One Foot In The Grave. Image shows from L to R: Margaret Meldrew (Annette Crosbie), Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson). Copyright: BBC
One Foot In The Grave

One Foot In The Grave

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC One
  • 1990 - 2000
  • 42 episodes (6 series)

The grumpy complainer and accident prone Victor Meldrew takes early retirement and finds he has far too much time on his hands. His long suffering wife and neighbours just have to grin and bear it. Stars Richard Wilson, Annette Crosbie, Doreen Mantle, Owen Brenman, Angus Deayton and Janine Duvitski

Episode menu

Series 3, Episode 4 - The Beast In The Cage

Victor and Margaret go on a trip to Whipsnade Zoo, but their outing turns into a nightmare when they unexpectedly become imprisoned like the animals.

Further details

Victor, Margaret and Jean planned to go to the zoo. But they only get as far as the motorway where they're then stuck in a traffic jam, where the whole episode is set. Jean was sent on a mercy mission to buy some crisps, but doesn't bring back any because she forgot what flavour Victor wanted. Jean continues to bumble on about the journey, and Victor becomes irritated and frustrated. He also manages quite skilfully in his unique manner to argue and fall out with an impressive quantity of people despite spending most of the time stationary on the motorway staring up a horse's rear end!

The only time he does leave the car is when sod's law fulfils itself because he leaves to go to the toilet, but the traffic moves so he has to leap back in. The icing on the cake, for Victor in the traffic jam, is when he puts in a tape to play some nice music, but discovers that the car mechanics who serviced his car have made their own music brimming full of insults to Victor! The episode ends with Victor having a bit of a philosophical moment about the nature of time.

Broadcast details

Date
Sunday 23rd February 1992
Time
9:05pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Friday 15th July 2011 11:20am Gold
Friday 15th July 2011 4:40pm Gold
Tuesday 4th October 2011 10:00am Gold
Tuesday 4th October 2011 4:40pm Gold
Sunday 13th November 2011 8:20pm Gold
Saturday 14th January 2012 10:00am Gold
Thursday 9th February 2012 12:40pm Gold
Thursday 9th February 2012 6:40pm Gold
Monday 23rd April 2012 1:10pm Gold
Monday 23rd April 2012 7:00pm Gold
Sunday 10th June 2012 8:50am Gold
Friday 17th August 2012 1:40pm Gold
Friday 17th August 2012 8:20pm Gold
Saturday 6th October 2012 10:00am Gold
Sunday 7th October 2012 9:40am Gold
Wednesday 15th May 2013 2:20pm Gold
Thursday 16th May 2013 8:20am Gold
Tuesday 9th July 2013 6:40pm Gold
Wednesday 10th July 2013 12:40am Gold
Monday 23rd September 2013 5:40pm Gold
Tuesday 24th September 2013 11:50am Gold
Thursday 5th December 2013 6:20pm Drama
Saturday 1st February 2014 1:40pm Gold
Saturday 1st February 2014 5:20pm Drama
Sunday 2nd February 2014 11:50am Gold
Sunday 2nd February 2014 1:50pm Drama
Thursday 26th June 2014 8:20pm Gold
Friday 18th July 2014 9:00pm Yesterday
Saturday 19th July 2014 7:00pm Yesterday
Wednesday 5th November 2014 11:20am Gold
Wednesday 5th November 2014 6:00pm Gold
Monday 9th March 2015 8:20pm Gold
Saturday 15th August 2015 4:00pm Drama
Saturday 19th March 2016 5:00pm Gold
Sunday 20th March 2016 10:30am Gold
Wednesday 15th June 2016 10:00pm Yesterday
Thursday 16th June 2016 8:40pm Yesterday
Saturday 25th June 2016 1:25pm Gold
Thursday 28th July 2016 8:40pm Gold
Friday 29th July 2016 7:00pm Gold
Tuesday 16th August 2016 6:50pm Gold
Wednesday 17th August 2016 5:05pm Gold
Sunday 27th November 2016 10:40pm Yesterday
Monday 28th November 2016 8:40pm Yesterday
Saturday 11th February 2017 5:00pm Drama
Tuesday 16th May 2017 9:40pm Yesterday
Wednesday 17th May 2017 4:20pm Yesterday
Saturday 27th May 2017 5:00pm Gold
Sunday 28th May 2017 10:30am Gold
Tuesday 27th June 2017 8:40am Gold
Thursday 19th October 2017 7:45pm Gold
Thursday 19th October 2017 11:20pm Gold
Wednesday 1st November 2017 7:40am Gold
Wednesday 1st November 2017 11:35am Gold
Monday 22nd January 2018 6:00pm Drama
Tuesday 2nd March 2021 11:00pm Yesterday
Wednesday 3rd March 2021 9:00pm Yesterday
Saturday 12th June 2021 9:40pm Yesterday
Sunday 12th September 2021 10:20pm Yesterday
Saturday 16th October 2021 1:00pm Drama
Sunday 7th November 2021 9:00pm Yesterday
Saturday 26th February 2022 2:00pm Drama
Saturday 28th May 2022 11:20pm Yesterday
Saturday 25th June 2022 7:05am Drama
Saturday 25th June 2022 4:00pm Drama
Wednesday 3rd August 2022 7:00am Drama
Wednesday 3rd August 2022 6:00pm Drama
Saturday 17th September 2022 10:40pm Yesterday
Sunday 13th November 2022 6:30pm Drama
Sunday 23rd April 2023 8:00pm Yesterday
Saturday 3rd June 2023 10:00pm Yesterday
Saturday 16th September 2023 11:20pm Yesterday
Saturday 30th December 2023 10:00pm Yesterday
Saturday 9th March 2024 10:00pm Yesterday

Cast & crew

Cast
Richard Wilson Victor Meldrew
Annette Crosbie Margaret Meldrew
Doreen Mantle Mrs Warboys
Guest cast
Trevor Byfield Salmon
Louise Duprey Lisa
Tish Allen Carol
Eric Idle Mechanic (Voice)
John Du Prez Mechanic (Voice)
Writing team
David Renwick Writer
Production team
Susan Belbin Director
Susan Belbin Producer
Mike Houghton (as Michael Houghton) Editor
John Bristow Production Designer
Linda Conoboy Production Designer
Richard Winter Costume Designer
Jean Steward Make-up Designer
Eric Idle Composer
Ed Welch Composer

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