King Street Junior is a radio comedy which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between March 1985 and November 1998.^[1] The show ran for ten series and the cast included Peter Davison,^[2] James Grout and Karl Howman. The series is written by Jim Eldridge.

Research for the show was done at Newtown Road School in Carlisle.^[3]

A continuation series aired in 2002 and was named King Street Junior Revisited.

Episodes closed with a children's choir singing "See the Farmer Sow the Seed," a hymn written by Baptist minister Frederick Arthur Jackson (1867-1942).

Cast

• Peter Davison as Mr. Eric Brown (Series one and two)
• James Grout as Mr. Harry Beeston
• Karl Howman as Mr. Philip Sims (From series three onwards)
• Tom Watson as Mr. Fred Holliday
• Margaret John as Mrs. Dorothy Stone
• Vivienne Martin as Mrs. Lillian Rudd
• Paul Copley as Mr. Geoff Long
• Marlene Sidaway as Miss. Glenda Lewis
• Deirdre Costello as Mrs. Yvonne Patterson

Episodes

Series 1

Broadcast in 1985

All episodes written by Jim Eldridge

• The New School Year Starts Here
• Redeployment
• Crime And Punishment
• The Principle Of The Thing
• Scale Points
• Language Units
• Christmas At King Street

Series 2

Broadcast in 1987

• Priorities
• Dispute
• Barn Dance
• Problem Parents
• The Sound Of Music
• Assemblies
• Parents' Evening
• The Outing
• Sports Day
• Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Series 3

Broadcast in 1988. Peter Davison's character is no longer in the show, having taken a position at another school; from here on is Karl Howman as Philip Sims.

• Back To School
• Fireworks
• The Spirit Of Christmas
• The History Game
• Pressures
• Facts Of Life
• Under Canvas
• The School Fete

Series 4

• It's Only Rock'n'Roll
• Closure
• Opting Out
• Fundraising
• Health
• The Succession
• It's Not Cricket
• That Old Time Religion

Series 5

Broadcast in 1990

• D-Day Minus One
• Is This A Career I See Before Me?
• Good Times, Bad Times
• Choices
• Bon Voyage
• Work
• The Reunion

Series 6

• In Real Terms
• Travellers
• Safety First
• A Good Read
• Emergency
• A Day At The Centre
• Thursday's Child
• The Games Children Play

Series 7

Broadcast in 1992

• Back In The Jug Again
• Witch Hunt
• Is There A Father Christmas?
• Fatal Attraction
• Horses For Courses
• Beside The Seaside
• Taking The Rap
• Endings & Beginnings

Series 8

Back after a few years in 1995

• Mr Chips - by Paul Copley
• Settling In
• Beginnings & Endings
• Left Out, Roped In
• Confusion - by Richard Stoneman
• Internal Enquiries

Series 9

• Responsibilities by Richard Stoneman
• Danger Zone by Jim Eldridge
• A Bridge To Afar by Paul Copley
• Relative Value by Andy Rashleigh
• With Love by Jim Eldridge
• Crossed Lines Richard Stoneman
• Financial Times by Paul Copley
• Gridlocked by Jim Eldridge

Series 10

Broadcast in 1998

• Proposals
• The Rivals
• Accusations
• Target Practice
• Incidental Music
• Final Thoughts

Broadcast History

For most of its run, it was broadcast in Radio 4's lunchtime comedy slot at 12.27, with later series moving to a morning broadcast.^[4] Repeats have also been aired on BBC Radio 7 and BBC Radio 4 Extra.

Critical reception

The series was described as follows:

"An unassuming Radio 4 institution, this character sitcom-cum-light drama serial followed the working lives of a group of teachers at a small junior school in a multiracial area, and came from the pen of Jim Eldridge, himself a former teacher."

^[5]

Multimedia

The ten series of the show are published by Penguin and available to purchase at Audible.^[6]

Book

Jim Eldridge, who created the show and wrote 87 episodes, also wrote a 2006 book, King Street Junior – The Inside Story, describing the history of the show including the behind-the-scenes conflicts.^[3]