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I watched an episode of “Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads” on BBC4 last night. Terry (James Bolam) was fretting on the result of the 4.30 at Haydock Park, which had not been published in the evening paper.
When his mother told him to stop worrying, he said something like “But mam, I have a double going onto it. And it’s up and down!”
I suspect the “up and down” reference went over the heads of most of the audience. It leads me to think Messrs Clement and La Frenais have spent a bit too much time in the bookies! Or maybe James Bolam threw the line in. He used to own and breed racehorses, a few of them quite good. King Credo won the big 2 mile handicap hurdle at Newbury.
Watching programmes from that era is a real look into a vanished world. It must look archaic to anyone under 40 and who are used to watching every race on their phone and knowing all the results instantly.
I remember having bets on races at smaller meetings on a Saturday in the pre-internet and racing channels era and “watching” the race on the bookmaker pages on Ceefax and Oracle!
Great post IMO.
I endorse every word of it.
My value systems have moved (a bit!) with the times, so I find it surreal watching old material, but compulsively watch anyway.
Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads was and still is amazing to me.
The original was before my time, but I saw a couple of repeats and didn’t actually think it was as good as the sequel – that’s rare.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I was also amused when Bob asked Terry to meet a friend of his. When Terry said he did not know him and Bob said he had only just moved to Newcastle and was from “down south”, Terry replied “Do you mean Middlesbrough?”
They also attended a ghastly 1970s supper party, complete with fondue set. And dreadful fashions.
The contrast between Terry, loyal to his old world that is visibly dying and Bob, eager to get on (or because Thelma expects him to) is so well observed.
Some programmes don’t have longevity but The Likely Lads does and although a more recent series I still find One Foot In The Grave brilliant. Other programmes I think this was absolute garbage and one that springs to mind, The Professionals what an absolute load of tosh but people loved it.
The more I know the less I understand.
Big fan here too
The bit during the opening credits where Bob lovingly and just a touch smugly wafts a hand over his Vauxhall Viva outside his new-build house always makes me smile: a nice observation of ’70s aspiration
Woooaaahhhh don’t knock Bodie and Doyle , ceefax for the racing and football results before heading out on a Sat night , £3 fuel in my dad’s car to get there and home , sausage supper and a grope on the back seat …. Marvellous
I sometimes feel nostalgic for the days of the racing results on Ceefax. Refreshing the page in the hope there would be an update. The suspense was unbearable sometimes!
There is also the episode of Fawlty Towers where Basil tries to hide his horse winnings from Sybil. Much harder to do these days if you punt online!
Do agree that One Foot in the Grave is brilliant. The Trial is a standout episode for me, where Victor is at home waiting to find out if he will be required for jury service. Only Richard Wilson appears in it. It takes some skill to carry an episode entirely by yourself and make it funny.
Wasn’t there a three digit phone number you could call for the racing results. Premium charge and 167 seems to spring to mind.
The more I know the less I understand.
I remember the William Hill Rapid Raceline. It was advertised on television, even during the standard non-racing programmes. Difficult to imagine that happening now.
Don’t we have our own version of the ‘Likely Lads’ here on TRF in Chezza & Hughesy?
good luck to allSo long as Chezza can be Terry.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Eric Morecambe was once asked if they weren’t comedians what would he and Ernie be ….. ” Mike and Bernie Winters ” he replied ….. Chezza and Hughsie are the Mike and Bernie Winters of the forum
Ouch!
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“Don’t we have our own version of the ‘Likely Lads’ here on TRF in Chezza & Hughesy?”
More like Terry and June.
The perennially upwardly mobile socially Thelma would be the ideal challenging thespian role for Gladders, one feels.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"
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