Joking Apart, 1993
Joking Apart was an early Steven Moffatt offering that ran for 12 episodes following an earlier pilot.
The series came about when, in 1990 having written two series of the hugely successful kids show ‘Press Gang’, changes within the ITV production company Central had Moffatt wondering what next?
It was Bob Spiers who had directed Press Gang who suggested to Steven Moffatt meeting producer André Ptaszynski who at the time was Chief Executive of the Really Useful Group. The idea was to write a sitcom. Moffatt’s initial idea of a school sitcom was put to one side when Ptaszynski realised Moffat was talking passionately about his impending divorce and suggested that he write about that instead.
The result was Joking Apart. A pilot was aired in 1990 and 2 series followed three years later. Whilst the show was generally well received scheduling problems meant it never got the viewing figures it had hoped for.
However Joking Apart accrued a loyal fanbase with one fan even acquiring the home video rights from the BBC and releasing both series on his own DVD label.
Summary
Loosely based on the writers own experiences, the series follows the rise and fall of the relationship between it’s two lead characters Mark and Becky, who fall in love and marry, before getting separated and finally divorced.
Clips
[AdSense-A]
[AdSense-A]
Cast
Robert Bathurst – Mark Taylor
Fiona Gilies – Becky Johnson
Tracie Bennett – Tracy Glazebrook
Paul Raffield – Robert Glazebrook
Details
Channel: BBC2
Written By: Steven Moffatt
Produced By: André Ptaszynski
Directed By: Bob Spiers
Original Transmission Dates: 12th July 1991 (Pilot), 7th January 1993 – 7th February 1995