This popular BAFTA nominated cult classic comedy continues to screen on cable television. Initially created by Franc Roddam and mostly written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, the show first appeared on for ITV in 1983. However the BBC took over production in 2002 after ITV failed to secure the rights. Whilst the series largely filmed on location in the North of England and overseas, Auf Wiedersehen Pet built sets at BBC Elstree Studios and locations were used in the area. The plot initially brings together 7 British migrant construction workers, or ‘brickies’ on a building site in Germany. During the 1st series the group get up to all sorts of amusing adventures until German tax laws alter and they decide to return home. In the 2nd series the lads are reunited for a variety of projects which take them from a country manor house to Spain where they end up having to flee the authorities. Unfortunately Gary Holton (played Wayne Norris) died during the filming of this series so the script had to be re-worked to explain his absence. Series 3 was produced for BBC 1 and saw the show successfully return to the region. All the surviving cast were reunited but joined by Wayne’s son, Wyman (Noel Clarke). The plot revolved around a corrupt politician Jeffrey Grainger (Bill Nighy) to demolish the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge. The success of the series resulted in a Comic Relief sketch for 2003’s Red Nose Day, a 4th series, a BBC special and a number of spin-offs.

Release / Airing: 11/11/1983