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The Brittas Empire

  • 1991–1997
  • 7 seasons
  • Comedy
  • 6.6

The Brittas Empire is a British sitcom created and originally written by Andrew Norriss and Richard Fegen. Chris Barrie plays Gordon Brittas, the well-meaning but incompetent manager of Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre. The show ran for seven series and 53 episodes — including two Christmas specials — from 1991 to 1997 on BBC1. Norriss and Fegen wrote the first five series, after which they left the show. The Brittas Empire enjoyed a long and successful run throughout the 1990s, and gained itself large mainstream audiences. In 2004 the show came 47th on the BBC's Britain's Best Sitcom poll, and all series have been released on DVD. The creators Andrew Norriss and Richard Fegen often combine 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 the traditional sitcom, deaths were quite common in The Brittas Empire.

Episodes

8 episodes
  1. 1Not a Good Day...

    30 minJan 10, 1994

    It's Life Cycle Week at Whitbury Newtown Leisure Centre and Sebastian Coe MP has come to broadcast the news. Then trouble ensues when a cyclist dies, naturally upsetting his wife; and young Ben makes his way into the vents, with Carole and Helen trying to get him out. Then a centurion has a fight with Gordon because his son has been arrested, which escalates to the Classical War Society starting war against the entire centre.

  2. 2The Christening

    30 minJan 17, 1994

    Gordon and Helen are having their twins baptised. The rehearsal goes wrong and Carole ruins the christening cake - but can she disguise it? Meanwhile Horatio tells Gordon he's in love with a girl he has met, then the babies go missing. Will the christening go as planned?

  3. 3Biggles Tells a Lie

    30 minJan 24, 1994

    It's Gordon's day off and Colin has dressed like Brittas, pretending to be manager. Colin's daughter Stephanie is coming to see her father. Everyone agrees to play along and soon everything is running well - until Gordon turns up!

  4. 4Mr Brittas Changes Trains

    30 minJan 31, 1994

    Things are getting rather strange at Whitbury Newtown Leisure Centre. Carole seems to be croaking a lot while talking, Linda does nothing but bark about a lot and keeps talking in dog language and Colin keeps telling everyone that he loves them and keeps taking his trousers off. All of this is making Gordon very cross so he decides to call the hypnotist and put everyone back to normal. This then gets Laura thinking.

  5. 5Playing with Fire

    30 minFeb 7, 1994

    Gordon is doing a survey on how much electricity is being used and prepares a lot of forms for the staff. Colin meanwhile does an experiment which involves using the lavatories. Then Gavin gets a big shock when his old girlfriend Jenny comes to the centre to see him - then realises that she came from a clinic.

  6. 6Shall We Dance?

    30 minFeb 14, 1994

    Gordon seems to be spending a lot of time with Laura while Helen and the children are on holiday. Everyone thinks that there is something going on. Gordon is planning to take Laura to the dance at the centre. Then Laura's husband Michael unexpectedly turns up to see her. And Carole's boyfriend intends to propose, though getting his arm stuck in the suggestion box is just the beginning.

  7. 7The Chop

    30 minFeb 28, 1994

    Gordon is teaching the staff how to play 'Game of Life'. Councillor Drugget arrives and tells Gordon he is going to be sacked. Gordon is cross and ignores him, then Councillor Drugget finds out that Helen borrowed £300 for a dog that then fowls in the pool. Now Gordon has to choose: either he quits his job or Helen goes to jail.

  8. 8High Noon

    30 minMar 7, 1994

    Laura sees Gordon working at a petrol station, causing more trouble then ever and holding up the traffic. The centre's new manager Alan Digby is having trouble when Gordon gets on his nerves. Then a gas leak is found and there's a large explosion which brings the entire centre down. Everyone is clear but Gordon is nowhere to be seen. Could this be the last of Gordon Brittas?

Where to watch The Brittas Empire

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Series cast

Chris BarrieGordon Brittas50 episodes
Michael BurnsColin50 episodes
Julia St. JohnLaura50 episodes
Pippa HaywoodHelen Brittas50 episodes
Tim MarriottGavin50 episodes
Harriet ThorpeCarole50 episodes
Russell PorterTim50 episodes
Judy FlynnJulie44 episodes
Jill GreenacreLinda32 episodes
Andrée BernardAngie6 episodes
David CreanMichael T Farrell3 episodes
Jo KendallMrs Dapping2 episodes
Richard BraineHoratio2 episodes
Ian BleasdaleForeman2 episodes
Frances LowPam2 episodes
Roy AlonMr Appleby2 episodes
Colin PinneyVicar2 episodes
Stephen ChurchettCouncillor Jack Drugget2 episodes

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