The Brittas Empire

2024-07-31T22:49:33Z

2600:100F:A100:87D5:CDA4:1F99:1260:A9D9: /* Episodes */ Clarified what was available on BritBox.

{{Short description|British TV sitcom (1991–1997)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox television
| image = brittasEmpire3.jpg
| caption =
| genre = [[Black comedy]] [[Farce]] [[Sitcom]]
| creator = [[Andrew Norriss]] Richard Fegen
| director = Mike Stephens Christine Gernon
| starring = [[Chris Barrie]] [[Pippa Haywood]] [[Julia St John]] [[Mike Burns (actor)|Mike Burns]] [[Harriet Thorpe]] [[Tim Marriott]] Jill Greenacre Russell Porter [[Judy Flynn]] [[Stephen Churchett]] Anouschka Menzies [[Andrée Bernard]] John Carrigan
| theme_music_composer = [[Frank Renton]]
| language = English
| country = United Kingdom
| num_episodes = 52
| list_episodes = List of The Brittas Empire episodes
| executive_producer = [[Mike Stephens (director)|Mike Stephens]]
| producer = [[Mike Stephens (director)|Mike Stephens]]
| camera =
| runtime = 30 mins
| network = [[BBC One|BBC1]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|1991|1|3|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1997|2|24|df=y}}
| num_series = 7
}}
'''''The Brittas Empire''''' is a British [[sitcom]] created and originally written by [[Andrew Norriss]] and Richard Fegen. [[Chris Barrie]] played titular character Gordon Brittas, the well-intentioned but hugely incompetent manager of the fictional Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre. The show ran for seven series and 52 episodes – including two Christmas specials – from 1991 to 1997 on [[BBC One|BBC1]]. Creators Norriss and Fegen co-wrote the first five series. The series peaked at 10 million viewers.

''The Brittas Empire'' enjoyed a long and successful run throughout the 1990s, and gained large mainstream audiences. In 2004, the show came 47th on the BBC's ''[[Britain's Best Sitcom]]'' poll,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/sitcom/top11to100.shtml |title= The Top 50 British Sitcoms |publisher= British Sitcom Guide |access-date= 15 April 2008 |url-status= bot: unknown |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070102133855/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sitcom/top11to100.shtml |archive-date= 2 January 2007 }}</ref> and all series have been released on DVD both individually as series and as a complete boxset. ''Best of the Britcoms'' noted the series has been hailed as "the ''[[Fawlty Towers]]'' of the 1990s" due to its "fast-paced, outrageous [comedy] full of inventive gags".<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Berman|first=Garry|url=https://archive.org/details/bestofbritcomsfr0000berm|title=Best of the Britcoms : from Fawlty Towers to Absolutely Fabulous|date=1999|location=Dallas, Tex |publisher= Taylor|isbn=978-0-87833-160-4}}</ref>

The creators Andrew Norriss and Richard Fegen often combined farce with either surreal or dramatic elements in episodes. For example, in the first series, the leisure centre prepares for a royal visit, only for the doors to seal, the boiler room to flood and a visitor to become electrocuted. Unlike many traditional sitcoms, deaths were quite commonplace in ''The Brittas Empire''. Barrie described the humour as "straightfoward, slapstick, very accessible characters, larger-than-life abnormal things happening in a very normal situation".<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/red_dwarf_smegazine-1993-06|title=Red Dwarf Smegazine (June 1993)|date=June 1993}}</ref>

==Plot summary==
{{Main|List of The Brittas Empire characters}}
Gordon Brittas ([[Chris Barrie]]) is the well-meaning but incompetent manager of Whitbury New Town [[Leisure Centre]]. He trained at the fictional [[Aldershot]] Leisure Centre. Completely tactless, totally annoying, and forever coming up with 'half-baked' ideas (and oblivious to all of his aforementioned faults), Brittas frequently upsets his staff, public, and his frazzled wife Helen ([[Pippa Haywood]]), often bringing confusion and chaos into their lives. Helen Brittas finds coping with Gordon increasingly difficult and often turns to medication and affairs with other men to maintain her sanity.

