Benidorm

Plot

The series follows holidaymakers who spend a week at the Solana Resort Benidorm, Spain. It is generally the same people who go at the same time of year, usually by coincidence. As people say, those who come to Benidorm "can never stay away" or "never come back". Some higher-class people who come to the Solana are not satisfied with its facilities or the holidaymakers who go there, though others enjoy themselves, mostly due to the fact that it is all-inclusive.

The first four series largely concentrated on Solana guests, with staff acting as background characters. Following the introduction of Sherrie Hewson as new manager Joyce Temple Savage in series five and the return of Adam Gillen as Liam Conroy, previously a guest, as the hotel maintenance man, staff characters became more prominent, with more storylines revolving around the running of the hotel. This gave creator Derren Litten and his co-writers more flexibility in terms of storylines, as they were not necessarily required to reintroduce the same guests in each series.

Production

Development

In 2006, Derren Litten pitched a new comedy that he had devised for ITV, focusing on an all-inclusive holiday resort, which was later confirmed to be a six-episode series titled Benidorm. The first episode was broadcast on 1 February 2007, opening with 5.86 million viewers and a 26% share between 10pm and 10.30pm. A second series was commissioned, which began airing on 28 March 2008, attracting 7.14 million viewers and an average audience share of 28% between 9pm and 9.30pm, maintaining its strength against competitors. The programme went on to win Best Comedy Programme at the National Television Awards in 2008.

Benidorm returned for an hour-long special on 31 May 2009, serving as a bridge between the second and third series. The third series began broadcasting on 2 October that same year, in a new 45-minute episode format. In 2010, it was announced that the programme would return for a Christmas special later that year before returning for a fourth series in 2011. After cast member Geoffrey Hutchings' sudden death in July 2010 from a suspected viral infection, the Christmas special was heavily rewritten to write his character out. It aired on 26 December 2010 with an audience of 7.41 million.

The fourth series began on 25 February 2011, introducing a new set of characters to fill the void of several cast departures. Litten opted against writing any new episodes beyond the fourth series, commenting, "I'm really looking forward to Series 4 although it is with mixed emotions because, for me, it is the end of my Benidorm journey. I can't begin to tell you what this show means to me, it has changed my life in so many ways. Not least the amazing friends I have made along the way. I won't be writing any more episodes of Benidorm, for me the story of the Garveys and all of the other characters I created ends at Episode 6 of Series 4." However, Litten reversed his decision and agreed to write a fifth series after cast member Steve Pemberton agreed to contribute to three episodes.

The programme continued to gain popularity, winning Most Popular Comedy Programme at the 2011 National Television Awards. At the time of the fourth series' broadcast, Metro reported that the interest of holidays to Benidorm itself had increased by 159%. The fifth series began broadcasting on 24 February 2012, attracting 7.72 million viewers. As part of Sport Relief 2012, Pemberton and fellow series regulars Jake Canuso, Tony Maudsley, Adam Gillen and Oliver Stokes appeared in a sketch as their characters, situating them taking part in a fictional audition for ITV talent competition Britain's Got Talent. The fifth series concluded on 6 April 2012 to an audience of 6.37 million.

Casting

The Garvey family were introduced in the first series, consisting of parents Mick (Steve Pemberton) and Janice (Siobhan Finneran), teenage daughter Chantelle (Hannah Hobley) and eight-year-old son Michael (Oliver Stokes), with Sheila Reid portraying Janice's mother Madge. Janine Duvitski and Kenny Ireland portrayed the roles of Jacqueline and Donald Stewart, a couple of swingers, whereas Abigail Cruttenden and Nicholas Burns played middle-class couple Kate and Martin Weedon, who were experiencing a nightmare holiday to Benidorm. Comedian Johnny Vegas was cast as pub quiz champion Geoff Maltby, who calls himself "The Oracle", holidaying with his mother Noreen (Elsie Kelly). Hugh Sachs and Paul Bazely completed the original cast of holidaymakers, portraying gay couple Gavin Ramsbottom and Troy Ganatra. Two members of Solana staff were also introduced in barman Mateo Castellanos (Jake Canuso) and hotel manageress Janey Yorke (Crissy Rock).

