British Comedy Guide
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Lovejoy. Lovejoy (Ian McShane). Copyright: FremantleMedia
Lovejoy

Lovejoy

  • TV comedy drama
  • BBC One
  • 1986 - 1994
  • 71 episodes (6 series)

Comedy thriller series starring Ian McShane. Also features Dudley Sutton, Chris Jury, Phyllis Logan, Malcolm Tierney, Denys Graham and more.

  • Series 3, Episode 1 repeated tomorrow at 4:10pm on U&Drama
  • JustWatch Streaming rank this week: 1,529

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Lovejoy. Lovejoy (Ian McShane). Copyright: FremantleMedia

Key details

Genre
Comedy Drama
Broadcast
1986 - 1994
Channel
BBC 1
Episodes
71 (6 series)
Creator
Jonathan Gash
Stars
Ian McShane, Dudley Sutton, Chris Jury, Phyllis Logan, Malcolm Tierney, Denys Graham, Geoffrey Bateman, Caroline Langrishe and more
Writer
Ian La Frenais
Director
Baz Taylor
Producers
Robert Banks Stewart, Dick Everitt, Emma Hayter, Jo Wright, Colin Shindler, Allan McKeown, Tony Charles, Michael Bartley and more
Company

Dubbed by some "The Antiques Rogue Show", Lovejoy was based on the novels of Jonathan Gash and concerned a slightly dodgy dealer in antiquities.

Lovejoy's patch is rural Essex and Suffolk, which he combs for underpriced treasures to sell on with a nice mark-up. Being what is known as a "divvie", he instinctively knows when an antique is rare and valuable. At his side are Tinker, his tweedy, beret-hatted old friend, and young gopher Eric Catchpole.

When Eric leaves to run his uncle's pub, he is replaced by Beth, another "trainee". Leather-jacketed Lovejoy (who lives in a picturesque country cottage and drives a battered Morris Minor affectionately named Miriam) enjoys the company of local aristocrat Lady Jane Felsham and, though flirtation is the name of the game, wedding bells never chime.

On Lady Jane's departure, in comes university-educated auctioneer Charlotte Cavendish, and she almost succeeds in getting the lovable wheeler-dealer to the altar in the very last episode of the series.

Stream and download

Additional details

Production setting
Location
Camera set-up
Single camera
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Friday 10th January 1986 at 9:30pm on BBC One
Next repeats
  1. Series 3, Episode 1: Tomorrow at 4:10pm on U&Drama
  2. Series 3, Episode 2: Tuesday at 4:10pm on U&Drama
  3. Series 3, Episode 3: Wednesday at 4:10pm on U&Drama
  4. Series 3, Episode 4: Thursday at 4:10pm on U&Drama
  5. Series 3, Episode 5: Friday at 4:10pm on U&Drama
  6. Series 3, Episode 11: Saturday at 11:20am on U&Drama
  7. Series 3, Episode 12: Saturday at 12:30pm on U&Drama
  8. Series 3, Episode 6: Monday 23rd June at 4pm on U&Drama
  9. Series 3, Episode 7: Tuesday 24th June at 4pm on U&Drama
Most recent repeats
  • Saturday 14th June 2025 at 12:50pm on U&Drama - Series 3, Episode 10
  • Saturday 14th June 2025 at 11:35am on U&Drama - Series 3, Episode 9
  • Friday 13th June 2025 at 4:10pm on U&Drama - Series 2, Episode 11

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