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Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps

{{short description|British television sitcom}}

{{for|the song "Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Please"|Splodgenessabounds}}

{{EngvarB|date=April 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}

{{Infobox television

| image = Two Pints Logo.png

| genre = Sitcom

| runtime = 30 minutes

| camera = Multi-camera

| creator = Susan Nickson

| opentheme = "Two Pints of Lager Theme" by Christian Henson

| location = Runcorn, Cheshire

| starring = Sheridan Smith
Kathryn Drysdale
Ralf Little
Will Mellor
Natalie Casey
Luke Gell
Beverley Callard
Georgia Henshaw
Freddie Hogan

| writer = Susan Nickson
(2001–2009)

| director = Gareth Carrivick
Becky Martin
Nick Wood
Geoff Posner

| country = United Kingdom

| language = English

| company = BBC Television

| network = BBC Two (2001)
BBC Choice (2002)
BBC Three (2003–2011)

| first_aired = {{start date|2001|2|26|df=y}}

| last_aired = {{end date|2011|5|24|df=y}}

| num_series = 9

| num_episodes = 80

| list_episodes = List of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps episodes

}}

Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps is a British television sitcom that ran from 26 February 2001 to 24 May 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/25/will-mellor-confirms-two-pints-lager-packet-crisps-reunion-ralf-little-fans-gone-meltdown-12120584/|title = Will Mellor confirms Two Pints of Lager reunion with Ralf Little|date = 25 January 2020}} First broadcast on BBC Two, it originally starred Sheridan Smith, Will Mellor, Natalie Casey, Ralf Little, Kathryn Drysdale, Beverley Callard. The show was created and written by Susan Nickson and set in her hometown of Runcorn, Cheshire, it originally revolved around the lives of five twentysomethings. Little departed after the sixth series, and Smith and Drysdale left after the eighth series. The ninth and final series had major changes with new main cast members and new writers.

The core cast was augmented by various recurring characters throughout the series, portrayed by Beverley Callard, Lee Oakes, Hayley Bishop, Thomas Nelstrop, Freddie Hogan and Georgia Henshaw. The title was inspired by the 1980 song "Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Please" by punk rock band Splodgenessabounds.{{cite web |url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/t/twopintsoflagera_66603590.shtml |publisher = BBC |title = Guide to Comedy: Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps |author = Mark Lewisohn |access-date = 14 July 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070821033057/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/t/twopintsoflagera_66603590.shtml |archive-date = 21 August 2007 |df = dmy-all }} On 23 July 2011, it was confirmed that the series would not return due to the BBC making room for new comedies and feeling that the series had come to a natural end after the departures of most of the main cast members.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-14273434|title=BBC axes Two Pints of Lager show|date=2011-07-25|work=BBC News|access-date=2020-03-13|language=en-GB}}

Production

BBC Two announced the first series as one of the highlights of their Autumn 2000 schedule, although the premiere was eventually held back to 2001.{{Cite web |title=BBC2 UNVEILS NEW AUTUMN HIGHLIGHTS - UK Broadcast News {{!}} 24/08/2000 |url=https://www.4rfv.co.uk/industrynews/5272/bbc2_unveils_new_autumn_highlights |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=www.4rfv.co.uk}} The first six series with the original cast including Ralf Little ran until 2006, with Jonny killed off-screen during the first episode of the seventh series.

An eighth series was confirmed by Mellor in an interview in the Metro on 21 April 2008, in which he said that they would be filming the series from November 2008 to January 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a94254/mellor-confirms-two-pints-return.html?rss |title=Television – News – Mellor confirms 'Two Pints' return |publisher=Digital Spy |date=21 April 2008 |access-date=15 September 2010}} In January 2009, the BBC announced recording dates for the next series at BBC Television Centre from 1 February to 3 April. Natalie Casey, Kathryn Drysdale, Luke Gell, Will Mellor and Sheridan Smith all returned and the new character of Wesley was played by Thomas Nelstrop.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/2009/wk11/sun.shtml#sun_twopints |title=Press Office – Network TV Programme Information BBC Week 11 Sunday 15 March 2009 |publisher=BBC |access-date=15 September 2010}}

The outcome of the final episode of series 8 was decided by the public, who were asked to vote on whether Gaz should be with Donna or Janet. Following the finale of series 8, which was broadcast on 10 May 2009,{{cite web |date=7 April 2009 |title=TV – News – 'Two Pints' audience to choose finale |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a152099/two-pints-audience-to-choose-finale.html |access-date=15 September 2010 |publisher=Digital Spy}} the audience chose Donna with 76.9% of the vote. The final episode concluded with Donna at Gaz's bedside.

Two special episodes of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps were filmed in 2009.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/two_pints] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100217101128/http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/two_pints|date=17 February 2010}} The first was set a few minutes after the ending of the previous episode, its cast being limited to Janet, Wesley and Tim, and was recorded on 13 August 2009 at BBC TV Centre. It was a musical extravaganza set entirely inside the Archer and was broadcast on 15 December 2009. The second, "Sliding Gaz", was recorded on 18 August 2009 and shown on 22 December 2009.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/11_november/23/christmas.shtml |title=The BBC lights up Christmas with a selection of new seasonal delights |work=BBC News |access-date=15 September 2010}} The cast consists of Donna and Gaz only and shows Donna in a "sliding doors" technique, imagining Gaz being healthy and also paralysed.

