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As Time Goes By. Image shows from L to R: Jean (Judi Dench), Lionel (Geoffrey Palmer). Copyright: DLT Entertainment Ltd..

As Time Goes By

BBC One sitcom about a couple. 66 episodes (9 series), 1992 - 2005. Stars Judi Dench, Geoffrey Palmer, Moira Brooker, Jenny Funnell and Philip Bretherton.

Series 3, Episode 5 is repeated on Gold on Monday at 9:25am.

As Time Goes By. Image shows from L to R: Lionel (Geoffrey Palmer), Jean (Judi Dench). Copyright: DLT Entertainment Ltd..

As Time Goes By

Lionel and Jean were young lovers until accidentally losing touch. Years later they meet again by chance and unexpectedly rekindle their romance

Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
1992 - 2005
Channel
BBC One
Episodes
66   (9 series), plus 1 highlights special
Creator
Colin Bostock-Smith
Starring
Judi Dench, Geoffrey Palmer, Moira Brooker, Jenny Funnell and Philip Bretherton
Writer
Bob Larbey
Director
Sydney Lotterby
Producer
Sydney Lotterby

Lionel Hardcastle, a young man in the army, and Jean Pargeter, a nurse, are madly in love until Lionel is sent away to the Korean War and, through a lost love letter, they lose touch.

Thirty-eight years later Lionel, a curmudgeonly divorcee, is writing a book about his subsequent years spent living in Kenya and Jean, a no-nonsense widow, is running a secretarial agency in London. When Lionel requires a secretary to assist him with his book revisions he unwittingly contacts Jean's agency and the pair are reunited.

Gradually, after some reluctance and hesitation on both sides, Jean and Lionel begin to rekindle their old romance. Alongside this main story a more tempestuous relationship between Jean's daughter Judith (Moira Brooker) and Lionel's publisher Alistair (Philip Bretherton) plays out.

This popular BBC sitcom draws humour from the ups and downs of unexpected romance in later life.

Production Details

Production company
Soundtrack
Theme tune is a version of As Time Goes By, originally written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931. This version is performed by Joe Fagin and arranged by David Mackay.
Laugh track
Live audience

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Sunday 12th January 1992 on BBC One at 8:35pm
Last new broadcast
Friday 30th December 2005 on BBC One
Upcoming repeats
  1. Series 3 Episode 5: Monday at 9:25am on Gold
  2. Series 3 Episode 5: Tuesday at 7:35am on Gold
  3. Series 3 Episode 5: Tuesday at 8:30am on Gold
  4. Series 3 Episode 6: Tuesday at 9:10am on Gold
  5. Series 3 Episode 6: Wednesday at 8:40am on Gold
  6. Series 3 Episode 7: Wednesday at 9:20am on Gold
  7. Series 3 Episode 7: Thursday at 8:30am on Gold
  8. Series 3 Episode 8: Thursday at 9:10am on Gold
  9. Series 3 Episode 8: Friday at 8:30am on Gold
  10. Series 3 Episode 9: Friday at 9:10am on GoldShow all repeats
  11. Series 3 Episode 9: Saturday 26th October at 7:10am on Gold
  12. Series 8 Episode 6: Saturday 26th October at 7:40am on Gold
  13. Series 8 Episode 6: Sunday 27th October at 7:20am on Gold
  14. Series 3 Episode 10: Monday 28th October at 8:05am on Gold
  15. Series 4 Episode 1: Tuesday 29th October at 8am on Gold
  16. Series 4 Episode 2: Wednesday 30th October at 8am on Gold
  17. Series 4 Episode 3: Thursday 31st October at 8am on Gold
  18. Series 4 Episode 4: Friday 1st November at 9am on Gold

Website links

Cast & Crew Press Shop