Gimme Gimme Gimme (TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name = Gimme Gimme Gimme


caption = Part of the "Gimme Gimme Gimme" title sequence.
format = Comedy
camera =
picture_format = 16:9 widescreen
runtime = 25 minutes
creator = Jonathan Harvey
developer = Jonathan Harvey
Kathy Burke
executive_producer = John Plowman
Peter Bennett-Jones
Mark Chapman
starring = Kathy Burke
James Dreyfus
Brian Bovell
Beth Goddard
Rosalind Knight
narrated =
opentheme = "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"
endtheme = "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"
country = UK
network = BBC Two (Series 1 & 2)
BBC One (Series 3)
first_aired = January 8, 1999
last_aired = December 14, 2001
num_series = 3
num_episodes = 20 | list_episodes = List of Gimme Gimme Gimme episodes
website = http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/g/gimmegimmegimme_66601620.shtml
imdb_id = 0167599
tv_com_id = 2985

"Gimme Gimme Gimme" is a BBC television comedy by Tiger Aspect Productions that ran for three series between 1999 and 2001. It was written by Jonathan Harvey, who appeared in three episodes; as a guest at the series 1 wedding, once as make-up artist Louis, and then as a customer in a sofa store. The theme song for this comedy was ABBA's "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)".It was filmed in front of a live studio audience in Studio 2 at The London Studios, South Bank, London, England.

Premise

"Gimme Gimme Gimme" stars comedienne and director Kathy Burke as loudmouthed Londoner Linda La Hughes and James Dreyfus as her gay flatmate Tom. Much of "Gimme Gimme Gimme"'s humour springs from its lubricious innuendo subplot, which springs from the mouths of both Tom and Linda.

Linda is characterised by her red perm, white glasses, and lycra clad figure. While being boorish and unattractive Linda is convinced she is a "stunner", and is diagnosed with reversed-body dysmorphic disorder in series three. Linda shares a flat with homosexual actor Tom Farrell, played by James Dreyfus. It is suggested that Linda and Tom first met at a club, bonded instantly (due to both being on ecstasy) and decided to live together. What follows is, as writer Jonathan Harvey describes, "one long come-down". Linda often tells humorous anecdotes about her family and childhood which suggest abuse or neglect (such as how she apparently lived in a kennel, slept on a doormat as a baby and how her aunt left her in a car boot for two weeks to go on holiday); however Linda always thinks of these as positive experiences. She also alleges her father now lives in an iron lung although the only proof she has of this is a photo of a sideboard. Linda also lived in a convent and a borstal as a teenager. She has crushes on Liam Gallagher (whom she stopped loving after series one as she "couldn't bring up another bird's child"), Robbie Williams and both male members of Hear'Say. She also imagines having sex with Dale Winton in a toilet cubicle.

Tom is melodramatic yet fails in his desire to get acting roles. He believes himself to be truly gifted in the art of acting, and often blames his agents or society itself when he does not succeed to gain a role. He did appear in one episode of "EastEnders" and often brags about it, delaying for as long as he can the fact that he was in one scene, had one line and did nothing but buy a from a stall from Bianca Jackson. He also appeared in "Daylight Robbery" as an extra standing in a queue in the background. He had one line but it was cut due to timekeeping. He insists that the entire series was ruined due to the axing of his line. Tom has an obsession with appearing to be middle class even though he hails from a working class background, possibly because he also has a hatred of his parents. It is often suggested that Tom has no friends whatsoever (apart from Linda and his housemates) but unlike Linda he usually tries to pretend he is popular. Tom is in love with the actor Simon Shepherd.

Although they appear to loathe each other Tom and Linda are beholden to each other due to the simple fact that nobody else can stand them. They are in many ways very alike, selfish, unsuccessful, and physically and personally unattractive. The hapless duo live in a Kentish Town flat (69 Paradise Passage, Kentish Town) rented from elderly ex-prostitute Beryl Merit (Rosalind Knight). Other regular characters are the middle class Jez (Brian Bovell, "Hollyoaks" ) and his wife Suze (Beth Goddard), a horny couple. Many of the storylines revolve around the fact Tom and Linda find Jez sexually attractive while both have a hatred (particularly Linda) for the oblivious Suze. Another returning character is Sugar Walls (Elaine Lordan, "EastEnders,I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!"), Linda's superstar sister. However many of the other characters can be just as hapless as Tom and Linda; Beryl still engages in sexual activities such as S&M and picking up young and married men while Jez and Suze generally lack common sense. For example, they once cancel their holiday to Spain and pay 500 pounds to stay in their own back garden instead after Linda opens it up as a camp site.

Guest appearances have been made by Simon Shepherd, Su Pollard, Charlie Condou and Rose Keegan. When Su Pollard (playing Heidi Honeycombe) made her appearance, it led to a pun where Linda greeted her with the words "Heidi! Hi!" (a reference to Pollard playing Peggy Ollerenshaw in "Hi-de-Hi!").

At the end of series three, Tom left the flat having finally got his big break in TV soap opera "Crossroads". The last episode ended with Linda taking off her hair (revealing it to be a wig) and sitting in the flat alone.

Cast

Episodes

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/g/gimmegimmegimme_66601620.shtml BBC - Comedy - Gimme Gimme Gimme]
*imdb title|id=0167599|name=Gimme, Gimme, Gimme