Nearest And Dearest. Image shows from L to R: Nellie Pledge (Hylda Baker), Eli Pledge (Jimmy Jewel). Copyright: Granada Television
Nearest And Dearest

Nearest And Dearest

  • TV sitcom
  • ITV1
  • 1968 - 1973
  • 45 episodes (7 series)

Sitcom about brother and sister, Eli and Nellie Pledge, forced to run a pickle factory together. Stars Hylda Baker, Jimmy Jewel, Joe Gladwin, Madge Hindle, Edward Malin and Bert Palmer

Episode menu

Series 1, Episode 5 - You Make Me Feel So Young

The elixir of youth - old wives' tale or a racing certainty? Well, if it worked for Stan...

Further details

The girls are leaving Pledge's Purer Pickles, and Nellie is determined to get to the bottom of what is causing it. One of the girls whispers that it is Stan, he keeps chasing them around the factory. Stan thinks the reason he is like it is because of a secret stash of pickles from the 1914 - 18 war, found at the back of a store cupboard.

Eli reasons that if these pickles can get even old Stan going, he can make good money by selling them down the Spread Eagle to all and sundry. Nellie is even feeding them to Arnold Ackroyd in an attempt to woo him, but he is only interested in talking business. Even Lily thinks the ancient stash might pep old Walter up a bit!

Nellie decides to send some of the pickles to the chemist to be "dognosed", but she also finds out Eli is selling them to make a tidy sum. When the vicar pops round to preach how immoral this whole episode of pickles is, Nellie makes Eli flush the whole lot down the pan.

Meanwhile, Stan has just discovered at the back of the pickling shed a First World War supply of beetroot...

Broadcast details

Date
Thursday 12th September 1968
Time
8pm
Channel
ITV1
Length
30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
Hylda Baker Nellie Pledge
Jimmy Jewel Eli Pledge
Joe Gladwin Stan Hardman
Madge Hindle Lily Tattershall
Edward Malin Walter Tattershall
Bert Palmer Bert
Guest cast
Peter Tuddenham Rev. Hitchcock
Jennifer Jayne Penelope
Bill Waddington Landlord
Willoughby Goddard Arnold Ackroyd
Derek Williams Barber
Julia Jaeger Janet
Writing team
Roy Bottomley Writer
Tom Brennand Writer
Production team
June Howson Director
Peter Eckersley Producer
Derek Hilton Composer
Denis Parkin Production Designer

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