Ladies Of Letters. Image shows from L to R: Vera Small (Anne Reid), Irene Spencer (Maureen Lipman). Copyright: Tiger Aspect Productions
Ladies Of Letters

Ladies Of Letters

  • TV comedy drama / sitcom
  • ITV3
  • 2009 - 2010
  • 20 episodes (2 series)

Comedy drama about two warring widows. Based on the books and BBC Radio 4 series of the same name. Stars Maureen Lipman, Anne Reid, Morag Siller, Daniel Crowder, Paul Chahidi and more.

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Episode menu

Series 1, Episode 5

Irene is in hospital - suffering from amnesia, loss of sex drive and a compulsion to use bad language.

Further details

Irene did wear the dayglo lurex tankini at the demonstration against the nuclear fuel dump! Vera is deeply shocked to hear that Irene was both injured and arrested, and is now in hospital - suffering from amnesia, loss of sex drive and a compulsion to use bad language. Irene's friendly vicar Bruce suggests that Vera could help, but the hints and assorted memorabilia she sends to Irene confuse rather than clarify. Her letter is mostly about herself - her early years and working in a laundry, her introduction to sex, her difficult father...

Irene does her best to get her bearings. There's the resentful daughter Lesley who calls in the middle of the night from Australia, the photos of her late husband, and - strangest of all - newspaper reports of her arrest - for head-butting a bulldozer! None of it makes much sense. And the swearing is a problem... except when you have to deal with a hoodie who tries to snatch your handbag. Then it can come in quite handy.

Finding herself next to a roadworks - and a bulldozer - Irene decides to show a group of friends what happened at the demo. A passing policeman thinks she's up to her old tricks, her Tourette's Syndrome kicks in, and she's under arrest again! Irene writes in desperation from a cell at Grossthorpe Police Station.

Broadcast details

Date
Tuesday 3rd March 2009
Time
10pm
Channel
ITV3
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Wednesday 4th March 2009 9:00pm ITV3
Sunday 5th July 2009 10:00pm ITV1
Thursday 9th July 2009 9:00pm ITV3
Wednesday 17th March 2010 11:05pm ITV3
Wednesday 18th August 2021 10:05pm ITV3
Tuesday 14th December 2021 10:00pm ITV3
Wednesday 14th December 2022 12:15am ITV3
Sunday 9th April 2023 11:50pm ITV3

Cast & crew

Cast
Maureen Lipman Irene Spencer
Anne Reid Vera Small
Guest cast
Michael Fenton Stevens Rev Bruce
Alexandra Gilbreath Newsreader
Andy Greenhalgh Inspector Gravers
Writing team
Lou Wakefield Writer
Carole Hayman Writer
Production team
John Henderson Director
Geoffrey Perkins Producer
Matthew Francis (as Francis Matthews) Producer
Sophie Clarke-Jervoise Executive Producer
Carole Hayman Associate Producer
Lou Wakefield Associate Producer
Philippa Catt Line Producer
David Yardley Editor
Heather Gibson Production Designer
Kate Day Casting Director
Aideen Morgan Costume Designer
John Ignatius Director of Photography
Jane Walker Make-up Designer
Mark Thomas Composer
Robert Fabbri 1st Assistant Director

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