Marcus Francis

Only Fools and Horses.... Is a British sitcom created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally transmitted on BBC One from 1981 to 1991, with sixteen sporadic Christmas specials aired until 2003. In working-class Peckham in south-east London, ambitious market trader Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter and his younger half-brother Rodney, explore their highs and lows in life, in particular their attempts to get rich. Initially not an immediate hit and receiving little promotion early on, it later achieved consistently high ratings, and the 1996 episode "Time on Our Hands" (originally billed as the series finale) holds the record for the biggest UK audience for a sitcom episode, attracting 24.3 million viewers. The series bears a significant influence on British culture, contributing several words and phrases to the English language.

Going Out was a six part, thirty minute episode, drama series written by Phil Redmond (Grange Hill, Brookside etc) and produced by the ex-ITV franchise, Southern Television. The series followed the first six weeks after Sean, Roger Sammy, Cathy and Gerry were released from school and onto Thatcher’s scrap heap. Along with Dikey, who'd already been drawing his Giro for a year, they tried to avoid the nutter Arty 'Haggis' Jackson and his 'crew'.

The father, an ex-military man, sees the 'handwriting on the wall' as to where his country's economy is headed. In an effort to prepare for this, he moves his family of wife, two sons and two daughters out of the city to a secluded old mansion -- a fortress, a castle, as it were. In a confidence he shares only with his youngest son, he acquires stores, goods and foodstuffs, for the tough times he sees coming.

'They're no trouble', says the head-master, 'just give them something simple and undemanding to do - just keep their heads down'. It was better advice then he knew.

A play about bullying, asking whether anything can actually be done about it. A gang of boys engage David in a game of 'coins against the wall' every day at school, a game for which David needs a daily supply of money, and which he inevitably loses. When he doesn't have money he truants from school, and eventually steals money from home.