Original title
A Bit of a Do
Released
1/13/1989
Origin country
GB, US
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
2
Number of episodes
13
A Bit of a Do is a British comedy drama series based on the books by David Nobbs. The show starred David Jason and was aired on ITV in 1989. It was made for the ITV network by Yorkshire Television. The show was set in a fictional Yorkshire town. Each episode took place at a different social function and followed the changing lives of two families, the working-class Simcocks and the middle-class Rodenhursts, together with their respective friends, Rodney and Betty Sillitoe, and Neville Badger. The series begins with the wedding of Ted and Rita Simcock's son Paul to Laurence and Liz Rodenhurst's daughter Jenny; an event at which Ted and Liz begin an affair. The subsequent fallout from this affair forms the basis for most of the first series.
Gloria Hunniford interviews Nicola Pagett
It is the day of Paul and Jenny's wedding and their families must conceal their differences. Liz takes this to extremes by propositioning Ted and the two disappear to a hotel room at the reception. The day ends in violence and recrimination on all sides.
Laurence and Liz do not want Ted and Rita to attend the dance but feel compelled to invite them. Ted and Rita do not want to go but feel unable to decline. The event sees Liz confessing to Ted that she is pregnant with his child and Laurence and Rita becoming more aware of their affair.
Ted and Liz attend the party as a couple which causes awkwardness amongst their family and friends. This is heightened when Laurence and Rita also put in an appearance. Ted is also blackmailed due to having cheated in a fishing tournament and shamefacedly resigns.
Ted has to face his family and friends after having been declared bankrupt and subsequently left by Liz. She already has her eye on Neville however, but so does Rita. Meanwhile, Paul must try to keep his unfaithfulness a secret from Jenny.
Tensions run high among the group for a variety of reasons. Rodney has purchased Ted's foundry which causes no small degree of acrimony, Paul confesses to Jenny about his dalliance with Carol and protesters interrupt the beauty pageant. The evening climaxes with Neville and Liz agreeing to marry; much to the shock of Rita and Laurence.
It is the day of Neville and Liz's wedding but Laurence's recent suicide casts a cloud over proceedings. There is brighter news for Rita though, as she attends with a new man and Jenny and Paul reunite due to Jenny's pregnancy. The wedding breakfast takes place at the restaurant in which Ted now works and he must endure the embarrassment of waiting on his former wife and lover.
Rita is marrying her politician boyfriend Jerry but her son Paul refuses to attend. Ted however does go to the church and cannot hide his amusement when Rita decides to jilt her fiance. He is also captivated by a new woman, Corinna, and Rodney and Betty announce that they will be opening a new health food shop.
Much has changed for the characters as Rita is now a Labour Councillor, Elvis is a journalist and Ted is engaged to Corinna. It is not all happy news though, as Jenny announces that her marriage is over and Elvis rows with Carol.
It is the opening of Rodney and Betty's health food complex and Rita is unpopular due to her council work. She becomes even less popular with Liz when Rita declares that the new man in her life is Liz's brother. Ted meanwhile agrees to move with Corinna to East Africa to start a new life, and Elvis and Jenny become a couple.
It is Ted's farewell do and all of his family and friends attend in fancy dress. But the night is a disaster as Ted learns that Corinna is a con-woman, and news arrives that Paul has been arrested for throwing an egg at the Prime Minister.
Rita must face open hostility due to the unpopular ring road and also has to cope with the knowledge that her son Paul will be sent to prison for six months.
It is the day of Neville's funeral after his death in a car accident and Liz tries to make it a happy occasion as Neville would have wanted. The mood is genuinely lifted for Rita when Geoffrey proposes to her.
Rita is happily marrying Geoffrey and is shocked to find that Ted and Sandra are also getting married at the same registry office. Not everybody is happy however, as Jenny has left Elvis to return to Paul and Elvis's only consolation comes when he is propositioned by Liz.
This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.
