refused to do it again. When he was asked why he said `Because there is nothing to believe in anymore.’
Another happy memory is walking along the beach at Bournemouth after filming. I was with Pippa Haywood and her partner Malcolm, and they asked me to be godmother to their first child, Molly.
What do you think is the most iconic scene?
Maybe when there was a shark in the Leisure Centre pool.
It’s not any one particular iconic scene, but Carol (Harriet Thorpe) keeping her son Ben in a drawer under the reception desk was certainly different. And I loved it when she was happily washing her computer keyboard in a bowl of soapy water.
What is the strangest thing that ever happened during recording or rehearsal?
There was one episode which was set in the future, and we were all aged up. That was weird, seeing what we would all look like in 30 years time. As we’re all meeting up again soon, it will be interesting to see make-up if got it right.
What did you think of the parts of Tim and Gavin, when you first heard about them?
I thought they great. They were just written as an ordinary couple who worked together with all the usual trials and tribulations.
Did you hear any audience/LGBT response back then or now about those roles?
I think people enjoyed having a couple in the series who just happened to be gay. It was never made a big deal of. If The Brittas Empire ever returned it would be interesting to see if Tim and Gavin ever got married.
Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?
I think people just enjoy a show that is funny. There were also lots of strong female characters in the show who weren’t just there to support the male star – they had their share of funny lines too.
Why do you think people in general still love it?
I think it is a show for everyone. People who watched it when it was first broadcast have introduced it to the younger generations. The older ones still find it funny, maybe in a nostalgic way, I don’t know, but it is lovely to think that people are still enjoying it.
Would you like the series to return?
Yes!
If so, would you be part of it?
I would like to be, but maybe it will return with new characters.
Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?
Definitely not.
Julia St John (Laura)
How did you become part of the series?
The director, Mike Stephens saw me in the Victoria Wood Show on tv. He called me in to meet him at his office at the BBC, I subsequently worked on a few episodes of another show he was directing, and then I was offered The Brittas Empire.
What did you think when you first read the script?
I thought the scripts were wonderful, great characters, lovely storylines.
What did you like most about the series?
The writing.
What is your favourite memory?
So many memories. I think it was the camaraderie amongst us all; we had great fun together. Also, the way in which the writers responded to what the actors brought to their characters, developing storylines that were both unusual and hilarious. The series could be very dark; people died, marriages tottered, each episode contained at least four strands of story that were all neatly and satisfyingly tied up at the end of the half-hour format.
What do you think is the most iconic scene?
For me, I suppose the most iconic scene is where Brittas emerges from the smoking ruins of the Centre (again!), holding a rescued child in each arm – a phoenix from the ashes.
What did you think of the parts of Tim and Gavin, when you first heard about them?
I thought the parts of Tim and Gavin were as fully rounded as the rest of the characters. The writing was as subtle about their relationship as it was for all the characters, nothing was overtly emphasised or banged out, it didn’t need to be, the audience were treated as adults.
Did you hear any audience/LGBT response back then or now about those roles?
No, I wasn’t aware of any specific feedback, and similarly, that the show enjoyed a big LGBT following.
Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?
I think people still love it because it is funny, and has heart. It’s a very moral show if that doesn’t sound too grand – Brittas always acted from the highest ideals, even if the exercise of them wasn’t always smooth or apparent!
Would you like the series to return? If so, would you be part of it?
I honestly find it difficult to imagine how the series might return, I think we are all a little too long in the tooth to be running around in shorts and gym skirts! Maybe if Laura was offered a senior management position, although she doesn’t need the money, what with being married to a billionaire ‘n all…!
Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?
I doubt it. He was old school. It would have to have been spelled out for him. But I think he would have embraced the idea, having given it some thought.
John Carrigan (Patrick)
How did you become part of the series?
My agent called me and said that I had been chosen as the new permanent Patrick. Jill later told me that pictures of possible people were spread out in front of the cast and I got the vote?
What did you think when you first read the script?
My first thought was what a zany and different kind of comedy this was and I thought it would be a blast to film; I loved the character of Mr Brittas.
What did you like most about the series?
I liked the way that this group of people always tried to do their best in every situation, even though it always ended up going wrong, especially for Mr Brittas, but they never gave up trying.
What is your favourite memory?
I have so many wonderful memories, but it has to be the way the whole cast welcomed me. I had a minor role compared to the main cast members and I thought I should respect that. We were away on location filming my first episode in Ringwood, so we stayed in a lovely big hotel in Bournemouth. I was in my room on the first night keeping myself to myself, and I heard a knock on my door, when I opened it, it was Chris Barrie, Chris said, “Come on matey, we are all meeting in the bar for a drink!” It was a wonderful way to be welcomed.
What do you think is the most iconic scene?
I think Mr Brittas staggering out of the wreckage of the leisure centre with a child in his arms who he had rescued, that was a great moment.
What is the strangest thing that ever happened during recording or rehearsal?
Well, I do not know about strange, because strange became the norm on Brittas, but maybe strange for me was when I was called in to choreograph a fight scene. Because of my many years of martial arts training, I was asked to show Linda (Jill Greenacre) how to kick a double of Mr Brittas across the face. I was showing Chris and Jill how it would work by whizzing my foot inches from Chris’s face and it dawned on me what I was doing and who I was doing it too? It’s not every day you get to kick Mr Brittas in the face.
What did you think of the parts of Tim and Gavin, when you first heard about them?
I remember thinking how unusual it was to have a gay couple on a series who just fitted in as part of a team and the focus was not just on them being gay.
Did you hear any audience/LGBT response back then or now about those roles?
Not back then, but I have heard since from some of my gay friends who were happy that it showed Tim and Gavin as real people and not just camped up gay caricatures.
Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?
Not being gay myself I can’t really speak with any authority, but maybe because the series did show an acceptance of people who were different. Nearly all of the main cast were not the excepted norm for those days, they all battled their unique set of problems, bet the rest of the leisure centre staff only always tried to help each other and just loved and accepted who they all were anyway.
Why do you think people in general still love it?
I think there are several reasons. Apart from being so visually funny and with that unique set of characters, I think it was written with some real feelings behind the episodes and people involved. Even while you were laughing at these people, you were rooting for them, especially Gordon Brittas. Even though he was the biggest pain in the arse, deep inside him were so many good qualities and he always tried to do what he thought was right. You felt pain for the characters as well as laughing at them and the tender moments were played so well.
Would you like the series to return?
Absolutely I would love it to return.
If so, would you be part of it?
I would love to be a part of it all again, hopefully with an expanded role this time. I have had many starring and co-starring roles since my early Brittas days, so I am more than ready to make a bigger contribution as Patrick.
Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?
I honestly don’t think he ever did, with his childlike innocence he never seemed to delve deeply into his staff as people and missed so much of what was under his nose. He couldn’t see what he was doing himself half the time, so I don’t think he ever realised about Tim and Gavin, maybe in a new series? Fingers crossed.
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