![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. Image shows from L to R: Margaret Meldrew (Annette Crosbie), Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson). Copyright: BBC](https://cdn.comedy.co.uk/images/library/comedies/300/o/one_foot_in_the_grave_series1.jpg)
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
- Series 1, Episode 1 repeated tomorrow at 5:20pm on U&Drama
Streaming rank this week: 609
Episode menu
Series 4 - One Foot In The Algarve
![One Foot In The Grave. Image shows from L to R: Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson), Margaret Meldrew (Annette Crosbie). Copyright: BBC One Foot In The Grave. Image shows from L to R: Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson), Margaret Meldrew (Annette Crosbie). Copyright: BBC](https://cdn.comedy.co.uk/images/library/comedies/900x450/o/one_foot_in_the_algarve.jpg)
Further details
Victor, Margaret and Jean are looking forward to a holiday in the Portuguese sun so the recently divorced Mrs Warboys can meet - and, she hopes, strike up a romance with - her widowed pen pal, Alfonso. Meanwhile, top Fleet Street muck-raking photographer Martin Trout has just returned from the very same region where he's captured red-hot photographs of a senior figure in a very compromising position.
Colliding with the departing Meldrew party at Victoria station as he returns and they leave, he misplaces the film and gives chase - all the way back to the Algarve.
Having arrived in Portugal, the Meldrews and Mrs Warboys struggle to find their rented villa; Victor accidentally prostitutes Jean whilst practicing his rusty Portuguese; and they soon find themselves in trouble with the police, seemingly locked in a prison cell for days on end. They're horrified, therefore, to discover that the 'cell' is in fact a room in their decrepit holiday villa and the door has not been locked but simply stiff!
If that wasn't bad enough, it's not long before Jean goes missing and is feared dead in much the same way as Alfonso's first wife. As a search is mounted, Victor calls on the help of their neighbouring holidaymakers, a black British family, who find themselves caught up in further trouble as a result!
Following many hours of fretful confusion, the Meldrews and Mrs Warboys are eventually reunited, but when Jean realises Alfonso's wife's death was faked, their situation becomes altogether much more menacing.
Broadcast details
- Date
- Sunday 26th December 1993
- Time
- 9:05pm
- Channel
- BBC One
- Length
- 90 minutes
Cast & crew
Richard Wilson | Victor Meldrew |
Annette Crosbie | Margaret Meldrew |
Doreen Mantle | Mrs Warboys |
Peter Cook | Martin Trout |
Joan Sims | Lady on Plane |
Edward de Souza | Afonso |
Louis Mahoney | Humphrey |
Eamonn Walker | Hugo |
Louise Duprey | Shirley |
Craig Ferguson | Glaswegian |
Anna Nicholas | Isabella |
Benjamim Falcão | Old Man |
Margarida Rose Rodrigues (as Margarida Rodrigues) | Waitress |
Augusto Portela | Policeman |
Eduardo Viana | Policeman |
José Gomes | Farmworker |
Jorge Parente | Farmworker |
André Maia | Fisherman |
Jorge Sequerra | Coastguard |
João D'Ávila (as João D'Avila) | Mortuary Attendant |
Maria d'Aires | Mortuary Assistant |
Luís Zagalo (as Luis Zagalo) | Photo Shop Owner |
Lidia Franco | Maria |
João Lagarto | Cabbie |
David Renwick | Writer |
Susan Belbin | Director |
Susan Belbin | Producer |
Chris Wadsworth | Editor |
Jeff Gay | Editor |
Nick Somerville | Production Designer |
Richard Winter | Costume Designer |
Eric Idle | Composer |
Ed Welch | Composer |
John Rhodes | Director of Photography |
Vivien Riley (as Viv Riley) | Make-up Designer |
Angie De Chastelai Smith (as Angela De Chastelai Smith) | 1st Assistant Director |