UK, 17 September 1991-10 February 1995
3 series, 18 episodes, average 30m
videotape, colour, 4:3
stereo, English
A British sitcom with several fantasy episodes created by Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall. Eighteen episodes were broadcast on BBC2 between 17 September 1991 and 10 February 1995.
Premise
Richard ‘Richie’ Richard and Edward ‘Eddie’ Hitler share a run-down flat and become involved in a series of bizarre misadventures amid bouts of extreme violence.
Credits
Crew
Directed by: Ed Bye
BBC
Created by: Adrian Edmondson, Rik Mayall
Produced by: Ed Bye
Written by: Ade Edmonson, Rik Mayall
Opening Theme Song: BB’s Blues by The Bum Notes *
Ending Theme Song: Last Night by The Bum Notes *
Cast
Adrian Edmondson as Edward “Eddie” Hitler
Rik Mayall as Richard “Richie” Richard
Episodes
Genre episodes are listed in bold. The episode titles are all meant to be prefaced by the word “bottom”.
Series One
Smells (17 September 1991)
Guest Cast: Lee Cornes, Clive Mantle, Harriet Thorpe, Cindy Shelley, Carla Mendonça, Kevin McNally
Eddie and Riche try to improve their luck with women using a “sex spray” that is supposedly full of pheremones.
Gas (24 September 1991)
Guest Cast: Brian Glover, Mark Lambert, Gabi Valenti
When a gas meter reader calls, Eddie’s illegal connection to a neighbour’s gas supply is uncovered.
Contest (30 September 1991)
Eddie has blown the pair’s last money of a second hand copy of men’s magazine Parade so he and Richie have to stay in and watch the Miss World contest on television.
Apocalypse (7 October 1991)
Guest Cast: Mark Arden, Liz Smith, Helen Lederer, Roger Brierley, Nick Gillard
A night at a fun fair ends with Richie being cursed by an angry gypsy fortune teller.
‘s Up (14 October 1991)
Guest Cast: Evie Garratt, Mike Redfern, Roger Sloman, John Wells
Richie and Eddie are improbably left in charge of their landlord’s shop but find themselves stuck on the roof while trying to watch a cricket match.
Accident (28 October 1991)
Guest Cast: Steven O’Donnell, Christopher Ryan, Mark Williams, David Lloyd, Wayne Michaels
Richie may have broken his leg, but that isn’t going to stop him enjoying his birthday party.
Series Two
Digger (1 October 1992)
Guest Cast: Helen Lederer, Lisa Maxwell
Richie and Eddie visit a dating agency and with Eddie posing as his butler, Jives, Richie tries to impress his aristocratic date.
Culture (8 October 1992)
Richie and Eddie have fallen behind with the rental and their television set has been repossessed. How will they ever get through the evening without it?
Burglary (15 October 1992)
Guest Cast: Rupert Bates, Paul Bradley, Jonathan Stratt, Tip Tipping
Richie and Eddie catch a burglar in their flat.
Parade (22 October 1992)
Guest Cast: Robert Ashe (Ralph Maxwell), Rory Bremner (Mr Brough), Lee Cornes (Dick Head), Brian Croucher (Ted Nugent/Harry the Bastard), Andy De La Tour (Chief Inspector Grobbelaar), Roy Heather (Mr Man), Chris Langham (Tight-Mouthed Larry), Robert Llewellyn (Mr N. Stiles), Robert McKewley (PC Cholmondley-Smythe), Steven O’Donnell (Spudgun), Patsy Rowlands (Lil Potato), Christopher Ryan (Dave Hedgehog), Julia Sawalha (Veronica Head)
Taking part in a police idenitity parade offers the boys a chance to make easy money.
Holy (29 October 1992)
Guest Cast: Charlie Biddle (Johnny Bates), Tina Foley (Valerie Bates), Steven O’Donnell (Spudgun), Christopher Ryan (Dave Hedgehog), Roger Sloman (Mr Harrison)
On Christmas Eve, Richie and Eddie believe that they’ve experienced a miracle…
‘s Out (10 April 1995) 1This episode was originally due to be broadcast as the last episode of Series Two, but was held back due to its sensitive subject matter – the tale of Eddie and Richie having a violent time sleeping rough on Wimbledon Common coincided with the murder on the Common of Rachael Nickel and the BBC deemed it inappropriate to show the episode so soon after the killing. It was first seen on a video release and eventually broadcast at the end of a run of repeats
Guest Cast: Rupert Bates (Mr Tent)
Richie and Eddie take an ill-advised camping holiday on Wimbledon Common.
Series Three
Hole (6 January 1995)
Richie and Eddie are trapped after hours on a fair ground ferris wheel and their only hope may lie in divine interventyion…
Terror (13 January 1995)
Guest Cast: Steve O’Donnell (Spudgun), Christopher Ryan (Dave Hedgehog), Lisa Coleman (Doreen Hedgehog), Paul ‘Des’ Ballard, Mohammed George, Simon Coray (small devils)
It’s Halloween night and Richie and Eddie decide to go trick or treating with predictably catastrophic results.
Break (20 January 1995)
Guest Cast: John Abbott (mormon), Jo-Anne Stockham (Voluptua)
Richie and Eddie prepare for a cut-price holiday in Bridlington.
Dough (27 January 1995)
Guest Cast: Lee Cornes (Dick Head), Steven O’Donnell (Spudgun), Christopher Ryan (Dave Hedgehog), Nick Scott (“Skullcrusher” Henderson), Dominic Snowdon (Member of “Dog and Handgun” quiz team)
It’s pub quize night at the local and Richie and Eddie sense a get rich quick opportunity. What can possibly go wrong?
Finger (3 February 1995)
Guest Cast: Victor Spinetti (maitre’d), Kevin Allen (Marcel), Caroline Gruber (maid), Gareth Marks (receptionist), Rupert Rainsford (Pierre), Sue Scott-Davison (woman)
Eddie and Richie, adopting the guise of Mr and Mrs Cannonball Taffy O’Jones, take advantage of a stolen weekend’s stay in a luxury hotel.
Carnival (10 February 1995)
Chaos descends as Richie and Eddie watch the annual Hammersmith carnival from their flat window.
Alternative Titles
La pareja basura – Spain
Your Bottom – working title
References
Books
- Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy p.95 – note