In April 2010, it was revealed that the show was to return, albeit 'refreshed' by the BBC, after the departure of the creator of the show, Susan Nickson.{{cite web|url=http://www.comedy.co.uk/news/story/00000282/two_pints_of_lager_refresh/ |title=BBC set to refresh Two Pints Of Lager – News – British Comedy Guide |publisher=Comedy.co.uk |date=8 April 2010 |access-date=15 September 2010}} Original cast members Sheridan Smith and Kathryn Drysdale were written out of the series after deciding not to return for series 9, and their departures were mentioned in the first episode of series 9. On 25 July 2011 the BBC decided that the show would not return for a tenth series.{{Cite news |date=2011-07-25 |title=Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps is axed |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-14273434 |access-date=2023-12-17}}

Episodes

{{Main|List of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps episodes}}

class="wikitable"
style="padding:0 8px;" colspan="2"|Series

! style="padding:0 8px;"|Episodes

! style="padding:0 45px;"|Premier

! style="padding:0 45px;"|Finale

bgcolor="#1b469b" height="10px" |

|align="center" |1

|align="center" |6

|align="center" |{{Start date|2001|2|26|df=y}}

|align="center" |{{End date|2001|04|2|df=y}}

bgcolor="#5e1a93" height="10px" |

|align="center" |2

|align="center" |6

|align="center" |{{Start date|2002|4|15|df=y}}

|align="center" |{{End date|2002|5|2|df=y}}

bgcolor="#bd2157" height="10px" |

|align="center" |3

|align="center" |10

|align="center" |{{Start date|2003|2|23|df=y}}

|align="center" |{{End date|2003|4|27|df=y}}

bgcolor="#d36425" height="10px" |

|align="center" |4

|align="center" |8

|align="center" |{{Start date|2004|2|15|df=y}}

|align="center" |{{End date|2004|4|4|df=y}}

bgcolor="#d39825" height="10px" |

|align="center" |5

|align="center" |14

|align="center" |{{Start date|2005|1|2|df=y}}

|align="center" |{{End date|2005|3|4|df=y}}

bgcolor="#d3d125" height="10px" |

|align="center" |6

|align="center" |10

|align="center" |{{Start date|2006|2|26|df=y}}

|align="center" |{{End date|2006|4|30|df=y}}

bgcolor="#56a41d" height="10px" |

|align="center" |7

|align="center" |8

|align="center" |{{Start date|2008|01|13|df=y}}

|align="center" |{{End date|2008|3|9|df=y}}

bgcolor="#1e98aa" height="10px" |

|align="center" |8

|align="center" |8

|align="center" |{{Start date|2009|03|15|df=y}}

|align="center" |{{End date|2009|05|10|df=y}}

bgcolor="#00A693" height="10px" |

|align="center" |9

|align="center" |6

|align="center" |{{Start date|2011|04|26|df=y}}

|align="center" |{{End date|2011|05|24|df=y}}

Cast

{{Main|List of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps characters}}

=Main=

class="wikitable sortable"
ActorCharacterDurationEpisodes
Will Mellor

| Gaz Wilkinson

| rowspan=1| 2001–2011

| rowspan=1| 79

Natalie Casey

| Donna Wilkinson née Henshaw

| rowspan=1| 2001–2011

| rowspan=1| 78

Sheridan Smith

| Janet Keogh née Smith

| rowspan=1| 2001–2009

| rowspan=1| 73

Kathryn Drysdale

| Louise Brooks

| rowspan=1| 2001–2009

| rowspan=1| 70

Ralf Little

| Jonny Keogh

| rowspan=1| 2001–2006

| rowspan=1| 56

Luke Gell

| Tim Claypole

| rowspan=1| 2008–2011

| rowspan=1| 23

Georgia Henshaw

| Cassie Claypole

| rowspan=1|2011

| rowspan=1| 6

Freddie Hogan

| Billy McCormack

| rowspan=1|2011

| rowspan=1| 6

=Supporting=

class="wikitable sortable"
ActorCharacterDurationEpisodes
Beverley CallardFlo Henshaw2001–200319
Oliver BootAndy2002–20033
Jonathon DuttonDavid Fish2003–200412
Lee Oakes

| Munch Wilkinson

| 2003–2005,
2008

| 24

Alison MacKate20046
Hayley BishopKelly Crabtree2004–200626
Thomas Nelstrop

| Wesley Presley

| rowspan="1"| 2009

| rowspan="1"| 7

Samuel Barnett

| Leonard

| rowspan="1"| 2011

| rowspan="1"| 2

Home releases

class="wikitable"
"

! Season

Date released# of episodes# of discsSpecial features
The Complete First and Second Seriesstyle="text-align:center;"|18 August 2003122
The Complete Third and Fourth Seriesstyle="text-align:center;"|6 September 20041842003 Musical special
The Complete Fifth Seriesstyle="text-align:center;"|5 September 2005143
The Complete Series 1–4style="text-align:center;"|24 October 2005305
The Complete Sixth Seriesstyle="text-align:center;"|4 September 2006102Behind the scenes
The Complete Series 1–6style="text-align:center;"|16 October 20065410
The Complete Seventh Seriesstyle="text-align:center;"|21 April 200882Behind the scenes
The Complete Eighth Seriesstyle="text-align:center;"|14 September 200992Comic Relief Special
The Complete Ninth Seriesstyle="text-align:center;"|13 June 2011622009 specials

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Wikiquote}}

{{Portal|Cheshire|North West England}}

  • {{BBC Online|comedy/twopints|Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps}} (Last updated March 2008)
  • [http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/pints/ Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps] at the British TV Comedy Guide
  • {{British Comedy Guide|tv|two_pints}}
  • {{IMDb title|id=0278251|title=Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps}}
  • {{BBC programme}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps}}

Category:2001 British television series debuts

Category:2011 British television series endings

Category:2000s British sex comedy television series

Category:2000s British multi-camera sitcoms

Category:2010s British sex comedy television series

Category:2010s British multi-camera sitcoms

Category:BBC television sitcoms

Category:British English-language television shows

Category:Runcorn

Category:Television series about couples

Category:Television shows set in Cheshire