Scarborough. Image shows from L to R: Mike (Jason Manford), Karen (Catherine Tyldesley). Copyright: BBC Studios
Scarborough

Scarborough

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC One
  • 2019
  • 6 episodes (1 series)

Sitcom series about a small handful of residents in Scarborough who meet most nights in a bar. Stars Jason Manford, Catherine Tyldesley, Stephanie Cole, Maggie Ollerenshaw, Steve Edge and more.

  • JustWatch Streaming rank this week: 7,840

Episode menu

Series 1, Episode 1 - The Unfavourable Death Of Mrs Bookham

Scarborough. Image shows from L to R: Karen (Catherine Tyldesley), Geraldine (Maggie Ollerenshaw). Copyright: BBC Studios
A week has passed since a devastated Karen caught Mike drunkenly kissing another woman. It's only when they bump into each other that Mike finally has a chance to explain. Meanwhile at Geraldine's hair salon there's trouble brewing when one of the regular clients goes missing.

Further details

A week has passed since a devastated Karen caught Mike drunkenly kissing another woman at the back of a Scarborough seafront crab stall and she is still avoiding his calls. It's only when they bump into each other at their regular Friday karaoke night that Mike finally has a chance to explain. But will Karen forgive him or is their relationship over forever?

Meanwhile at Geraldine's hair salon there's trouble brewing when one of the regular clients Mrs Bookham goes missing and the police are called. Its only when all the excitement is over that Geraldine has a confession to make to Karen.

Broadcast details

Date
Friday 6th September 2019
Time
9:30pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
Jason Manford Mike
Catherine Tyldesley Karen
Stephanie Cole Marion
Maggie Ollerenshaw Geraldine
Steve Edge Barry 'Bigsy' Dickson
Claire Sweeney Hayley Cox
Harriet Webb Lisa Marie
Gina Fillingham Mandy
Steff Todd Jess
Jake Canuso Tony Peroni
Derren Litten Jack
Rebekah Hinds Yolanda
Guest cast
Alice Barry Mrs Bell
Veronica Roberts Mrs Bookham
Writing team
Derren Litten Writer
Production team
Derren Litten Director
Gill Isles Producer
Stephen McCrum Executive Producer
James Farrell Executive Producer
Adam Windmill Editor
Andrew Lavin Production Designer
Rick Laxton Casting Director
Trevelyan Oliver Director of Photography
David Wolfe Costume Designer
Adele Firth Make-up Designer
Paul Tighe 1st Assistant Director

Press

BBC defends Jimmy Savile jokes in Scarborough

The new comedy came under fire after viewers found some of the controversial jokes "disgusting".

Kimberley Bond, Radio Times, 9th September 2019

TV review: Scarborough, BBC One

I've been a touch tardy publishing my review of Scarborough and I've not been able to avoid some of the reviews that Derren Litten's new sitcom has received. There have been good ones and bad ones and, I have to say, I side more with the good ones.

Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 8th September 2019

Review: Scarborough

When Scarborough was announced, it seemed to have a lot in common with creator Derren Litten's long-running hit Benidorm, being set in a seaside resort town with a cast of working-class characters united by a love of karaoke. But they show two very different iterations of the same broad premise.

Steve Bennett, Chortle, 7th September 2019

TV review: Scarborough series 1 episode 1

Perhaps it will improve as it goes along, and it certainly has a strong cast who all turn in great performances. But elements of it feel a bit too cartoonish (Bigsy and Karen's workmates especially), the majority of the cruder jokes feel like the kind of thing that's been done countless times before, and the more dramatic parts just didn't work for me, so unless I start to hear that it's suddenly become enormously funnier it's something I won't be bothering with again.

Alex Finch, Comedy To Watch, 7th September 2019

Benidorm's creator, Derren Litten, turns his attention to another legendary seaside destination, one where life revolves around karaoke night in the local pub. After a few relationship wobbles, hairdresser Karen (ex-Corrie and future Strictly star Catherine Tyldesley) and arcade manager Mike (Jason Manford) are trying to make a go of it. Manford does a bit of karaoke crooning - because of course he does - but elsewhere the writing is both warm and wicked, while Claire Sweeney brings some powerful energy as the local man-eater.

Graeme Virtue, The Guardian, 6th September 2019

Scarborough is missing one key element - humour

Even the most forgiving audience will struggle to laugh at a flat Jimmy Saville gag.

Emily Baker, i Newspaper, 6th September 2019

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