Geoffrey Hutchings joined the cast for the second series as Mel Harvey, a multi-millionaire businessman who is in a relationship with, and subsequently marries, Madge. Soap opera actresses Wendy Richard and Margi Clarke both made individual guest appearances in the second series as Sylvia, a wheelchair-riding love rival for Madge, and Dorothy, the estranged mother of Gavin, respectively. Sheridan Smith portrayed the role of Brandy in the third series, a loud-mouthed Scouser introduced as a love interest for Martin. Emily Atack had been on standby to take over the role in the event of Smith being unavailable for filming. Series 3 also saw Tim Healy make his first appearance as Les/Lesley Conroy, originally a transvestite blind date for Geoff, who would go on to establish himself as a series regular. Healy reflected on being recruited by Litten for the programme after they met at the TV Quick Awards in 2007: "Derren was in the bar afterwards so I shook his hand and said, 'Well done, man, it's really funny.' I said, 'I'd love to do one.' So he said, 'What would you like to play?' By this time I'd had a few beers so I said, 'Something people would never expect me to play... I tell you what, a transvestite that kills somebody! Anyway six months later a script arrived and I did that one scene with Johnny Vegas [a hilarious blind date] and they asked me to come back and be a regular. So it was me own fault." Other notable guest stars throughout the third series included Robin Askwith playing Gary Snelling, a conman and a thief who was revealed as Brandy's lover, and Una Stubbs, who made an appearance in the final episode as Martin's overbearing mother Diana.

For the Christmas special in 2010, Louie Spence appeared as Marvin, a friend of Donald and Jacqueline who was also a fellow swinger. Spence was reportedly keen to appear in the show, with a source stating, "When Louie was offered a part, he jumped at the chance. He's already learning lines. He's taking it very seriously, as you'd expect from La Spence." Brian Murphy was also briefly introduced as Clive Mitchell, a potential love interest for Noreen; both actors did not reprise their roles for the fourth series. Additionally, singers Su Pollard and Roy Wood appeared as fictional versions of themselves as entertainment acts for the Benidorm Palace, though only Pollard provided an acting entity. Shakin' Stevens had initially been attached to appear in the Christmas special as the closing act though pulled out days before filming due to exhaustion, with Wood stepping in as his replacement at short notice.

Filming

The Solana is the hotel featured in the show, where most of the characters stay. The pool scenes are filmed at the Sol Pelicanos Ocas Hotel in Benidorm, and the room scenes are filmed in the Acuariam II Apartments (which overlook the pool). The reception area and the salon is filmed in a studio set in a building opposite Benidorm Palace, known as "The Pink House".

Neptune's is an all-inclusive bar/restaurant featured in the show, and owned by The Solana. Most of the characters are seen here in the evening, where seemingly there is karaoke and live entertainment every night. Occasional guest appearances take place from singer Asa Elliott, and previously Shaun Foster Conley. Neptune's is filmed in Morgan's Tavern, near to Sol Pelicanos Ocas, where the pool scenes are filmed. Scenes showing cast members leaving Neptune's were filmed using a false facade on the bar area of Sol Pelicanos Ocas, forming a continuum with other outdoor scenes.

Spin-offs

American adaptation

In 2016, television network FOX commissioned an American adaptation of the sitcom, to be named The Big Package. The adaptation is set in a Mexican holiday resort, with the plot revolving around a Bostonian family, similar to the Garvey family, who go on holiday to escape their financial issues. The title of the adaptation is derived from the type of three-star resort which serves as its setting and offers a "big package deal". Writers Chris Alberghini and Mike Chessler were to adapt Derren Litten's scripts for the show. The show was slated for a 2017 debut, but, as of 2026, it has yet to be broadcast.

Benidorm Live

In 2017, dates were announced for a major theatre tour of the sitcom's stage adaptation. It is written by its creator Derren Litten. The tour began in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England at the Theatre Royal on 7 September 2018. Two hundred and thirty-five shows were scheduled to take place in various locations throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.