Television TV

Nearest And Dearest

The comic talents of Jimmy Jewel and Hylda Baker join forces in the roles of Eli and Nellie, a brother and sister who inherit their father's pickle factory in Lancashire - and a pile of problems. Nearest And Dearest was broadcast between 1968 and 1973 on Granada ITV. There were 45 episodes put into 7 series. It was written by Harry Driver, Vince Powell, John Stevenson, Roy Bottomley and Tom Brennand; produced by Peter Eckersley and Bill Podmore; and directed by June Howson and Bill Podmore.

An unsuccessful film version of the series was made by Hammer Films in 1972, complete with a vocal version of the series' theme tune sung by Hylda Baker. The series was also adapted for the American market, re-named Thicker Than Water.


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Do You Remember Nearest And Dearest?

Do You Remember Nearest And Dearest?

  • Anonymous user
    on
    We used to watch this when I was a child. My parents used to fall about laughing. Recently I saw a re-run on satellite tv - I was really looking forward to it with fond memories from my childhood - my god what cr*p. All I can say is, we must have been much less demanding back in the day. The main joke (Hylda Baker mispronouncing all her words) was wearing thin after 5 minutes. I could cheerfully have murdered her. After about 15 minutes I gave up trying to recapture my youth and turned it off. We've come a long way since producing this garbage, thank goodness.