Helen is often helped by her supportive friend Laura Lancing ([[Julia St John]]), Brittas' calm, efficient deputy manager. Though she is fully aware of his incompetence and the annoyance he causes his colleagues and customers, Laura has a grudging admiration for Brittas, regarding him as honest and decent. His other deputy manager is the dim-witted but kind Colin Weatherby ([[Mike Burns (actor)|Mike Burns]]) (credited as Michael Burns in series 1, 2 and 3). Colin has several medical problems including skin [[allergies]], a constantly bandaged infected hand, and a sizeable boil on his face. Technically a deputy manager, he works more efficiently as the centre's caretaker.

The other core members of the team are Carole ([[Harriet Thorpe]]) the unfortunate, often tearful receptionist, who keeps her three children in the reception drawers and cupboards; the gentle-hearted Gavin ([[Tim Marriott]]) who becomes Deputy Manager in Series 5; his paranoid, sometimes-manic [[Same-sex relationship|partner]] Tim ([[Russell Porter (actor)|Russell Porter]]); lively, principled Linda (Jill Greenacre); and Julie ([[Judy Flynn]]), Brittas' sarcastic secretary, who hates her boss and refuses to do any work for him.

Outside the core staff is Councillor Jack Druggett ([[Stephen Churchett]]), who is unable to sack Brittas despite numerous attempts.

Cast alterations in the series: 'Angie' ([[Andrée Bernard]]), who appears as a main character in the first series, is replaced by 'Julie' from series two onwards. 'Laura' left the show after series five, at the same time as the creators and writers. She is replaced in series six by the character 'Penny' (Anouschka Menzies). 'Penny' did not return in series seven.

According to Barrie, Gordon Brittas is well-meaning but insensitive because he has a lofty dream to make the world a better place, but he doesn't know how to execute it on the small-scale.<ref name=":0" /> At the same time Barrie was playing Brittas, he was also playing his other well-known role of [[Arnold Rimmer]] in ''[[Red Dwarf]]''. Both characters had similar personality flaws (although Brittas always attempted to be friendly to those around him while Rimmer treated everyone with nothing but contempt) and even some of their history matched; for instance both characters had brief and unsuccessful stints at the Samaritans.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Howarth|first=Chris|url=https://archive.org/details/reddwarfprogramm0000howa|title=Red Dwarf : programme guide|date=1993|location=London |publisher= Virgin|isbn=978-0-86369-682-4}}</ref> ''Unlocking your potential'' describes Colin as a habitual 'yes' man, who seeks validation through compliance.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Marshall|first=Peter|url=https://archive.org/details/unlockingyourpot0000mars|title=Unlocking your potential : how to master your mind, life and destiny|date=1998|location=Oxford |publisher= How To Books|isbn=978-0-585-24320-7}}</ref> While Gordon himself is a larger than life creation, he is balanced out by his slightly more 'normal' long suffering staff as foil to offset his antics.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Byrne|first=John|url=https://archive.org/details/writingcomedy0000byrn_s3f3|title=Writing comedy|date=1999|location=London |publisher= A. & C. Black|isbn=978-0-7136-4950-5}}</ref>

==Episodes==
{{Main|List of The Brittas Empire episodes}}

''The Brittas Empire'' was broadcast for 52 episodes between 1991 and 1997, spanning seven series and two Christmas Specials, along with one short episode for [[Children in Need]]. The cast also performed in the 1996 [[Royal Variety Performance]]. Chris Barrie played Brittas again in the short fitness series spin-off, ''Get Fit with Brittas''.

For the first five series the show's creators Richard Fegen and Andrew Norriss co-wrote every episode. After series 5 they left, along with actress Julia St John who played deputy manager Laura. At the end of Series 5 Norriss and Fegen killed off Brittas when he was crushed to death by a falling water tank. This was originally meant to be the end of the show's run.

