David Jason on Open All Hours: 'It was very emotional to return to the old hunting ground'

LAST Christmas the BBC revived classic sitcom Open All Hours for a one-off festive special. This year, it has created a six-part series

actor, David Jason, Ronnie Barker, Open All Hours, Christmas, Kirsty NutkinsBBC

'I’m really excited to be bringing back the show'

Reviving an iconic TV series – particularly one that pulled in viewers in their millions during its heyday – is a risky endeavour. So when, last Christmas, the BBC decided to bring back Open All Hours, the much-loved corner shop sitcom starring Ronnie Barker and David Jason, fans were rightly sceptical. 

Should something that is so fondly remembered be tampered with? And, in the absence of the late Ronnie, whose portrayal of stuttering shopkeeper Arkwright was comedy gold, would the new instalment live up to the original? 

It was a gamble, but one that paid off for David, who reprised his role as Arkwright’s long-suffering nephew Granville, and his fellow original stars Lynda Baron and Maggie Ollerenshaw. 

The festive special, Still Open All Hours, marked the show’s 40th anniversary when it went out on Boxing Day and attracted 12.2 million viewers, making it the most watched comedy programme of the year. 

I’m really excited to be bringing back the show

David Jason

On the whole, reviewers felt it was a fitting tribute to Ronnie, and a six-episode series was commissioned. 

“I’m really excited to be bringing back the show,” says 74-year-old David, who has built a reputation as the king of classic British comedy in roles such as Del Boy Trotter in Only Fools And Horses and Pop Larkin in The Darling Buds Of May. 

“The feedback from our Christmas special has been so rewarding and encouraging. It goes to prove that the corner shop is still open all hours.” 

Lynda, 75, who returns as no-nonsense nurse Gladys Emmanuel, admits she was astounded by the viewing figures.

“I didn’t realise there were audiences that big anymore. It’s a lesson everyone in the business should take heed of – those audiences are out there, but they’re just not being shown what they want to see,” she says. “Open All Hours is a feel-good show. There’s no blood and bullets, it’s just lovely and light-hearted. It has a wonderful nostalgic, sentimental feel that really resonates with people.”

Last year’s special followed a day in the life of the shop and its customers and for fans there were many reminders of the original – the brass-band theme tune, the delivery bike and the finger-threatening till. 

In the new series, Granville has inherited the Yorkshire shop from Arkwright and runs it with son Leroy (former Emmerdale actor James Baxter) – the result of a whirlwind romance Granville had in Blackpool more than 20 years previously. 

And, as in the original, the bickering and bantering between the two acts as a running commentary for the day-to-day goings-on in the shop.

David Jason, Open All HoursBBC

Granville (David Jason), Nurse Gladys Emmanuel (Lynda Baron) and Leroy (James Baxter)

The new series, which airs on BBC1 this week, sees Granville continuing to come up with dubious money-making schemes, while his pursuit of old flame Mavis (Maggie Ollerenshaw), who lives across the road under the beady eye of her fiercely-protective sister, Madge (Brigit Forsyth), is as determined as ever.

“Poor old Granville can’t get his love life sorted after all these years. He’s still head over heels for Mavis,” laughs Lynda. “So he decides to distract Madge by match-making her with their new neighbour, Gastric, which of course ends up causing mayhem.”

Also returning for the new series is the pessimistic “Wet” Eric (Johnny Vegas), always hoping for a thunderstorm so he can get a cuddle from his wife, village gossip Mrs Hussein (Nina Wadia) and the hapless Cyril (Kulvinder Ghir), who is continually talked into parting with money for one of Granville’s “special offers”.  

Written by Roy Clarke, the series began filming in September at the original location, a hair salon in Balby, Doncaster, where the cast was welcomed back with open arms by locals.

“It was very emotional to return to the old hunting ground, but we were so pleased that the location and the people hadn’t changed,” says David. “Everyone was welcoming, nice and polite.”

Lynda admits the highlight, for her, was working alongside David again.

“David is such a silly thing, he makes me die laughing,” she says. “We can be having a very serious conversation one minute and the next he’ll do something that makes me double up. He’s one of those physical actors – the way he tilts his head, uses his hands – all those little gestures that speak volumes.”

The 2013 special gave a loving nod to Ronnie Barker, with his portrait hung on the wall above the shop’s counter, but Lynda says that it feels odd to be making the series without him.

“It’s hard, but I think Ronnie would have loved the new series. He would have laughed,” says Lynda, who is full of praise for the way David has filled Ronnie Barker’s shoes and taken on the role of shopkeeper.

“It’s amazing how David has managed to make the role his own,” she says. “Now you just expect him to come out of the shop door – that’s a real achievement.”

Asked whether there are plans to make a second series of Still Open All Hours, Lynda is noncommittal. She says that it’s always been difficult to reunite the old crew, as everyone has other projects on the go.

David has had a busy year with the release of his memoir, My Life, as well as voicing the main character in children’s show Pip Ahoy! and Lynda continues to work in TV and theatre. 

This year she appeared with Reece Shearsmith in the hit ITV drama Chasing Shadows and has just signed up to star in the play Stevie alongside Zoë Wanamaker at Hampstead Theatre. It will later transfer to New York for a three-month run.

“I’m busier than I’ve ever been and I’ve had to turn down a lot of work, which in this profession is a real novelty, especially as I’m now too old for many roles,” says Lynda.

“I suppose once you get to a certain age and you can still remember what you are talking about, you’re in demand!

 “I don’t know how next year is going to work out, but if I am asked to do another series of Still Open All Hours I’ll do whatever I can to be there. 

“Filming the show again has been an absolute joy.”

Still Open All Hours, Boxing Day, 6.25PM, BBC1

Still Open All Hours- Trailer - BBC One Christmas 2014

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