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 1, Episode 1 repeated at 4:05pm on U&Drama
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
-
- Series 1, Episode 1: Today at 4:05pm on U&Drama
- Series 1, Episode 2: Tomorrow at 4:10pm on U&Drama
- Series 3, Episode 1: Saturday at 11:20am on U&Drama
- Series 3, Episode 2: Saturday at 12:30pm on U&Drama
- Series 1, Episode 3: Monday at 4:10pm on U&Drama
- Series 1, Episode 4: Tuesday at 4:10pm on U&Drama
- Series 1, Episode 5: Wednesday at 4:10pm on U&Drama
- Series 1, Episode 6: Thursday 22nd May at 4:10pm on U&Drama
- Series 1, Episode 7: Friday 23rd May at 4:10pm on U&Drama
- Most recent repeats
-
- Saturday 10th May 2025 at 12:25pm on U&Drama - Series 2, Episode 11
- Saturday 10th May 2025 at 11:15am on U&Drama - Series 2, Episode 11
- Saturday 3rd May 2025 at 12:25pm on U&Drama - Series 2, Episode 10