You can see how 'No Place Like Home' came to be made. Jon Watkins, its writer, had previously written for ITV's 'Bless This House' and decided to recreate the show on BBC-1 with a different cast. William Gaunt, who played 'Arthur Crabtree', was best remembered for his role as superman NEMESIS agent 'Richard Barrett' in 'The Champions' ( which was still being repeated on ITV when this sitcom went out ). Patricia Garwood played his wife 'Beryl'. Rather like Terry and June at the start of their long-running show, the Crabtrees are looking forward to a quiet life now that their children have grown up and moved out. But, then, circumstances change and the kids move back in...
Amongst the young faces was Martin Clunes, who played Nigel. He was later replaced by Andrew Charleson. A show like this just had to have a nosey neighbour, and she was the bespectacled 'Vera Botting', played at first by Marcia Warren and then Ann Penfold. So popular was Vera that,, when she failed to appear in one series, a concerned viewer went on the BBC's 'Open Air' programme to inquire where she was. Arthur's best friend and neighbour was 'Trevor Botting' ( another nod to 'Bless This House' . Sid Abbott's best friend was also called Trevor ). Played by the late Michael Sharvell-Martin ( of 'Dave Allen At Large' fame ). The plots ran the gamut of formulaic sitcom plots about forgotten birthdays and anniversaries. 'No Place Like Home' was on the whole bland stuff, but proved popular enough to run for five seasons. It recently enjoyed a repeat on the now-defunct Forces T. V. channel. The strange thing now is that shows like this, derided at the time for being cosy and twee, actually look funnier now than they did on the original broadcast. Time plays the most odd tricks with our memories.
Amongst the young faces was Martin Clunes, who played Nigel. He was later replaced by Andrew Charleson. A show like this just had to have a nosey neighbour, and she was the bespectacled 'Vera Botting', played at first by Marcia Warren and then Ann Penfold. So popular was Vera that,, when she failed to appear in one series, a concerned viewer went on the BBC's 'Open Air' programme to inquire where she was. Arthur's best friend and neighbour was 'Trevor Botting' ( another nod to 'Bless This House' . Sid Abbott's best friend was also called Trevor ). Played by the late Michael Sharvell-Martin ( of 'Dave Allen At Large' fame ). The plots ran the gamut of formulaic sitcom plots about forgotten birthdays and anniversaries. 'No Place Like Home' was on the whole bland stuff, but proved popular enough to run for five seasons. It recently enjoyed a repeat on the now-defunct Forces T. V. channel. The strange thing now is that shows like this, derided at the time for being cosy and twee, actually look funnier now than they did on the original broadcast. Time plays the most odd tricks with our memories.
