No. 73: S08E15

No. 73: Series 8: Programme 15: 12.12.87
Live from TVS Maidstone
Dawn Lodge: Andrea Arnold
Jules: Julian Callaghan
Nadia DeLemeny
Hamilton Dent: Richard Waites
David Curtis: Philip Bird
Wild Audrey Openshaw: Linda Roberts
With:
*A for Animation*
Nigel Davies
Mark Taylor
Theresa Whatley
Brian Davey (Nostalgia Amusements)
Ro Sylvester Fisher
Tony Leon
Charles Wheaton
Andrew Bansfielld
Daniel Brant
Morris Minor and the Majors:
Tony Hawks, Paul Boross, Phil Judge
Film:
Dawn has an interview with a theme park operator
Band:
Wet Wet Wet with Marti Pellow
Originally Devised by:
John Dale
Script Associate:
Elly Brewer
Script Editor:
Richard Morss
Executive Producer:
Janie Grace
Series Producer:
Tim Edmunds
Producer:
Adrian Edwards
Director:
Michael Forte
TVS Production
© 1987 Television South plc

[@BluetheFortune2006]

Good to see uploads of No. 73 returning!

[@VideotapeFTW]

Thanks as always for all your fantastic uploads - long may they continue!

[@KevHal]

Is that Cuthbert Lilly. Wow

[@antster1983]

No, that's Hamilton Dent. A distant relative of Cuthbert Lilly, perhaps? 😉

[@cdabbs71]

Thank you for continuing your uploads of '73!

[@RenedeCler]

Various clips with Andrew O'Connor are shown during the opening credits, even though he had already left the show by this time. Apparently they thought we wouldn't notice. Or maybe even think it was Jules? Andrew and Kate Copstick would be starring in On the Waterfront on the BBC starting April 1988.

[@antster1983]

Nice of them to include a clip of Dawn and David Taylor dancing though.

[@antster1983]

As well as the Wets, we have a second musical act, but as they're a comedy act as well, they can weave more seamlessly into the episode's narrative. It is of course Rotherham's very own Morris Minor & The Majors. They are Morris Minor (Brighton-born comedian and singer-songwriter Tony Hawks), Rusty Wing (Paul Boross) and Phil Errup (Phil Judge). They perform their Beastie Boys parody "Stutter Rap (No Sleep 'Til Bedtime)", which had entered the UK Singles Chart at No.100 that week. It would peak at No.4 in the new year and appear on NOW That's What I Call Music 11. The follow up, "This Is the Chorus", a pisstake of Stock Aitken Waterman's hits, didn't do as well, stalling at No.95 in August 1988. The following year, the trio starred in their own BBC sitcom, _Morris Minor's Marvellous Motors,_ written by Hawks and Comedy Store Player Neil Mullarkey. It lasted for onr series, and the Majors disbanded shortly afterwards. Tony Hawks has gone on to a long and successful career in comedy, and can frequently be heard on Radio 4 panel shows such as _Just a Minute, I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue_ and _The Unbelievable Truth._ He's also written several books about real life comedic escapades, his best known one being _Round Ireland with a Fridge._ It was also around the time of this episode of _No.73_ that Hawks started work as the warm-up for the studio audience on a new sci-fi sitcom shot at BBC North West in Manchester called _Red Dwarf._ Phil Judge is still an actor and author, he now lives in Ireland. Paul Boross is now a motivational and conference speaker. In 2022 he was made an MBE for services to business and social mobility.

[@RenedeCler]

My favourite episode of the Trap Door at 51:07. Of course the entire series had already been shown twice on weekday afternoons at this point.

[@RenedeCler]

Dawn wears an old outfit of Ethel's at 32:04 and it fits her perfectly? That settles it. Series 8 is just completely unbelievable.

[@jimmywhyte7181]

Is that the guy who played Cuthbert Lilly on zap ?

[@22poopoo]

Yes, that's actually why I clicked on this. Never heard of No.73, but Zzzap yes. 90s kid like you I guess.

[@glenncooney3959]

It is indeed. Richard Waites

[@RenedeCler]

They seemed to have misplaced Nadia's credit on the end credit roll, as well as the usual end tag. I would have expected it to involve Dawn, possibly pre-recorded footage. Now it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.

