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Know Your Place
Genrecomedy
Running time30 mins
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Language(s)English
Home stationBBC Radio 2
Created byAndrew Palmer and Nell Brennan
Produced byEdward Taylor
Original release28 January 1982 –
2 August 1983
No. of series2
No. of episodes15


Know Your Place was a short-lived BBC Radio 2 sitcom from the early 1980s, set in Worthing Court, a rundown Edwardian block of flats in Bloomsbury, London. The storyline centred around a series of conflicts - and the longstanding frisson - between the elderly caretaker 'the remarkable' Ramsay Potts (played by Roy Dotrice) and his assertive cleaner Elspeth Spurgeon (Patricia Hayes). They are further frustrated by management demands and occasional brushes with tenants. The title refers to the UK's enduring class system, with the associated deference of the cleaner to the caretaker and in turn, the caretaker to the management. Actors who appeared in more than one episode included Pat Coombs, Jon Blythe, Jon Glover, John Graham, Norma Ronald and James Taylor.

Storylines bear some similarities with the long-running The Men from the Ministry and the later Radio 2 series Mind Your Own Business. All three were produced by Edward Taylor.

The sitcom ran for two series in 1982–3. Both series were written by Andrew Palmer and Nell Brennan. Eight episodes have since been repeated on Radio 4 Extra.

Programmes

Series 1, 28 January – 11 March 1982

First broadcast Title Guest star
28 January 1982 Lift off*[1] Frank Thornton
4 February 1982 Not To Be Used For Babies*[2]
11 February 1982 The Siege of Worthing Court[3]
18 February 1982 Room to Manoeuvre*[4]
25 February 1982 The New Broom[5]
4 March 1982 Sick Benefit[6]
11 March 1982 Marriage of Convenience*[7]

Series 2, 16 June – 2 August 1983

First broadcast Title Guest star
16 June 1983 Jumpers*[8]
23 June 1983 Sauce for the Goose[9]
30 June 1983 Interim Dividend[10]
7 July 1983 Sisterly Feelings*[11] Avis Bunnage
14 July 1983 If You Look Up Mine Can I Look Up Yours[12]
21 July 1983 Health Can Damage Your Smoking*[13]
28 July 1983 The Finger of Suspicion[14] Kenneth Connor
2 August 1983 Out of the Closet*[15] Bernard Bresslaw

Programmes marked * have been repeated on Radio 4 Extra.

References

  1. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 28 January 1982". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 4 February 1982". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 11 February 1982". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 18 February 1982". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 25 February 1982". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 4 March 1982". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 11 March 1982". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 16 June 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 23 June 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 30 June 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 7 July 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 14 July 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 21 July 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 28 July 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Radio Times listing Thursday 4 August 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
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