However, the show's popularity meant the [[BBC]] resurrected Brittas and brought on a new team of writers who carried the show on for a further two series and one further Christmas special in 1996. These writers were: [[Paul Smith (television writer)|Paul Smith]] (who also wrote the series seven episode "Malcolm ex" for Andrew Marshall's ''[[2point4 Children]]''), Terry Kyan, Tony Millan, [[Mike Walling]], [[Ian Davidson (scriptwriter)|Ian Davidson]] and Peter Vincent.

"Curse of the Tiger Women" is the final episode which aired in 1997. This ending claims all seven series were part of a dream that Brittas is having on his way to the job interview for manager of the leisure centre. It is an ending that is not well regarded by many critics{{who|date=May 2023}} and is viewed as a poor ending for such a popular show.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

Episodes of the show were shown at the 1992 Visions convention.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/red_dwarf_smegazine-1993-04|title=Red Dwarf Smegazine (April 1993)|date=April 1993}}</ref>

Tickets for the live recordings were available by writing to the BBC TV Ticket unit – while tickets were free, participants had to be aged 14 and up.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/red_dwarf_smegazine-1993-07|title=Red Dwarf Smegazine (July 1993)|date=July 1993}}</ref>

The series was rerun on Gold in 2009.<ref>{{Cite book|last=The Portugal News|url=https://archive.org/details/The_Portugal_News-1017|title=The Portugal News - Issue 1017|date=2009|language=english}}</ref>

In 2014, Chris Barrie reprised his role as Gordon Brittas for a brief appearance in the [[Sport Relief]] music video, "[[Word Up! (song)#Little Mix version|Word Up!]]" by [[Little Mix]].{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

[[Forces TV]] aired the series from 9 September 2021 until the channel shut down.

On 6 March 2023, [[Drama (British TV channel)|Drama]] began repeating the series.

All series (1-7) are currently available to subscribers of [[BritBox]] in both the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[United States of America]].

==DVD and VHS releases==
All seven series were released on [[DVD]] in the United Kingdom by Eureka Video, and also in Australia by the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]. The Eureka releases are now out of print. Prior to these DVD releases, the [[BBC]] brought episodes to [[VHS]] in the 1990s.

*The VHS title: ''The Brittas Empire - Laying the Foundations'' [[VHS]] was released; it features: 'Laying the Foundations' (Series 1: Episode 1), 'Back from the dead' (Series 2: Episode 1), 'Set in Concrete' (Series 2: Episode 4), 'An Inspector Calls' (Series 2: Episode 3) and 'The Trial' (Series 3: Episode 1).
*Then on 7 August 1995, ''Brittas Empire - The Stuff of Dreams'' was released and features the episodes: 'The Christening' (Series 4: Episode 2), 'The Stuff of Dreams' (Series 3: Episode 6) and 'Not a Good Day' (Series 4: Episode 1).
*From 2003, Eureka Video began bringing the entire series to [[DVD]], in single series box sets. ''The Brittas Empire - Complete Series One'' was released on 21 July 2003,<ref>[https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000A3OOQ8 Amazon.co.uk: The Brittas Empire: Complete BBC Series 1-7 Box Set [1991]]</ref> followed by series two on 20 October 2003, and then series three was released on 29 January 2004. Series four was released in the same year on 29 July, and the final series by Norriss and Fegen, series five, was released on 4 October 2004.
*''The Brittas Empire, Complete Series Six'' was released on 21 February 2005, and the ''final series'' along with the 1996 Christmas Special, was released on 23 May 2005.
*''The Brittas Empire, Complete Series One-Seven'', a set comprising the entire series, was released on 8 October 2007.

