Drop The Dead Donkey. Image shows from L to R: Henry Davenport (David Swift), George Dent (Jeff Rawle), Helen Cooper (Ingrid Lacey), Sally Smedley (Victoria Wicks), Damien Day (Stephen Tompkinson), Gus Hedges (Robert Duncan), Joy Merryweather (Susannah Doyle). Copyright: Hat Trick Productions
Drop The Dead Donkey

Drop The Dead Donkey

  • TV sitcom
  • Channel 4
  • 1990 - 1998
  • 66 episodes (6 series)

Sitcom set at GlobeLink News, a TV news station which is ordered to start taking a sensationalist stance to the news by its new owner. Stars Jeff Rawle, Robert Duncan, Haydn Gwynne, Ingrid Lacey, David Swift and more.

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Drop The Dead Donkey. Image shows from L to R: Sally Smedley (Victoria Wicks), George Dent (Jeff Rawle), Joy Merryweather (Susannah Doyle), Henry Davenport (David Swift), Gus Hedges (Robert Duncan), Dave Charnley (Neil Pearson), Damien Day (Stephen Tompkinson), Helen Cooper (Ingrid Lacey). Copyright: Hat Trick Productions

Key details

Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
1990 - 1998
Channel
Channel 4
Episodes
66 (1 pilot + 6 series), plus 2 short specials
Creators
Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin
Stars
Jeff Rawle, Robert Duncan, Haydn Gwynne, Ingrid Lacey, David Swift, Victoria Wicks, Stephen Tompkinson, Neil Pearson and Susannah Doyle
Writers
Andy Hamilton, Guy Jenkin, Nick Revell, Malcolm Williamson and Ian Brown
Director
Liddy Oldroyd
Producers
Andy Hamilton, Guy Jenkin, Sue Howells, Denise O'Donoghue, Avon Harpley and Sioned Wiliam
Company

Topical sitcom set in the production office of GlobeLink News, a television news company undergoing transformation under the hand of unscrupulous new owner Sir Royston Merchant. Having recently acquired the producer, the multi-millionaire media tycoon and business tyrant orders that the company should start taking a more sensationalist, tabloid stance in its reporting.

Yuppie Gus Hedges (who speaks in a myriad of boardroom 'buzzwords' and clichés) is in charge of the transformation. Nervous news editor George Dent is too weak to stand up to Gus so it is left to his second in command, the impressively perceptive Alex, to try and stop Gus ruining the station entirely. After Series 2, Alex left GlobeLink and was replaced by Helen Cooper, a woman George begins to fall in love until Helen reveals she is a lesbian.

Other staff included laddish womaniser Dave Charnley, ambitious moral-free field reporter Damien Day, newsreaders Henry Davenport and Sally Smedley; him old fashioned and her a brainless bimbo, and as of series two PR Joy Merryweather - who is neither joyful or merry.

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Additional details

Also known as
  • DTDD (Acronym)
  • Dead Belgians Don't Count (Working title)
Production
Studio
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Thursday 9th August 1990 at 10:30pm on Channel 4
Most recent repeats
  • Saturday 25th February 2017 at 4:15am on London Live - Series 6, Episode 2
  • Saturday 25th February 2017 at 3:45am on London Live - Series 6, Episode 1
  • Saturday 25th February 2017 at 3:15am on London Live - Series 5, Episode 12

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