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dinnerladies
RELEASED·SERIES·EN

dinnerladies

Thu, Nov 12, 1998
  • Comedy
Series · Synopsis

Synopsis

Dinnerladies is a BBC sitcom written by and starring Victoria Wood that chronicles the antics of a group of workers in a canteen in the north of England. Bren tries to maintain a semblance of order in amongst the chaos, while dealing with the canteen supervisor, slightly sex-obsessed cancer sufferer Tony. Dolly and Jean are the bickering menopausal older women, always at odds but best friends beneath it all. Then there's thick-as-two-short-planks Anita, and the terminally uninterested Twinkle, more concerned with having a good time than anything else. Making up the motley crew are military man handyman Stan, all rules and regulations, and ditzy Philippa, who never seems to get anything right.

Trailer

Watch the trailer

Where to watch

Streaming on

  • BBC Two↗
Cast

Top of the call sheet

  • Maxine Peake
    Maxine Peake
    as Twinkle
  • Thelma Barlow
    Thelma Barlow
    as Dolly Bellfield
  • Anne Reid
    Anne Reid
    as Jean
  • Shobna Gulati
    Shobna Gulati
    as Anita
  • Duncan Preston
    Duncan Preston
    as Stan Meadowcroft
  • Victoria Wood
    Victoria Wood
    as Brenda
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Episodes

2 seasons · 16 episodes

Ended · 16 aired
Season 1
6 episodes · 6 aired
▾
  • E1
    Monday
    Aired · Thu, Nov 12, 1998 · 30m

    Jean is frantically prepares for her daughter's wedding, Bren and Dolly discuss the weekend's television and the new HR head tries to rope everyone into a group Scottish country dancing session.

  • E2
    Royals
    Aired · Thu, Nov 19, 1998 · 30m

    The dinner ladies are very excited about an impending visit from His Royal Highness Prince James, The Duke of Danby. Stan isn't, having had a previous run-in with him at Catterick Garrison army base.

  • E3
    Scandal
    Aired · Thu, Nov 26, 1998 · 30m
  • E4
    Moods
    Aired · Thu, Dec 3, 1998 · 30m
  • E5
    Party
    Aired · Thu, Dec 10, 1998 · 30m

    The work do becomes incredibly formal and mock-Japanese. Everything goes well for Bren until her mother turns up and gets stuck into the sake.

  • E6
    Nightshift
    Aired · Thu, Dec 17, 1998 · 30m
Season 2
10 episodes · 10 aired
▾
  • E1
    Catering
    Aired · Thu, Nov 25, 1999 · 30m
  • E2
    Trouble
    Aired · Thu, Dec 2, 1999 · 30m
  • E3
    Holidays
    Aired · Thu, Dec 9, 1999 · 30m
  • E4
    Fog
    Aired · Thu, Dec 16, 1999 · 30m
  • E5
    Gamble
    Aired · Thu, Dec 23, 1999 · 30m

    The ladies are desperate for Bren and Tony to get together, as they've bet against the Planning Department that a union will take place before Christmas. Dolly searches for novelty hot-water bottles.

  • E6
    Christmas
    Aired · Fri, Dec 24, 1999 · 30m
  • E7
    Minnellium
    Aired · Thu, Dec 30, 1999 · 30m
  • E8
    Christine
    Aired · Thu, Jan 13, 2000 · 30m

    Anita's replacement in the canteen is hated by everyone except for Dolly. A social worker suggests Bren's mother moves in with her. Will Viagra help anyone?

  • E9
    Gravy
    Aired · Thu, Jan 20, 2000 · 30m
  • E10
    Toast
    Aired · Thu, Jan 27, 2000 · 30m

    Having taken a variety of drugs to get her to relax - including Stan's cat powders - Bren leaves the canteen for the Totally Trivial studios. The ladies tune into the quiz to find she hasn't made it.