===DVD release dates===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!width="100px" colspan="2" rowspan="2"|DVD
!width="60px" rowspan="2"|Episodes
!width="100px" rowspan="2"|Year
!colspan="3"|Release date
|-
!width="150px"|Region 2
!width="150px"|Region 4
|-
|bgcolor="#FF0000"|
|'''[[List of The Brittas Empire episodes#Series 1 (1991)|Series 1]]'''
|6
|1991
|21 July 2003<ref name="SD" group="n">This series was also released in region 2 on a single disc DVD on 7 January 2008</ref>
|4 August 2004
|-
|bgcolor="#8A2BE2"|
|'''[[List of The Brittas Empire episodes#Series 2 (1992)|Series 2]]'''
|7
|1992
|20 October 2003<ref name="SD" group="n"/>
|6 May 2005
|-
|bgcolor="#03C03C"|
|'''[[List of The Brittas Empire episodes#Series 3 (1993)|Series 3]]'''
|6
|1993
|19 January 2004
|3 August 2005
|-
|bgcolor="#00CCCC"|
|'''[[List of The Brittas Empire episodes#Series 4 (1994)|Series 4]]'''
|8
|1994
|19 July 2004
|2 March 2006
|-
|bgcolor="#FEFE33"|
|'''[[List of The Brittas Empire episodes#Series 5 (1994)|Series 5]]'''
|9
|1994
|4 October 2004
|6 July 2006
|-
|bgcolor="#FF4500"|
|'''[[List of The Brittas Empire episodes#Series 6 (1996)|Series 6]]'''
|7
|1996
|21 February 2005
|7 March 2007
|-
|bgcolor="#E0115F"|
|'''[[List of The Brittas Empire episodes#Series 7 (1997)|Series 7]]'''
|9
|1997
|23 May 2005
|3 July 2007
|-
|bgcolor="#082567"|
|'''[[List of The Brittas Empire episodes#Series 1 (1991)|Series 1–7]]'''
|52
|1991–1997
|8 October 2007
|N/A
|}

{{Reflist|group=n}}

==Critical response==
The series has received a highly positive reception from critics and fans, and has been analysed for its themes.

The book ''Writing Dialogue for Scripts'' argues that the show's comedy is largely fuelled by the dramatic irony of the audience knowing that the main character is not important, while he believes he is, and compared Brittas to [[Captain Mainwaring]] in ''[[Dad's Army]]''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Davis|first=Rib|url=https://archive.org/details/writingdialoguef0000davi|title=Writing dialogue for scripts|date=1998|location=London |publisher= A. & C. Black|isbn=978-0-7136-4802-7}}</ref> Critics John Lewis and Penny Stempel noted the series' theme of "an incompetent in charge of others" in the vein of TV humour from ''Dad's Army'' to ''[[Are You Being Served?]]'', coupled with an element of absurdism.<ref>(book) "Cult TV: The Comedies - The ultimate critical guide", 1998, Jon E. Lewis and Penny Stempel</ref> ''The Shakespeare Library'' lists it as an example of a TV show that has fun with the idea of a man given a little power and authority that goes to his head.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Greenhill|first=Wendy|url=https://archive.org/details/twelfthnight0000gree|title=Twelfth night|date=1997|location=Oxford |publisher= Heinemann Library|isbn=978-0-431-07537-2}}</ref> ''I'm Too Busy to be Stressed'' described Gordon as a classic example of an over-compensating individual who exhibits a sense of authority to camouflage the inferiority beneath.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Jones|first=Hilary|url=https://archive.org/details/imtoobusytobestr0000jone|title=I'm too busy to be stressed : how to recognise and relieve the symptoms of stress|date=1997|location=London |publisher= Hodder & Stoughton|isbn=978-0-340-67231-0}}</ref>

The website ''British Comedy Guide'' wrote in 2021 that ''The Brittas Empire'' had "aged very well" in the 30 years since its debut.<ref>{{Cite web|date=3 January 2021|title=30 years of The Brittas Empire|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/the_brittas_empire/special/30-years/|access-date=5 June 2021|website=British Comedy Guide|language=en-GB}}</ref> The character has been described by critics as a popular portrayal of an Aspergers character along with ''[[Mr. Bean]]'', as they both demonstrate inappropriate social behaviour.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Attwood|first=Tony|url=https://archive.org/details/aspergerssyndrom00attw_0|title=Asperger's syndrome|date=1998|publisher=Jessica Kingsley Publishers|isbn=978-1-85302-577-8}}</ref> According to the ''Eastern Europe Travel Survivors Kit 1994'', shows like ''The Brittas Empire'' and American primetime [[soap opera]] ''[[Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty]]'' formed the backbone of Poland's two state TV channels.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hatchwell|first=Emily|url=https://archive.org/details/easterneurope0000hatc|title=Eastern Europe|date=1994|location=Oxford |publisher= Vacation Work|isbn=978-1-85458-113-6}}</ref> ''British Cultural Identities'' believed the series successfully critiqued contemporary British pretensions.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/britishculturali0000unse|title=British cultural identities|date=1997|location=London ; New York |publisher= Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-13698-3}}</ref> ''Red Dwarf Smegazine'' argued in 1993 that while ''Red Dwarf'' had been a success, "Chris [Barrie] is perhaps better known by many TV viewers for The Brittas Empire".<ref name=":0" /> ''The Encyclopedia of TV Science Fiction'' wrote that the series saw Barrie achieve more mainstream success.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Fulton|first=Roger|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaoftv0000fult|title=The encyclopedia of TV science fiction|date=1997|location=London |publisher= Boxtree|isbn=978-0-7522-1150-3}}</ref>

