Hi-de-Hi! | |
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Opening credits of Hi-de-Hi!
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Genre | Sitcom |
Created by | |
Written by | |
Starring | |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of series | 9 |
No. of episodes | 58 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | David Croft |
Running time | 53 x 30 minutes 1 x 40 minutes 3 x 45 minutes 1 x 60 minutes |
Release | |
Original network | BBC1 |
Original release | 1 January 1980 | – 30 January 1988
Hi-de-Hi! is a BBC television sitcom shown on BBC1 from 1 January 1980 to 30 January 1988.
Set between 1959 and the early 1960s in Maplins, a fictional holiday camp, the show was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, who also wrote Dad's Army and It Ain't Half Hot Mum amongst other programmes. The title was the greeting the campers heard and in early episodes was written Hi de Hi. The series revolved around the lives of the camp's management and entertainers, most of them struggling actors or has-beens.
The inspiration was the experience of Jimmy Perry, one of the writers. After being demobilised from the Army, he was a Redcoat at Butlins, Pwllheli during the holiday season.
The series gained large audiences and won a BAFTA as Best Comedy Series in 1984. In a 2008 poll on Channel 4, Hi-de-Hi! was voted the 35th most popular comedy catchphrase. In 2014, Jimmy Perry confirmed that Hi-de-Hi! would be repeated, and it began a rerun on 2 February 2015 on BBC Two as part of Afternoon Classics, alongside 'Allo 'Allo!, To the Manor Born and Open All Hours.
Hi-de-Hi! is set at a holiday camp in the fictional seaside town of Crimpton-on-Sea, Essex.
Loosely based on Butlins, Maplins is part of a holiday camp group owned by Joe Maplin, with Yellowcoats replacing Redcoats. Cambridge University Professor of Archaeology Jeffrey Fairbrother, who had become tired of academia, has been appointed the new entertainment manager. This has annoyed the camp host, Ted Bovis, who had expected the post.