● content ● videos
|
Welcome to the Holiday Rock - The Hi-De-Hi Wiki
Hi-de-Hi! is a British sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1980 to 1988
About |
---|
Hi-De-Hi was set in a holiday camp during the 1950s and 1960s and was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, who had written Dad's Army and It Ain't Half Hot Mum. The title was the phrase used to greet the campers and in early episodes was written Hi de Hi. The series surrounded the lives of the camp's management and entertainers, most of them struggling actors or has-beens.
The inspiration was the experience of writers Perry and Croft. After being demobilised from the Army, Perry was a Redcoat at Butlins Pwllheli during the holiday season.
The series gained large audiences and won a BAFTA as Best Comedy Series in 1984. In 2004, it came 40th in Britain's Best Sitcom and in a 2008 poll on Channel 4, Hi-de-Hi! was voted the 35th most popular comedy catchphrase.
Featured Article |
---|
Hi-De-Hi was set at Maplins, a holiday camp owned by entrepreneur Joe Maplin in the fictional seaside town of Crimpton-on-Sea, Essex. It is loosely based on Butlins, the holiday camp empire of Billy Butlin, his Redcoats replaced with 'Yellowcoats'. At the end of the 1958 season, the camp Entertainment Manager Mr Baverstock, a conman and womaniser, had been sacked for stealing charity money from the camp wishing well. At the same time, the camp comic Teddy Drinkwater had burned out and resigned, leaving the two posts vacant. The following year, a Cambridge University Professor of Archaeology, Jeffrey Fairbrother, tired of academia and applied for the role of Entertainment Manager. This annoyed the portly Camp Host, Ted Bovis, who wanted the job. The job of Camp Comic was given to naive but kind-hearted Spike Dixon, who is awaiting his 'big break' and wants an introduction to the world of show business.
Most episodes involved Ted Bovis attempting to scam the campers as well as the well-meaning Fairbrother, who also had to avoid the romantic approaches of Chief Yellowcoat and Sports Organiser, Gladys Pugh, as he was estranged from his wife but was initially reluctant to divorce her because of the social stigma attached. Most of the other characters in the show were out-of-work actors and entertainers at the tail-end of their careers. These consisted of Fred Quilly, a disqualified jockey; Yvonne and Barry Stuart-Hargreaves, two former ballroom champions and Mr Partridge, a failed Music Hall star reduced to performing Punch and Judy puppet shows for the children. All these characters were big stars in their prime, but were forced to take jobs at Maplins to due their careers failing, most of which were due to the chaos ensued by the aftermath of the Second World War. Other characters consisted of several young men and women who had summer jobs as Yellowcoats, and Peggy Ollerenshaw, an eccentric but ambitious chalet maid who dreamed of becoming a Yellowcoat.
Featured Videos |
---|
News |
---|
Where's the Hi-De-Hi cast now? From fatal fall and heartache to crime writing success - Express - - 2024/03/16 06:00
- Where's the Hi-De-Hi cast now? From fatal fall and heartache to crime writing success Express...
Ruth Madoc dead: Hi-de-Hi!s 'announcer' and Little Britain actor dies, aged 79 - Yahoo Movies Canada - - 2024/03/09 06:25
- Ruth Madoc dead: Hi-de-Hi!s 'announcer' and Little Britain actor dies, aged 79 Yahoo Movies Canada...
Hi-de-Hi! - GOLD - TVguide.co.uk - - 2024/02/24 22:00
- Hi-de-Hi! - GOLD TVguide.co.uk...
Hi-de-Hi! - GOLD - TVguide.co.uk - - 2024/02/13 04:01
- Hi-de-Hi! - GOLD TVguide.co.uk...
Where the cast of Hi-de-Hi are now - from early death to fatal fall and star who hasn't aged a day - The Mirror - - 2024/02/10 08:00
- Where the cast of Hi-de-Hi are now - from early death to fatal fall and star who hasn't aged a day The Mirror...
Being Human • Bodyguard • Casualty • Death in Paradise • Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency • Doctor Who • Eastenders • Gentleman Jack • Gladiators • Ghosts • His Dark Materials • Holby City • Hustle • Line of Duty • Luther • Merlin • Orphan Black • Sherlock • Spooks • Top Gear • Walking With... • Waterloo Road
UK shows by network: BBC Network • CBBC Shows • ITV Network • Channel 4 Network