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 5 repeated at 3pm on Drama
  • JustWatch Streaming rank this week: 2,766
Lovejoy. Lovejoy (Ian McShane). Copyright: FremantleMedia

Key details

Genre
Comedy Drama
Broadcast
1986 - 1994
Channel
BBC One
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
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 5: Today at 3pm on Drama
  2. Series 3, Episode 4: Tomorrow at 12:40am on Drama
  3. Series 2, Episode 8: Tomorrow at 10:55am on Drama
  4. Series 2, Episode 9: Tomorrow at 12:05pm on Drama
  5. Series 2, Episode 10: Tomorrow at 1:20pm on Drama
  6. Series 2, Episode 10: Sunday at 7:20am on Drama
  7. Series 3, Episode 6: Monday at 3pm on Drama
  8. Series 3, Episode 7: Tuesday at 3pm on Drama
  9. Series 3, Episode 7: Wednesday at 12:30am on Drama
Most recent repeats
  • Friday 26th April 2024 at 12:35am on Drama - Series 3, Episode 3
  • Thursday 25th April 2024 at 3:00pm on Drama - Series 3, Episode 4
  • Thursday 25th April 2024 at 12:35am on Drama - Series 3, Episode 2

Share this page