Scarborough
- TV sitcom
- BBC One
- 2019
- 6 episodes (1 series)
Sitcom series about a small handful of residents in Scarborough who meet most nights in a bar. Stars Jason Manford, Catherine Tyldesley, Stephanie Cole, Maggie Ollerenshaw, Steve Edge and more.
Episode menu
Series 1, Episode 1 - The Unfavourable Death Of Mrs Bookham
Further details
A week has passed since a devastated Karen caught Mike drunkenly kissing another woman at the back of a Scarborough seafront crab stall and she is still avoiding his calls. It's only when they bump into each other at their regular Friday karaoke night that Mike finally has a chance to explain. But will Karen forgive him or is their relationship over forever?
Meanwhile at Geraldine's hair salon there's trouble brewing when one of the regular clients Mrs Bookham goes missing and the police are called. Its only when all the excitement is over that Geraldine has a confession to make to Karen.
Broadcast details
- Date
- Friday 6th September 2019
- Time
- 9:30pm
- Channel
- BBC One
- Length
- 30 minutes
Cast & crew
| Jason Manford | Mike |
| Catherine Tyldesley | Karen |
| Stephanie Cole | Marion |
| Maggie Ollerenshaw | Geraldine |
| Steve Edge | Barry 'Bigsy' Dickson |
| Claire Sweeney | Hayley Cox |
| Harriet Webb | Lisa Marie |
| Gina Fillingham | Mandy |
| Steff Todd | Jess |
| Jake Canuso | Tony Peroni |
| Derren Litten | Jack |
| Rebekah Hinds | Yolanda |
| Alice Barry | Mrs Bell |
| Veronica Roberts | Mrs Bookham |
| Derren Litten | Writer |
| Derren Litten | Director |
| Gill Isles | Producer |
| Stephen McCrum | Executive Producer |
| James Farrell | Executive Producer |
| Adam Windmill | Editor |
| Andrew Lavin | Production Designer |
| Rick Laxton | Casting Director |
| Trevelyan Oliver | Director of Photography |
| David Wolfe | Costume Designer |
| Adele Firth | Make-up Designer |
| Paul Tighe | 1st Assistant Director |
Press
BBC defends Jimmy Savile jokes in Scarborough
The new comedy came under fire after viewers found some of the controversial jokes "disgusting".
Kimberley Bond, Radio Times, 9th September 2019TV review: Scarborough, BBC One
I've been a touch tardy publishing my review of Scarborough and I've not been able to avoid some of the reviews that Derren Litten's new sitcom has received. There have been good ones and bad ones and, I have to say, I side more with the good ones.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 8th September 2019Review: Scarborough
When Scarborough was announced, it seemed to have a lot in common with creator Derren Litten's long-running hit Benidorm, being set in a seaside resort town with a cast of working-class characters united by a love of karaoke. But they show two very different iterations of the same broad premise.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 7th September 2019TV review: Scarborough series 1 episode 1
Perhaps it will improve as it goes along, and it certainly has a strong cast who all turn in great performances. But elements of it feel a bit too cartoonish (Bigsy and Karen's workmates especially), the majority of the cruder jokes feel like the kind of thing that's been done countless times before, and the more dramatic parts just didn't work for me, so unless I start to hear that it's suddenly become enormously funnier it's something I won't be bothering with again.
Alex Finch, Comedy To Watch, 7th September 2019Benidorm's creator, Derren Litten, turns his attention to another legendary seaside destination, one where life revolves around karaoke night in the local pub. After a few relationship wobbles, hairdresser Karen (ex-Corrie and future Strictly star Catherine Tyldesley) and arcade manager Mike (Jason Manford) are trying to make a go of it. Manford does a bit of karaoke crooning - because of course he does - but elsewhere the writing is both warm and wicked, while Claire Sweeney brings some powerful energy as the local man-eater.
Graeme Virtue, The Guardian, 6th September 2019Scarborough is missing one key element - humour
Even the most forgiving audience will struggle to laugh at a flat Jimmy Saville gag.
Emily Baker, i Newspaper, 6th September 2019