== Revival ==

Talks of a Christmas special or a revival were raised in 2015, though ultimately neither project were picked up.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Chris Barrie hints at The Brittas Empire comeback|url=https://www.lady-first.me/article/chris-barrie-hints-at-the-brittas-empire-comeback,10855.html|access-date=5 June 2021|website=LadyFirst|language=en}}</ref> On a revival, ''[[The Guardian]]'' wrote that while the original run "never really entered the fabric of popular culture...arguably, tastes have advanced enough for people to warm to a mainstream sitcom that includes the chainsaw dismemberment of several innocent people".<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 July 2015|title=The Brittas Empire returns: but what other sitcoms could work in 2015?|url=http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2015/jul/08/the-brittas-empire-returns-but-what-other-sitcoms-could-work-in-2015|access-date=4 June 2021|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> In 2017, ''Digital Spy'' wrote that the show "arguably inspired Ricky Gervais' ''The Office'' in the early noughties, which went on to have huge success – so it's only natural ''The Brittas Empire'' may be in for a reboot".<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=McCreesh|first=Louise|date=13 September 2017|title=The Brittas Empire could be in for a revival|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a837964/red-dwarf-star-chris-barrie-teases-brittas-empire-comeback/|access-date=5 June 2021|website=Digital Spy|language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2018, a Comic Relief producer worked with Barrie to get a Brittas Empire skit on the programme, but was unsuccessful.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Debnath|first=Neela|date=6 July 2019|title=Brittas Empire reboot: Will there be another series of The Brittas Empire?|url=https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1150167/Brittas-Empire-reboot-new-series-Chris-Barrie-Gordon-Brittas-BBC-sitcom-comedy|access-date=5 June 2021|website=Daily Express|location=London}}</ref>

In October 2020, the cast and original writers attended the re-launching of the Ringwood Recreation Centre, where the series was filmed, and Barrie hoped the event would be a catalyst for an eighth series. He advised "there's so much momentum for it, now's the time." At this stage, original writers Andrew Norriss and Richard Fegen were working on a new script.<ref name=":2" />

==Influence==
The show has been credited with having an influence on [[Alan Partridge]] and ''[[The Office]]''.<ref>[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/tubetalk/a378645/the-brittas-empire-tube-talk-gold.html The Britas Empire at Digital Spy]</ref>

==Setting==
The exterior shots and interior swimming pools of 'Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre' were filmed at [[Ringwood, Hampshire|Ringwood]] Leisure Centre, [[Hampshire]].{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*{{BBC programme}}
*{{BBC Online|comedy/thebrittasempire|''The Brittas Empire''}}
*{{IMDb title|0101054}}
*{{British Comedy Guide|tv|the_brittas_empire}}
*{{epguides|BrittasEmpire}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brittas Empire, The}}
[[Category:1991 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:1997 British television series endings]]
[[Category:1990s British black comedy television series]]
[[Category:1990s British sitcoms]]
[[Category:BBC television sitcoms]]
[[Category:1990s British satirical television series]]
[[Category:British English-language television shows]]
[[Category:1990s British workplace comedy television series]]

The Goon Show Depository - User contributions [en]

The Brittas Empire