Nearest And Dearest – 1968
Another ITV classic that never makes the repeat radar. It’s also 50 years ago this year since it finished.
Nearest and Dearest was an ITV sitcom produced by Granada Television, that ran for seven series with a total of forty six episodes being made.
Running from 1968 until 1973, eighteen of the episodes were broadcast in Black and White and twenty eight in colour.
Nearest and Dearest was the first ITV comedy to be recorded in colour from 1969 (series 3). However the network did not start colour broadcasts until mid November 1969, so most viewers would have seen this series in black and white.
It is alleged that the on screen insults between Hylda Baker and Jimmy Jewel continued off screen, as they hated each other in real life.
Like many sitcoms of the time a spin off film version was made. There as was a follow on TV series ‘Not On Your Nellie’
Summary
Set in the North West of England the series revolved around the lives of Nellie and Eli Pledge.
Their Father Joshua Pledge, in his will, bequeaths a large sum of money to his middle-aged son and daughter but only if they stay together for five years at his small pickle business, Pledge’s Purer Pickles. However his children, the hard-working spinster Nellie and her ne’er do well womanising brother Eli, rarely see eye to eye.
Clips
[AdSense-A]
[AdSense-A]
[AdSense-A]
Cast
Hylda Baker
Jimmy Jewel
Madge Hindle
Edward Malin
Joe Gladwin
Details
Channel: ITV
Written By: Vince Powell and Harry Driver
Produced By: Granada Television for ITv
Original Transmission Dates: 15th August 1968 – 7th February 1973