The Brittas Empire
| The Brittas Empire | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Created by |
Andrew Norriss Richard Fegen |
| Directed by |
Mike Stephens Christine Gernon |
| Starring |
Chris Barrie Pippa Haywood Julia St. John Michael Burns Russell Porter Tim Marriott Harriet Thorpe Judy Flynn Andrée Bernard Anouschka Menzies Jill Greenacre Stephen Churchett John Carrigan |
| Theme music composer | Frank Renton |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of series | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 52 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Mike Stephens |
| Producer(s) | Mike Stephens |
| Running time | 30 mins |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC1 |
| Original release | 3 January 1991 – 24 February 1997 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
The Brittas Empire is a British sitcom created and originally written by Andrew Norriss and Richard Fegen. Chris Barrie played Gordon Brittas, the well-meaning but incompetent manager of Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre.
The show ran for seven series and 53 episodes — including two Christmas specials — from 1991 to 1997 on BBC1. Norriss and Fegen wrote the first five series, after which they left the show.
The Brittas Empire enjoyed a long and successful run throughout the 1990s, and gained itself large mainstream audiences. In 2004 the show came 47th on the BBC's Britain's Best Sitcom poll, and all series have been released on DVD.
The creators Andrew Norriss and Richard Fegen often combined farce with either surreal or dramatic elements in episodes. For example, in the first series, the leisure centre prepares for a royal visit, only for the doors to seal, the boiler room to flood and a visitor to become electrocuted. Unlike the traditional sitcom, deaths were quite common in The Brittas Empire.
Gordon Brittas (played by Chris Barrie) is the well-meaning but incompetent manager of Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre. He trained at the fictional Aldershot Leisure Centre. Completely tactless, totally annoying and forever coming up with 'half-baked' ideas (and oblivious to all of his aforementioned faults), Brittas is frequently upsetting his staff, public, and his frazzled wife Helen, often bringing confusion and chaos into their lives.
Helen Brittas (Pippa Haywood) finds it increasingly difficult to cope with Gordon, and often turns to pills and affairs with other men to maintain her sanity. She is also helped by supportive friend Laura Lancing (Julia St. John), Brittas's calm and efficient deputy. Laura (though she is fully aware of his incompetence) has a grudging admiration for Brittas whom she regards as honest and decent - unlike her former husband (who in one episode tries to buy his way back into her affections by making a large donation to the centre).
Brittas's other deputy — the dim-witted Colin Weatherby (Michael Burns) — has several skin allergies and an infected hand. Though he is technically an assistant manager, he works as the centre's caretaker. Carole (Harriet Thorpe) is the unfortunate and often tearful receptionist who keeps her three children in the drawers of the reception desk. Amongst other members of the team is Julie (Judy Flynn), the sarcastic secretary who hates her boss and refuses to do any work. Lively Linda (played by Jill Greenacre), gentle-hearted Gavin (Tim Marriott), and his paranoid partner Tim (Russell Porter) are more co-operative members of the team.
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