[@DustyCustard]

1:09:29 Dawn's interview to run a theme park.... the rot sets in.

[@Simon-xc5oy]

Morris Minor and the Majors!!! AWESOME!!!! Heh...I used to love those three! I still do. What a song that was...so funny. Its such a shame that they never did much as they were truly bonkers. Wonder where Neil and Harry were this week? Nadia as lovely as ever and Hamilton...like some mad love child of Frankenstein's Monster...Such a character. I really miss No73. This was peak era for me with Nadia and Hamilton and all the nonsense seemed to get dialled up to ten. Everyone inhabiting their characters so well....I hated the 80s...school then college for me...social problems, fitting in....but I still had Get Fresh and No73 to cheer me up.....

[@antster1983]

Rusty Wing (Paul Boross) trying to get Nadia's attention while Wet Wet Wet perform, but it's no good - Nadia only has eyes for Marti Pellow! 😂

[@Simon-xc5oy]

@@antster1983 Who on earth is Rusty WIng? One of the Wet guys? Funny thing about this era of No73 is there is no info on Nadia at all. After the show ended. She is on the Wiki page but there is nothing under her entry yet all the other cast has stuff. even the Hamilton Dent actor. She just seems to have dropped off the map or not made enough impression to get other roles or parts in anything else. When Neil and Andrea went on to Motor Mouth she just vanishes. Even some of the other actors like Toksvig pop up on later shows like Ghost train....strange...maybe she just had enough of all the weirdness.....

[@antster1983]

@@Simon-xc5oy Rusty is one of Morris Minor & The Majors. He's the one trying to get Nadia's attention while Wet Wet Wet perform "Angel Eyes". A quick web search reveals that Nadia lives in Boston now, she works for Charles River Media Group as a producer and casting director, but she still acts, directs and works as a voiceover artist.

[@Simon-xc5oy]

@@antster1983 Ahh I see. So she went back to the States in the end then. I used to love Wet Wet Wet in their early days when they were doing punchy interesting songs like Sweet little Mystery and Kicking in the Gutter Wishing I was Lucky. I really started to hate them after that song about the Wishing Well. Dreary sappy rubbish that just dragged on and on. Radio 1 played it to death. Where I was working at the time the radio was on all day and every other song seemed like it was that one. Jackie Brambles was addicted to playing it over and over..I just got so sick of hearing it that it put me off them for life.....

[@antster1983]

@@Simon-xc5oy Nadia's English, she put on a fake American accent for the show.

[@antster1983]

Wet Wet Wet, who I have actually seen live twice (in 1997 and 2004), perform their current single, the lush ballad "Angel Eyes (Home and Away)". At the time of this episode it had entered the Top 40 at No.32. It would peak at No.5 in the new year. They close the episode with their previous single, the catchy "Sweet Little Mystery", which peaked at No.5 back in September that year. Check with Billy! The Wets would also grace the western theme park _7T3_ for the final Saturday episode.

[@antster1983]

Officially, at this point, the Wets were Marti Pellow (lead vocals), Graeme Clark (bass & backing vocals), Neil Mitchell (keyboards & backing vocals) and Tommy Cunningham (drums & backing vocals). Throughout their career they have been joined by an unofficial fifth Wet, Graeme Duffin (guitar & backing vocals) - he appears here, by the way. Duffin decided not to join the band as a full member because he has a severe stammer, not wanting to partake in the publicity. However, every Wets album includes a separate picture of Duffin in the album artwork, owing to the others wanting him to be considered part of the band.

[@oldblueshirtguy]

I'm still desperately hunting for "The Boy Who Won The Pools" if anyone has a copy.

[@kamandi1362]

Yes, I have fond memories of that. I also had the tie in book as a 12-year-old. Like all TVS productions, it’s tied up in legal red tape so can never have an official release, so KZbin is our only hope.

[@JasonC1782]

What a dreadful remix of the 'Hey You' theme.

[@antster1983]

Remixed by the late Ray Shulman of progressive rock band Gentle Giant. How the mighty fall.