Being Eileen. Image shows from L to R: Mandy Lewis (Julie Graham), Pete Lewis (Dean Andrews), Eileen Lewis (Sue Johnston), Ray Cooper (William Ash), Paula Cooper (Elizabeth Berrington). Image credit: British Broadcasting Corporation.

Being Eileen
Being Eileen. Eileen Lewis (Sue Johnston). Image credit: British Broadcasting Corporation.

Being Eileen

Family-based comedy focussing on Birkenhead's Lewis family, particularly recently widowed grandmother Eileen

AKA:
Lapland
Genre:
Comedy Drama
Broadcast:
2011 - 2013  (BBC One)
Episodes:
7 (pilot + 1 series)
Starring:
Sue Johnston, Dean Andrews, Elizabeth Berrington, William Ash, Julie Graham, Adam Scotland, Ellis Murphy, Georgia Doyle, Connor Dempsey
Writers:
Michael Wynne
Production:
British Broadcasting Corporation

Sue Johnston plays Eileen Lewis, the mother - and grandmother - of a large family from Birkenhead.

After an affirming, but far less relaxing than hoped, Christmas trip to Lapland, the family are back beside the Mersey. Eileen's still struggling to find her own place in life following the death of husband Ted, and the stresses of her large, demanding family aren't helping her achieve a sense of peace.

Our Review: We never quite found suitable words to express just how unfunny and, yes, even depressing the original Lapland special was. The cast were as good as their names and pedigrees suggest, but Christmas spirit? Not likely. Twitter feedback at the time was even less kind - so to say we were flabbergasted that BBC One bosses ordered a full series, now titled Being Eileen, would be an understatement.