Bottle Boys is a British sitcom which ran for two series on ITV between 1 September 1984 and 24 August 1985. Starring Robin Askwith as football-mad milkman Dave Deacon, the series mined broad comedy from Dave's work situations and his amorous adventures, including dressing up as a cow, inadvertently becoming engaged to Sharon the secretary, and meeting then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (played by the actress Janet Hargreaves).
The show is currently being repeated on Rewind TV.
Contents
Background
The part of Dave Deacon was originally written for Jim Davidson, who was by this time moving into sitcom with Up the Elephant and Round the Castle, also on ITV. When he was unavailable, future BBC controller John Birt, during his tenure at London Weekend Television, suggested that Askwith take the part.
Reception
The first episode of Bottle Boys drew 9.3m viewers, placing it 16th in that week's ratings chart. However, no other episodes appeared in the Top Twenty listings.
The series is widely regarded 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 observed that Bottle Boys was reputedly despised by comedy executives at ITV. He described Bottle Boys as his choice for "worst ever" British sitcom.
Writer Vince Powell was no stranger to working on shows that attracted bad press, 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)
Alan Gear (one episode)
Candy Davis (one episode)
Pam St. Clement (one episode)
Don Henderson (one episode)
Bernie Winters – himself (one episode)
Episodes
Series One
Broadcast 1 September to 6 October 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
Broadcast 13 July to 24 August 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"