Hardwicke House

Hardwicke House is a seven episode sitcom produced by Central Independent Television for the ITV network, originally produced in the beginning of 1987. It was so negatively received that only the first two episodes were transmitted.

Hardwicke House
GenreSitcom
Created byPaula Burdon
Written byRichard Hall
Simon Wright
Directed byJohn Stroud
StarringRoy Kinnear
Pam Ferris
Duncan Preston
Theme music composerPeter Brewis
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes2 (+ five untransmitted)
Production
ProducerPaula Burdon
Running time1 x 50 minutes (Episode 1), 6 x 25 minutes (Episodes 2–7)
Release
Original networkITV
Original release24 February (1987-02-24) –
25 February 1987 (1987-02-25)

Plot and episode titles

The series is set in the large comprehensive school of the title, the staff of which are as dysfunctional as the pupils. One teacher is a multiple murderer, while the deputy headmaster lusts after male pupils. One teacher, Moose Magnusson, is on an extended exchange placement, because his own school in Iceland refuses to have him back.

  • Episode 1 – The Visit (24 February 1987)
  • Episode 2 – The First Day of Term (25 February 1987)
  • Episode 3 – Interview Day (scheduled for 4 March 1987)[1]
  • Episode 4 – Prize Giving (scheduled for 11 March 1987)[2]
  • Episode 5 – Old Boys (scheduled for 18 March 1987)[3]
  • Episode 6 – Inspector Calls (scheduled for 25 March 1987)[4]
  • Episode 7 – Passion Play (scheduled for 1 April 1987)[5]

Production and curtailed broadcast

The series was extensively trailed, and also mentioned on the front cover of the TV Times for the week of the first two episodes, a double length premiere and a "regular" episode, which were shown on consecutive Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Later episodes were scheduled for subsequent Wednesdays, but the public and press outcry against the series was so great, that the series was pulled and replaced with repeats of Chance in a Million before the third episode was aired. The decision to pull the show was taken at such short notice that TV Times was unable to change its listings and Hardwicke House feature.

References
  1. TV Times, 28 February to 6 March 1987
  2. TV Times, 7 to 13 March 1987
  3. Episode Five - "Old Boys", archived from the original on 4 September 2014, retrieved 7 October 2020
  4. Episode Six - "An Inspector Calls", archived from the original on 4 September 2014, retrieved 7 October 2020
  5. Episode Seven - "Passion Play", archived from the original on 4 September 2014, retrieved 7 October 2020


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